Hello

Im on the Isle of Islay (west coast Scotland) and I have a discovery 2 with a V8 Thor engine (108K) with the auto box, my daily is a 1985 defender with a 200 tdi fitted in 2015

im looking for some advice on fitting the V8, I also plan to keep the LT77 manual box that is currently fitted to my 90 and wondering what set up I need to run a flywheel clutch etc?

I am a time served mechanic and now a engineer/fabricator at a local distillery, so this shouldn't be a bad job if I only knew what I needed to do
thanks

They made the disco as a manual, using the lt77. I think. So the parts should be easy

All the parts are available, but there is lots to think about.

The gearbox will need the V8 belhousing and possible a different input shaft. Think it will put up with the 4.0 thor.
Flywheel and clutch setups are in use on some vechile (as above V8 disco).
Posibble that the engine mounts will need cutting off and new 1s welding on, V8 mounts are available for this.
New rad.
Exhausts always seem to be tight even if you get the defender V8 headers, but if you can fab/weld nothing that isnt doable. Some use the disco 3.9 cast manifolds then work down from there as they have the 2 pipes for/aft which fits the gap easier. Also its a wiggle under/over the gearbox crossmember, other crossmembers are availble to make the job easier.
Engine mounts maybe ok (i dont know what they fitted to the Thor disco) if they are not then the 3.9 disco engine mounts work.
The hardest bit will probably be the electrics and all the other sensors that go with. Plus of course the secrity in the ECU, standalone ECUs are available (i think for the thor). As you have the Disco whole you have all the bits needed but it will still be abit of a chalenge electricly
Not sure if the bulkhead needs minor mods and a different first bit from the bulkhead to tunnel cos of the bigger bellhousing (diapram is it called?).

You could always go the auto route as you have it already. Differnent type of hassle but might be easier than trying to find the LT77 V8 bits.

Goggle search for other projects and you will find many with little snippets of info in each.

But yes it will fit . Good luck and keep us posted with lots of pics, cos we like pics.

Oh and welcome.

J

Thanks for your help, I will try and source the lt77 parts and stick with that plan, im not a big fan of the D2 auto boxes,
photos to follow

thanks again!!

Aside from the swap, RV8's often wear the cam and lifters. worth swapping these, or even going for a slightly bigger cam. The RV8 is no powerhouse, but 200hp should be fairly doable with minimal mods.

For the exhausts, if you can fabricate, some long tube style headers would work wonders, as the promote scavenging. Which will yield far better results than the log manifolds or even short tubular manifolds.

After speaking to megasquirt I think gems was far more favourable than Thor…