Seems to me this all boils down to three good candidates for a diesel into Series swap: an Isuzu 4bd1t, a 200/300tdi, or the GM 6.2; the disadvantages of each are that the Isuzu is not an LR engine, the 200/300 is expensive stateside, and the 6.2 while cheap is hard to make fit. Considering all I've heard and read to date, the Isuzu seems to be the winner because it will fit, it may not be so powerful as to overwhelm the Series drivetrain (although some mods might be a good idea), they are relatively common here and parts are easy to obtain, and they are probably the cheapest when all is said and done (the 6.2 is probably cheapest to buy but those savings are used up by the cost of a more complicated install particularly the need to replace virtually all of the rest of the Series driveline, upgrading the cooling system, and figuring out a way to fit the motor and maintain the Series look.
If the foregoing is fairly accurate, where does one find a good used Isuzu motor, and are there other versions of the Isuzu diesel that are essentially the same motor? Also, because sourcing a used motor from a salvage yard almost always requires describing the engine by referring to the vehicle(s) from which it came, which vehicles (make, model, year, etc.) were fitted with 4bd1t motors?
And, finally, are there sources for the adapter(s) that are need to mate the 4bd1t to the Series tranny?
There are probably 3 Truck Isuzus you could use, 4bd1t, 4bd1, and the later 4bd2. They came in box trucks here in the US from ~'85 to 200X. I can't remember the exact years.
In Australia the 4bd1t and 4bd1 came in Land Rovers in the 1980s, if you could get a bell housing from there it would be easy but they are rare and in demand. If it were me I'd swap out the engine and transmission and use one of the adapters from Advanced adapters- thet would allow you to use a better, stronger US transmission. Maybe a NV4500 or NV3550 or ???.
The engines are available on craigslist, ebay etc. You could easily buy a core engine and a rebuild kit and have a rebuilt engine for ~2500. Maybe cheaper if you shop around a while.
If you want to know more about these engines contact Dougal on the 4bt swaps forum or pirate... is a huge proponent of these engines and has more practical info about having them in Land Rovers than anyone else I know.
Keep in mind these are a real truck engine, meant to propel a 16,000# truck they are really understressed in a Land Rover- that can translate to even greater longevity and durability. Instead of using a 2.5l engine that is working at 85% of its capability you'll be able to use a 3.9l at 50% to do the same work.
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There is also a 2.8- 3l Isuzu diesel that came in overseas troopers and adapers are available in the UK, it is a good engine but they are rare here, they need to be imported from overseas etc. It may be less work to install than a Isuzu 4bd1t but you might as well do a 200tdi really. It is a light duty consumer type diesel not an medium/heavy duty industrial type engine.
A customer stopped by with one of these Isuzu engines in his early RRC, IIRC he was a local from Vermont. It was nice.
Here is another thread about the same with some great info
http://forums.roversnorth.com/showth...el-into-rangie
ps... I have a soft spot for Isuzu's :-)
Last edited by TSR53; 04-18-2012 at 10:27 AM.
That is all great information. Seems like I've seen Chevy's that look a lot like your photo - did Isuzu make them for GM? If so, did they use the same engines?
I know a guy here in town who says he used to work for Advanced Adapters so I'll check with him on what they make that would allow using both the Isuzu engine and tranny coupled to the rest of the Series driveline. A quick check on ebay indicates that the overhaul kit plus a "core quality" motor would be about the same price (+/- $2,000) as a "good" used engine. If they are as easy to rebuild as advertised (i.e., apparently not much machining as the liners are "wet" and easily replaced), it might be worth the extra effort to do it that way.
All I really want from the swap is to upgrade my 88" Series IIA so I'll have (a) better mileage, and (b) enough power to allow adding power steering, air conditioning, and highway speed capability (70-75 mph). I'm assuming the power advantage of the Isuzu over the stock 2.25L petrol Series engine is at least 50%, no? If that's correct, I'm thinking I might get what I want even without the turbo. My current plan is to replace my rotted out chassis with a coiler conversion chassis, swap in the Isuzu engine and maybe tranny and go. I'd keep my Series IIA driveline downstream of the transmission. (It has an overdrive fitted.) Within the context of my stated goals, does anyone see any significant problems with that strategy?
Further research indicates I need to modify my previous intentions. It appears that a coiler chassis is not compatible with Series differentials, axles, etc. as they are neither set up nor easily modified for a coiler chassis. Which means, unless I have this all wrong, I will either have to stay with leaf springs (maybe go to parabolics) or go to Disco or RR axles. Also, it appears that it may be easier to use an automatic transmission with the Isuzu motor; almost all the NPR trucks I've found as donors for the engine had auto boxes. My further research, including following up on the helpful links posted in this thread, has not found a single swap of the 4bd1t, 4bd1, or 4bd2 into a Series - all of the numerous swaps I've been able to find have been into Disco's or RR's. Does anyone know if the Isuzu motor will fit into the Series without extensive mods? Finally, it's my understanding that I should swap in a transmission because the Series unit just won't handle the extra power of the Isuza. What about the rest of the Series drivetrain downstream of the transmission (i.e., transfer case, differentials, axles, hubs, etc.)?
Last edited by yorker; 04-19-2012 at 09:23 AM.
http://www.pitstop.net.au/view/marqu...query/plu/555/
poke around in this forum too, I forgot to mention it before:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/isuzu-land...iasts-section/
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/isuzu-land...sus-4bd1t.html
That is one of the big advantages- these Isuzu engines were made with a consideration towards keeping it easy to rebuild, to save downtime for truck lines, delivery companies etc. You drive it 300k rebuild it IN THE VEHICLE with new liners pistons and bearings and then drive it another 300k. Actually in a LR the engine would be way understressed and probably wouldn't require the same rebuild cycle it does in a 16,000 pound truck. See if you can find the Isuzu's B10 and B50 ratings...
For an 88 I'd go with the stock Series transfer case adapted to a close ratio NP435 transmission which would in turn be connected to the Isuzu 4bd1t with a Chevy bellhousing and an Isuzu Swapper conversion kit. That would give you a nice durable and short drivetrain. I'd then be tempted to use range rover 3.54 diffs too even though you do have an overdrive. That highly geared combo would probably get you ~35mpg. The Isuzu Diesel would last forever and have all the power you'd ever want in an 88. I'd actuually run it with the turbo but lean it out- in other words detune it. You'll get more MPG and still have plenty of power. Unlike everyone with a 200TDi or 300tdi who wants to crank the pump up for more power.
Your axles might be a problem- 10 spline Land Rover axles are not the strongest. There are a variety of solutions out there though ranging from custom stronger shafts to a 109's Salisbury rear axle to Toyota Land Cruiser axles.