Hello,

So I thought I'd document my engine conversion - you may have to wait a while for the finished product though because im currently 2 years in!

So back in 2016 the 200tdi in the 110 decided it didn't want to play the game anymore, and in spectacular fashion broke down on a dual carriageway. Turns out the turbo oil seals had gone, so in retrospect was probably an easy fix but I decided a V8 was the way to go because my 110 isn't the daily driver.

I went on gumtree and found a nice-ish looking 3.9 manual from an RRC with all the anchilleries (loom, relays, ecu and all the stuff). £350 right bargain! gear box is an LT77 short stick.



Did a bit of reading up and got a rough idea of what id need to do - i thought id just plod through and it take a couple of weeks. oh how wrong i was.

I got the 200tdi, gearbox and transfer box out fairly sharpish and set about putting the lt77 short stick and transfer box in - this was fairly trouble free because the mounting are the same but the gearbox sits a little further back so i had to chop a bit out of the seat box.

Then I didn't touch it for 18 months - for one reason or another it just put to the back of the list with buying a house and whatnot.

Anyway went back to the old girl this weekend and did a shopping list;

-efi fuel pump and associated wiring and piping,
-engine mounts - sourced these from MD engineering in Norfolk, knowledgeable chaps and about £80 for the pair of mounts, instructions and postage so i didn't think that was too unreasonable.
-tea.

I offered the engine in with the tractor and marked up where I wanted the brackets to be and i'll try and get them welded up this weekend - the weather wasn't really on my side last weekend!



So hopefully this weekend the engine will be in position and bolted up!

I shall update as and when I do anything significant.

Update - 24-03-18
Hello again,
So general overview of today was the engine is now mated to the gearbox and the new mounts are welded in (courtesy of a good friend who can weld) - got to say the fabrication of the brackets from MD engineering is spot on! although one of the top supports had to be trimmed as it was a little bit close to the steering column.

Once the engine was in place we decided to try and get the loom inside the cab and get the engine bay bit an bobs where they should be - turned out to be a fiddly little job where we took the plenum chamber off and removed the injector harness and other sensor wiring, and fed back through and refitted!


theres a handy little hole bunged up just next to the drivers side of the fuse box which you can fit the engine bay side of the loom through. Don't get me wrong though a decent assistant, and patient assistant are a must!

Will be interesting to follow thanks! Don't think I would be brave enough to buy an engine w/out seeing it run in a donor vehicle first??

Btw - Like the JD! I've got one that looks just like it - only it's only as big as your front wheel and it cuts my grass!

Sirronluap said:

Will be interesting to follow thanks! Don't think I would be brave enough to buy an engine w/out seeing it run in a donor vehicle first??
I was assured it runs and it turns over nicely so no doubt that'll throw up some issues in the coming weeks!

Btw - Like the JD! I've got one that looks just like it - only it's only as big as your front wheel and it cuts my grass!

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Ahh, yes she's a brute. A little too brutish for lowing an engine in - had a couple of clenched moments with a swinging V8 on the block haha!

Just out of curiosity, why specifically did you decide on V8?

RogueTrooper said:

Just out of curiosity, why specifically did you decide on V8?

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Probably because they are good. V8 in a landrover is a lovely drive.

RogueTrooper said:

Just out of curiosity, why specifically did you decide on V8?

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I had a G Reg RRC 3.9 manual and i loved the sound of it.
I just didn't like driving it - much prefer squeezing into my 110 and thought that a V8 would be a nice addition. I could have had a torque-ier, more reliable, more fuel efficient diesel out of a toyota or nissan but that would be plain wrong!

Jrfaihurst said:

I had a G Reg RRC 3.9 manual and i loved the sound of it.
I just didn't like driving it - much prefer squeezing into my 110 and thought that a V8 would be a nice addition. I could have had a torque-ier, more reliable, more fuel efficient diesel out of a toyota or nissan but that would be plain wrong!

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Fuel injected V8 aren't actually bad on fuel either, if you don't boot it too much.
Because there is plenty of power, you don't need too much throttle.
Nothing like the old carburetted V8s, things have evolved a lot since those days.

Watching this as planning to put a V8 into my 2.5p 90. 3.5V8 Hotwire Efi from '92 disco1 arranged, now looking at auto boxes.
No doubt some might say why 3.5 and not 3.9/4, 4.6 etc? - cos they're tough, simple, this one is working ok and it's available and affordable. Ditto auto, had two LT85 and one ZF and the latter was a joy to drive on & off road. Due to lack of time /space/ tools / ability conversion will be done by an independent; Chichester4x4 have agreed a fair price and they have an excellent reputation.
I'll start a conversion thread when the swap starts.

Yep, get the fuel and oomph thing. Ex once had an old Rangey with a V8 and lift kit and I loved the sound of it and it could fairly tear along but was greedy on fuel then. Realistically I'd prefer a bigger petrol engine myself for all the right reasons, loved my old swb Patrol GR, straight 6, 3l but...

Had wondered why specifically the V8 as opposed to new 200tdi or 300tdi - fuel costs, speed, oomph, cleaner emissions etc. but more interested to know if it was the crackdown on diesels that had prompted the decision. I'm wondering how long it'll be before it's made nigh on impossible for my 90 to get through an MOT on the emissions wotsit, or do folks think that won't be a problem?

RogueTrooper said:

Yep, get the fuel and oomph thing. Ex once had an old Rangey with a V8 and lift kit and I loved the sound of it and it could fairly tear along but was greedy on fuel then. Realistically I'd prefer a bigger petrol engine myself for all the right reasons, loved my old swb Patrol GR, straight 6, 3l but...

Had wondered why specifically the V8 as opposed to new 200tdi or 300tdi, fuel costs, speed, oomph, cleaner emissions etc. but more interested to know if it was the crackdown on diesels that had prompted the decision. I'm wondering how long it'll be before it's made nigh on impossible for my 90 to get through an MOT on the emissions wotsit, or do folks think that won't be a problem?

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Tdi aren't exactly new now, they are 20 year old tech, based on modified 70 year old tech.

It is always a bit hard to say how these things will pan out, but at the moment there seems to be little sign that the current push to tighten up on old diesel's emissions will go away.
There may be hope of getting through for a few more years, especially if your vehicle can get into the historic vehicle classification, but it needs to be over 40 years old for that,

Yus, I knows that. By new I mean replacing old for new, as in get a new engine not necessarily a 'new' engine. 200tdi in mine.

Yep been thinking about that a bit lately Turbo, mine's is '87 so it's not going to make that cut.

RogueTrooper said:

Yus, I knows that. By new I mean replacing old for new, as in get a new engine not necessarily a 'new' engine. 200tdi in mine.

Yep been thinking about that a bit lately Turbo, mine's is '87 so it's not going to make that cut.

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As far as I know, the exemptions are rolling, so you will get there in the end.

A Tdi in good condition, and well set up, should pass the current requirements, unless you want to go into the ULEZ.

Jrfaihurst said:

I had a G Reg RRC 3.9 manual and i loved the sound of it.
I just didn't like driving it.....

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Interesting! I had a G reg RRC 3.9 auto and was the same...lovely car, lovely drive, lovely sound but I never felt 'comfortable' in it Much preferred the utilitarian, rufty-tufty 90