Discovery 2 300 tdi engine swap.

[Mongo]

rycymru:

Please keep me updated on this project as this is project that i'm looking at doing after my 4.6 reaches 200k. If there is a will there is a way. As far as customs are concerned I researched exactly what you are looking to do and found out that a one-time exemption can be used to get an import into the states.

As far as getting parts from the UK from what I've seen while getting a parts list together to rebuild my 100k 4.6 parts are cheaper and make up for the shipping costs. Not sure about TD5 parts though. But I can see though if you have a glow-plug(?) go out you'd be SOL fer 2-3 weeks.

KEEP ME POSTED!!!!

Good luck on that..only on something that's legal to bring in the first place. A TD5 is not, plain and simple. If you do get it in legally, please post a copy of the 3520-1 form as I'd like to see how you classified it...guy's get them in, but's it's very grey

 

[turbodave]

Any engine can be bought in if it is 'parts'... As i understand it, if the cyl head is removed, as well as crank and rod assy's, then it is 'parts' not an engine.

Personally - I've bought in many engines to the USA, AustinRover A-series for mini coopers, and never had a problem. Even the newest of these (1999 vintage) can easily look like an older version however - probably similar to how easilly you could bring in a TDi, which easilly looks like an antique engine.

I know if I was looking to bring in a TD5, I'd have it done in two shipments - one with the engine, which had the head removed at the very least. Other shipment would have the harness / plumbing / rad / etc... Bringing in a crate, with a complete engine, harness, ECU, Rad, etc is asking for trouble (IMO).

 

[Dooder]

Don't forget the LHD dash. According to the Canadian's website that is also needed. I would assume for the gauge cluster while I'm sure the original climate controls would work. Maybe just the cluster above the steering wheel is all that's needed.

If the Canadian td5 eninge swap expert was clever he'd produce a DiscoII td5 swap guide in pdf format and sell it via his website for $25 each. According to him he gets a whopping 20 calls a day regarding this project so I'd think it would be a no-brainer. I'd buy one just for the hell of it!!

 

[Mongo]

Any engine can be bought in if it is 'parts'... As i understand it, if the cyl head is removed, as well as crank and rod assy's, then it is 'parts' not an engine.

Personally - I've bought in many engines to the USA, AustinRover A-series for mini coopers, and never had a problem. Even the newest of these (1999 vintage) can easily look like an older version however - probably similar to how easilly you could bring in a TDi, which easilly looks like an antique engine.

I know if I was looking to bring in a TD5, I'd have it done in two shipments - one with the engine, which had the head removed at the very least. Other shipment would have the harness / plumbing / rad / etc... Bringing in a crate, with a complete engine, harness, ECU, Rad, etc is asking for trouble (IMO).

I said "LEGALLY"

 

[Mongo]

Don't forget the LHD dash. According to the Canadian's website that is also needed. I would assume for the gauge cluster while I'm sure the original climate controls would work. Maybe just the cluster above the steering wheel is all that's needed.

If the Canadian td5 eninge swap expert was clever he'd produce a DiscoII td5 swap guide in pdf format and sell it via his website for $25 each. According to him he gets a whopping 20 calls a day regarding this project so I'd think it would be a no-brainer. I'd buy one just for the hell of it!!

Did you talk to this "expert"...most in the UK think the TD5 is just a lump. And why you'd want to put such a complicated engine in kinda of stupid. Nobody's gonna have the computer interface , ie: Testbook or such, so you need to add the cost of the install...

Anyways, good luck, customs is now asking for more detail on the 3520-1, not just "parts". But people are importing them, so good luck

 

[turbodave]

I said "LEGALLY"

I heard you. Importing 'parts' is legal. Building said parts into an engine that is not federalised is legal. Using said engine in a vehicle is the grey area.

Like you said, guys are bringing them in... The folks I use in the UK are very friendly and knowledgable, and recomend brokers equally qualified... That helps significantly compared to going in with a naive attitude.
I totally agree with you that a complete engine has got a lot more difficult in the past 12 months, as have vehicles.

I haven't had any issue with used parts however, and probably wouldn't bring in 'complete' engines anymore unless they have appropriate numbers and supporting documentation to verify what it was installed into.

'Parts' however? Really easy... Hell - I just got my replacement engine block from V8D in the UK last week... No problems at all.

 

[Mongo]

Just busting your stones...

I have had zero issues shipping "parts"

 

[ptschram]

I heard you. Importing 'parts' is legal. Building said parts into an engine that is not federalised is legal. Using said engine in a vehicle is the grey area.

Like you said, guys are bringing them in... The folks I use in the UK are very friendly and knowledgable, and recomend brokers equally qualified... That helps significantly compared to going in with a naive attitude.
I totally agree with you that a complete engine has got a lot more difficult in the past 12 months, as have vehicles.

I haven't had any issue with used parts however, and probably wouldn't bring in 'complete' engines anymore unless they have appropriate numbers and supporting documentation to verify what it was installed into.

'Parts' however? Really easy... Hell - I just got my replacement engine block from V8D in the UK last week... No problems at all.

You got your V8 in because it was fundamentally similar to a US certified engine.

Importing parts is a word game that might get you thrown in jail.

It's nowhere near as easy as many wish to think, I speak from experience...

http://i606.photobucket.com/albums/tt141/ptschram/_2507.jpg

 

[Mongo]

No shit pt

 

[Blaewen Draca]

One thing I noticed that nobody else seems to have picked up on is the fact that the D2 with the 300Tdi swap done in the UK was done on a commercial model vehicle. Hence, that vehicle never had all the electronic wizardry that has been discussed being bypassed. I bet if you called York Land Rover Services and asked them to do a 300Tdi swap into a NAS spec D2, they'd laugh and call you crazy.

 

[Mongo]

If I were to do it, I'd use a 200tdi, lt77 and lt230, kill the everything in the ecu...or


































































buy a 1983 110 Hi-Cap pick-up with a 200tdi...



that was so much easier

 

[KyleT]

One thing I noticed that nobody else seems to have picked up on is the fact that the D2 with the 300Tdi swap done in the UK was done on a commercial model vehicle. Hence, that vehicle never had all the electronic wizardry that has been discussed being bypassed. I bet if you called York Land Rover Services and asked them to do a 300Tdi swap into a NAS spec D2, they'd laugh and call you crazy.

uhh all d2s have the same electrical systems that need to be bypassed...... Slabs, ecm bcu ect... Commercial was away t get cheaper taxes or something. Maybe it had manual seats and transmission but still complicated. there are ways to fool the systems though. That's part of the challenge/fun....

 

[bobkitten]

Update!!
My bid to get a virtually free 300tdi engine has failed. Just my luck that the guy who is the known landrover parts supplier outside of the dealership, received 2 v8 engines last week, and did not need anymore. So now he is no longer willing to do the trade.

This has left me up a creek without a paddle. So now i am left with basically 2 options. Buy a tdi engine from the guy that he has rebuilt. Or venture where no one i know of in my country has gone...... The lpg conversion.

Bottled lpg is very common here so that is a plus..... but the know how to do this installation maybe lacking. Where can i get a reliable kit at a good price that works well with the 4.0 v8 of the Disco2? I shall begin my journey there.

 

[Sigler12]

I have a Disco 2 (2003) that I have retrofitted a 300tdi to and it is fantastic. The electrical issues are more than desired but worth the increase from 12mpg to high 20s.

 

[mbrummal]

Where can i get a reliable kit at a good price that works well with the 4.0 v8 of the Disco2? I shall begin my journey there.

http://www.v8wizard.com/LPG.php

I don't know about the price but they have kits.

 

[Mongo]

pic's...


and FYI on the "parts" classification. I have had 3 shipments held by Fedex in the last 2 months and had to "itemize" the "parts" and "kits" and fill out a hs-7 forms for each shipment

 

[Auriga]

I have a Disco 2 (2003) that I have retrofitted a 300tdi to and it is fantastic. The electrical issues are more than desired but worth the increase from 12mpg to high 20s.

Nice. Would love to know more. Did you do it yourself, or pay somebody? So you're actually getting high 20's, or that's just projected? Manual trans or auto? What electrical problems exactly?