Diesel swap???

Moosey

Moosey

Active member
Nov 6, 2007
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0
KS
Hello all,
I am new to this site and was sent here by www.eastcoastrover.com.
They told me that you might be able to shed some light on my situation.
I have a 2000 Disco II and I am wanting to to a huge overhaul to the heart of my Rover. I want to swap the engine from the V8 to a Diesel. There is nothing wrong with my engine as it is now. It is just that I want a diesel, and in my rover.

Before I am to go out and buy an expensive engine and tear apart the front of my rover. I want to know what engines there is out in the world. I know that rover makes a diesel for the Defenders, but I am not going to be sold on the first thing. I know that there are many companies that make diesels such as Jeep, Volkswagen, Chevy, Ford, and Dodge. As far as diesels that will FIT and WORK with the design of the Disco. That is where I need help.

-Such as what is the max size (dimensions) of engine that can be fit into the compartment.
-Still allow for stuff such as AC/Power steering
-and really any info that you would need to know to do ANY engine swap for any vehicle.
Thank you any help is good help!
 
Mongo

Mongo

Well-known member
Apr 19, 2004
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Try the search option...that will help you at least get some type of clue about what your asking...
 
Mongo

Mongo

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Apr 19, 2004
5,731
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a couple of things:
With a LR diesel, it can be had for probably 15 to 17k (MAYBE) for a D2.
on a d2, if you don't go with a LR motor, your gonna have a losing battle with all computers...
Even with a LR motor, your talking new fuel tank/system, exhaust...
A 4bt or even a 6bt (very HEAVY motor) will fit, but then your talking new drivetrain...
A mercedes 2.8 I think will fit, and possbile bolt up to the drivetrain, not sure...

But with any non-LR motor, your in for a shitload of work to get it in
 
Mongo

Mongo

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Apr 19, 2004
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if it was there'd be a whole lot of diesel discos drivin' around...
 
ChicagoDon

ChicagoDon

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Feb 22, 2005
1,491
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Chicago IL
What is the most complicated fabrication you have done so far?


Here are the answers to your questions:

Both the Ford Powerstroke and Chevy Duramax will not fit. They are too wide to fit in there without cutting your frame rails off at the firewall and starting over. And to top it off, the Duramax needs the whole stock wiring harness to work, and no one has an easy aftermarket harness yet. The Powerstroke doesnt need the whole computer system, but that motor sucks anyways.

Jeep sells no diesels in this country, and importing one would make no sense. If you have to import it, why not a rover motor to begin with?

The VW diesels sold in this country are all too small and wimpy to put into a Rover. With the exception of the TDv10. That could work, you just need the ECU, and a custom trans adapter. But keep in mind, that engine alone will run you $10K at a wrecking yard if you can find one.

Importing a 300tdi or a TD5 will be your easiest swap, since there are no fit issues related to size. Just welding in new motor mounts. However, youre going to need to run a D1 tranny behind it. Good luck with the electronics. Starting over completely is easier than trying to make half of a system work. To swap one of these in, you are looking at the 8-10K range for parts + Labor which would be around $5K, at least thats what I'd charge

A Mercedes OM617 2.8l 5cyl TD from an old 300d would fit, you would need a custom Trans adapter and a D1 transmission. Price would be similar to a Rover diesel.

A Cummins 6 or 4BT will also work. A 4BT fits without any major modification. You will need to weld in motor mounts, and trans mounts. To get a 6BT to fit you will need to cut off and make a new front frame crossmember. You will also need to move the spring perches, axle, and steering 4" Forward. You will also need to plate the frame from the firewall to the horns with 1/8" steel, and make a cradle under the motor that ties the two motor mounts together. On a Disco, you will also need a custom hood to fit a 6BT. If you go with a 6BT, plan on a Dana 60 front axle, and a Dana 60 or 70 rear axle. Complete custom suspension will also be needed on for the 6BT, unless you are down with leaf springs up front. The 4BT will be ok with stock axle housings, just upgrade to all HD parts on the insides, even then its iffy. If you do a 6BT, you need a dodge 1ton 47RH trans to go with it, along with an NP205 or atlas T-case. The 4BT is alot more practical, but youre still talking 10K for all parts neededd, plus labor. To do a 6BT right, you basically are building a whole new truck using a disco body and frame. About $10K in parts if youre doing an old Cummins, and about $20K in parts if you want to do a new CommonRail Cummins from an 04-06 Ram. That, plus around $15K in labor.


I am currently putting a 6BT into a RRC, and the customer wants it done right. Those numbers above reflect our current build, so its not just BS ive pulled out of no where.

If you are doing this yourself, have fun, its a trip. Doing the RRC with the 6BT has thrown me so many unanticipated curveballs, so be prepared. Now if you want to drive your D2 down to AZ and give it to me and drive it home in 1 month with a diesel in it, PM me.
 
Mongo

Mongo

Well-known member
Apr 19, 2004
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The bottom line with this post is that Moosey really has no clue about what he's inquiring about...I didn't know that jeep was doing a diesel liberty either..
 
jymmiejamz

jymmiejamz

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Dec 5, 2004
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Los Angeles, Ca
I am pretty sure they only sold them for one year, and they basically suck (mind you I heard this from my friend who is a technician at a Jeep dealer). They are supposedly underpowered due to the emissions crap. I don't even think they get that great of fuel economy either.
 
ChicagoDon

ChicagoDon

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2005
1,491
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Chicago IL
FIVESPDDISCO said:
don why did you do the 6bt and not the 4 bt?
Click to expand...

Why the 6? More power, more torque, easier to find. And the reason that tops all of those, its not my truck, its a customers :D

Peter, thanks for the compliment. When someone came to me looking for a ground up build of an RRC with a diesel, we explored the costs, fab work, and labor involved with every type of engine possible. The ultimate pipe dream of a diesel powered rover in my opinion would be the VW TDv10.

Derrick, a swap in a D1 is much more simple than in a D2. Using a RRC, Defender, or D1 is going to be much easier when youre swapping anything like axles or powertrains. We want to do a P38 next. But if you want to do a diesel in a P38 or a D2, you basically are going to be building a whole new truck from the ground up, and a major part of that is an almost complete re-wire of the onboard electrical systems of either of those trucks.

Unless a certain motor wont fit inside an engine bay there is no end to what type of swap one can do. It all boils down to time, money, and labor.
 
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Justin Kurosaki

Justin Kurosaki

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2004
673
0
Arizona
The CRD Liberty was cancelled last year after a two year run. The motor didn't live up the hype and gas mileage was rather poor for such a small truck.

Moosey the second problem with most diesel swaps, other than cost/complexity, is road speed. If you are looking for a semi-comfortable D2, which is the main advantage of the D2 IMO, a diesel swap isn't the way to go. Road going performance won't match the gas V8 and gas mileage in the D2 won't be as good as the ECR information leads you to believe.

The more difficult swaps such as the 6BT, 6.5TD, and Ford Powerstrokes will get you a more road worthy vehicle, but all would require heavy fabrication compared to say a Tdi300 or TD5.

If you goal is a rock crawler / weekend warrior then a diesel swap would be great but start with something other than a D2. Also be sure to check your local emission laws. Some states make OBDII cars a bitch to modify.
 
R

RBBailey

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Jul 26, 2004
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Oregon
www.flickr.com
There is a guy here in Portland who just did a swap for a 300tdi in his RRC LWB, he got it registered today in Oregon -- DMV, no problem, DEQ, no problem -- price? Well, that may be a problem. You are talking about a starting price of $4k+ just for a used engine that will pull the DII out of your driveway at a normal speed. If you go with a non-Rover engine you will be adding a good bit of $$$$ to the price just to get it installed, let alone hooked up. A Td5 would be sweet, but last I checked, a new one of those is around $10k.
 
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