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njc110381

New Member
Hey guys. I've decided I'd like to convert my '97 Defender 300tdi hi-cap to an auto. After a lot of searching on the net I've found a kit that Ashcroft offer to do the job, but it's £3k fitted! £2k to buy the kit. It's not a tidy truck so I don't really want to spend that sort of money on it! Is there a cheaper way? The engine's done 125K so I'd be prepared to go for a V8 engine if it made things more simple? I don't do many miles per year so the fuel consumption wouldn't be a huge problem.

Any advice you can give me would be great. I'm not the best at mechanics so would be looking to get the job done for me!:eek:
 
Your best bet is to find a 300Tdi auto Discovery and use that as your donor.

You only really need the flex plate, TC and main box. You can mate it to your current transfer box to retain you high ratio ratio.

A V8 would be more work, change of fuel and exhaust system as well as wiring issues, but the donor would be cheaper :)

In either case you have to consider the replacement (or placement) of the auto selector in the centre tunnel.

I suspect that the Ashcroft price includes a recon-box as the replacement.
 
Thanks for the reply Andy. It all sounds fairly simple then? Having said that, I have no idea what a flex plate is and assume a TC is a torque converter (heard of it but couldn't tell you what it does!)? How would you go about fitting all of that stuff in place of the original gearbox?

The Ashcroft kit includes a recon box and all the NA spec trim for the transmission tunnel. It would be a really tidy job but I don't want tidy, I want cheap!

I'm very grateful for your input. You make it sound pretty simple which is great!
 
Looking around the breakers it seems you can get a disco auto and transfer box complete with TC for about £250. That's more like it! What's this flex plate thingy? Would that be easy to find?
 
ive got a 300tdi auto box sitting in my old disco on the drive gathering dust. . . . it still fitted, no tf box though, if your interested you can have it at a decent price
 
njc110381 said:
What's this flex plate thingy? Would that be easy to find?
Click to expand...

Replaces the flywheel. TC (torque converter) bolts to it.

word of warning Fit TC to auto box first then put box into place. TC then bolts to flex plate thru an inspection hole, nip up on bolt then turn TC round and nip up next.....round and round you go. Care if needed in fitting TC to box as it engages into the pump and this is easily damaged.

Also Tdi and V8 automatic gearboxes are different in terms of bell housing bolt patterns and shift points.

You will also need to hook up a kick down cable as well.

If you leave the transfer box mounts in the same place as they are now and use that as you base line then you will not need change prop shafts. Be prepared to have to move engine mounts tho' .....to be honest I can't remember all the combinations :) A tape measure helps too :D

Quick word on gear selector position. Given that it is cable controlled you are fairly free with it's position. Favorite place is in the middle of the seat box wear the middle seat usually is. Not massively ergonomic, but once it is in Drive what else do you need :D

Hope that helps a little.
 
Ok, thanks for the info! Roughly how long do you think it should take the average mechanic to do this work? I really don't want to attempt it myself as I haven't got the kit to lift with and I'm hopeless at mechanics (more a confidence thing than anything).

Snow. I'll get back to you about the box. I may well take it if it's still around when I decide to get the work done. I'm just in the thinking stage at the moment though, I may not get around to it for some time (as with most plans I have I'll do it eventually but it's unlikely to be in the next month or three!)

Last point, I'm not sure about the selector being on the seat box. How would I go about changing it if I was to have a young lady in the middle seat (not unheard of, I just drive in second and forth :D)?
 
cable setup you could stick it anywhere.
Young ladies mmmmmm where
 
njc110381 said:
Ok, thanks for the info! Roughly how long do you think it should take the average mechanic to do this work?
Click to expand...

I recon it probably a good solid week (6 days in my world :) ) assuming that you have everything you need and a plan pretty much worked out.......you don't want to waste a morning sat in it working out selector position (for instance :) ). To speed you decision making, perhaps a young lady could help you with that :D
 
A WEEK?!?!?! Really??? Is it not just a case of taking the old manual box out and swapping a few bits over and then screwing it all back together? I had two days in my head :doh:

EDIT... There's only 3 bits to bolt on and an engine to move!
 
If you find a 300Tdi auto box and all the selector gubbins and the ATF cooler and are sure that all the props will be the same length and the no mounts (engine or box) will need moving and everything come undo with no trouble......they sure 2 days will be plenty.

However, if you are swapping to a V8 at the same time (which I think you proposed as an alternative) and of course most of above will still stand then a week is more likely.

Mind you if you want to prove me wrong....... :) ;)
 
have you ever driven a defender auto diesal?
there awfull so slow its unreal you gotta give em some revs to get em goin
autos are best if you have a v8 defender
 
I would like to see somone put a 4.6 EFI auto in a defender, that would be a project. Would make for an uterly usless off roader, but would be good fun.
 
wiltshire landyman said:
have you ever driven a defender auto diesal?
there awfull so slow its unreal you gotta give em some revs to get em goin
autos are best if you have a v8 defender
Click to expand...

...... And? Are you telling me you've at some point driven a fast Defender? Please don't tell me it will be even slower?! It's a 300tdi and they make 300tdi Auto Discos, I figured it would be about as fast as they are (so not in other words)?

When I'm not working I drive a Golf V6 4motion. Most things feel slow when I get out of that!

So 2 days is realistic then, as long as everything comes undone ok? Well it leaks enough oil, the bolts should be well lubed! :rolleyes:
 
auto defender diesal is awfull its not somuch the speed it just seems to lack torque,maybe its just the one i drove but it should have been well sorted as it was a trayback competition defender
 
Is the 300tdi not the same in the Defender as it is in the Disco? Power wise I mean? The gearing is slightly higher in the Disco so really you'd expect the Defender to feel like it had more torque. I don't know, maybe changing gear makes getting to 60mph feel quicker because there's so much to do!?
 
If you put a 300tdi disco auto box into a defender, wont you have to move the T-box back or the engine foward? or are we only talking about this kit. 2K seems abit steep for a gearbox conversion. If it was an older defender i would suggest getting a 300 auto disco and sticking the T-box, gear box and engine in the defneder as one lot. Would be alot cheaper!
 
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