Engine Replacement or Rebuild?

pdxrovermech

Well-known member
Jul 3, 2009
1,807
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Portland, OR
you're not towing 15000lb with any rover engine
Yup. The 200/300tdi has plenty of power to move a 4500lb rover around, but even adding another 1000lbs of stuff inside or behind it makes it feel VERY heavy. A 3.5-4.6 can flat tow another rover, but there is no way you'd be able to manage that on the highway with a tdi.
 

robertf

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2006
4,781
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Of course not. but thats when you would feel the need. Like from a 8.2 liter gas engine in a chevy. as apposed to the duramax.

none of this has anything to do with 300tdi vs 3.9.

that said, a 6.6 running at 1.5bar boost will have more torque than a 8.2 at ambient pressure regardless of fuel
 

p m

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Apr 19, 2004
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Look at the rpm that the diesel starts making torque. The gas engine is just coming off idle and that little diesel is ready to pull stumps.
Stew, seriously?
When the gas engine is coming off idle that little diesel is already done making torque, and conking out.
It is a gutless little wonder.
And 300 doesn't even have a benefit of being a one-wire motor like a 200, with not much more torque or horsepower to show for it.
I do envy twice the gas mileage, but I'll make up for it with a few jerry cans along.
 
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robertf

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2006
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And 300 doesn't even have a benefit of being a one-wire motor like a 200, with not much more torque or horsepower to show for it.

The 5 speed 300s are that simple. The autos arent, but who wants that anyways?
 

Blueboy

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Apr 20, 2004
3,205
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Back in the USA; Rockwood, PA
Having owned a 110 manual with a 300 TDI in Brasil when driving you have to keep in mind that it is gutless until the turbo spools up.

On one off road trip we were on a steep hill fully loaded. Had to go into low range to get going on the hill.

Also happened in of all places a parking garage with a steep exit.

They have advantages over gas engines especially range and simplicity yet in a Country with cheap gas I’ll take a V8 any day.
 
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pdXDisco97

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2011
277
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Oregon
If this is a XD then please don't do an LS conversion. There just isn't enough of these trucks to have people butchering them. If you do this I will make a voodoo doll in your likeness and do bad shit to it for a decade.
Are you interested in having this truck fixed professionally? Or would you consider selling it? I would do either for you and I have a shop near the state line of Illinois and Wisconson.

That's the biggest reason against an LS swap for me. I'm a big fan of keeping the XD as close to original as possible, while still having it setup the way I like. I'm probably going to rebuild it, the new Cats go in this weekend, so we'll see if that cleans up the noise. I'm almost 100% that's what's causing it.

And no, I won't be selling it anytime soon...
 

xalty

Well-known member
Oct 28, 2018
51
13
Illinois
I think a Disco has a 2,000 lb tow rating.
7700lbs with a braked trailer

In 1969 a first gen RR would be the undisputed euro towing king and you could comfortably pull a two ton caravan across any highway. Today not so much lol.

I'm almost 100% that's what's causing it.
Even if your bottom end is toast, RV8s are dime a fucking dozen. $800 gets you a good running engine shipped to your doorstep.
 
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pwp

Well-known member
Sep 7, 2004
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Chicago, IL
If this is a XD then please don't do an LS conversion. There just isn't enough of these trucks to have people butchering them. If you do this I will make a voodoo doll in your likeness and do bad shit to it for a decade.
Are you interested in having this truck fixed professionally? Or would you consider selling it? I would do either for you and I have a shop near the state line of Illinois and Wisconson.

Don't want to thread highjack, sent you a PM
 

p m

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XD is just a trim option, essentially. There's nothing differentiating XD trucks mechanically from any other D1, so I personally don't see how LS-conversion of an XD would make it less true to form than LS-conversion of any other D1.

But that's me - I don't see any particular value in XD, or GDE, or Trek, or G4, versions.
 

Swedjen2

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2018
594
127
California
XD is just a trim option, essentially. There's nothing differentiating XD trucks mechanically from any other D1, so I personally don't see how LS-conversion of an XD would make it less true to form than LS-conversion of any other D1.

But that's me - I don't see any particular value in XD, or GDE, or Trek, or G4, versions.

Agree with you about the Trek - not that special. The others I've seen go for upper end market value on the left coast...if they're in good and clean condition.
Not everyone's cup o' tea, but for them that wants 'em, them's willing to fork fat stacks.
 
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ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,899
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Darien Gap
This debate is nearly always divided by intended use into several camps. The results resemble this:
  1. Primarily off-road
    1. Slowly: TDI
    2. Fast: V8
  2. Primarily on-road
    1. Rural: TDI
    2. Metro: V8
 
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terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
1,486
375
I have a 300tdi converted Disco with an R380. It is slow and I wouldn’t consider towing any more than a little utility trailer. I do like 22-24 MPG it predictably gets. I do really like it but it is slow, slow, slow, slow.

At this moment I am trying to talk myself out of buying another D1 to install a 5 speed and 4.6. It is a rust free California 99 D1 SD with a very worn out drive train that is calling to me.