Engine options?

[Tim Smith]

Just came back from winter romp...

Same here. About 6 - 6.5 hours for me.

What I couldn't understand was that in Maine (both directions) I had to hold the truck pretty much to the metal to keep 55 - 60. But once I got back into Mass and CT, I could drop back to maybe 1/2 throttle and hold 65 - 70 and at times had it up to 75 to pass some traffic on the down hills.

What I don't get is that I couldn't keep up my speed the further north I got. I thought cold air was supposed to help facilitate an efficient burn... Could it be that the colder air is denser and creating more drag on the truck?

Did you notice the same thing Jason? Any one else?

By the way, my current 2.25 is pretty stock other than the NRP exhaust, weber 34ICH with a brandy new K&N filter on an 8.1 head. Everything else is as it should be from Solihull. I'm also riding on 33" tires so my real speed was probably higher than the speedo was telling me. In case any one is wondering for comparison purposes.

[TeriAnn]

I know I will get a lot of grief for saying this, but who in their right mind would want to go over 70 in a Series? A Defender, yes, but a 35 yr old leaf sprung?

Funny now that mention it most of my freeway cruising is done around 60 MPH think mostly out of habit and to help keep fuel consumption down.

But I do know for a fact that Series can be quite stable around 75 & 80 MPH with tight steering connections, balanced tyres and a proper alignment to withing factory specs. My Land Rover used to get a little shaky much above 60 MPH until I had the front end properly aligned to within factory specs.

I would think that a rebuilt 2.25 (HP) and a rebuilt tranny with the high ratio transfer case would be as much engine as you would need

Does your vehicle have that combination? For high range, the ratio at the axle with a high ratio kit is very close to a 3.54 R&P and significantly higher than driving around in overdrive all the time. It is my belief that high ratio transfercases are fine for folks with a significantly more powerful than stock engine and OK for folks who have a "performance" 2.25 engine in a topless 88 and lives on the flats near sea level.

My 109 is powered by a Ford 302 and I love my Ashcroft high ratio kit. But you need the power to push the gears.

A 200tdi would be nice if you could find one, then find the parts. Even then it is almost too much power for a Series, and unless you go non-turbo, will require extensive mods and cooling system revisions to install.

I assume by "almost too much power for a Series" you were referring to the gearbox and not the entire vehicle. If yes, I would like to mention that the 200tdi/series gearbox is a common combination and people who are running this combination seem to think that the box can handle the engine. If you are referring to the 10 spline Rover rear axles, the 8:1 2.25L engine in stock form is already too powerful for the axles.

But anyway the 200dti into Series swap is very common in the UK and the conversion is well documented. It is a comparatively simple swap but it does require some fabrication, especially with new radiator mounts & exhaust routing.

[Saxondog]

Ditto on all the above more power arguments

Also a responsive gas pedal can be a just as effective safety device as a good set of brakes!!

[Tim Smith]

Also a responsive gas pedal can be a just as effective safety device as a good set of brakes!!

Especially if you are the Bandit and Smokey is on your tail...

[yorker]

I'm seriously thinking of a GM 4.3 liter with the SM465 that I have sitting in my garage. Just need to find a way to adapt it to my series transfer case....
Jason T.

It has been done before- ask Ike. I wouldn't mind a SM465 to Series T case adapter either.

[O'Brien]

here's another link to an engine swap. I can't read the german, but i think the pictures will explain A LOT about it. might not be the direction anyone here wants to go in however...

http://www.chromjuwelen.com/en/szene/landrover-der-dragstripdefender.html

[LaneRover]

If you go fast enough it won't high center on anything!

[groundhog]

What about the 3.0 4 cyl GM engine swap, anybody have any experience or specs on it?
Bruce

[Tim Smith]

If you go fast enough it won't high center on anything!

True but then you risk high siding your truck.

[JFX]

Hello Everyone,

My name is John, and I've been a lurker for a while now.

I researched the diesel options, looked and searched some more. I came across this last week. No affliation whatsoever.

www.roverpartsused.com


They have a 2.8 diesel. Not sure if it is the one that ECR used to use or not.


I am currently looking at a '68 88 (although I really would like a 109). Is this a viable engine option?

Thanks,

John

[Jim-ME]

Does anyone know anything about the folks in Montana either good or bad?
Jim

[JFX]

Does anyone know anything about the folks in Montana either good or bad?
Jim

I was going to ask that question, but I didn't want to offend anyone.


-John

[O'Brien]

that's creed evans right?

everything i've read says to run, run away now. FWIW i have never dealt with the person, and I am not trying to spread bad info around. but it wasn't hard to use google at all.

http://www.landroversonly.com/forums/f2/big-sky-rover-21820/

http://www.landroverexchange.com/forum/messages/18846.html

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/088/ripoff0088333.htm

[JFX]

Ah, I see......what a shame. Thanks for the information.


I would like to find out more about those engines though.


-John

[Eric W S]

It's International's 2.8 engine. Derived from Land Rover's 300tdi and built in Brazil. Google it. ECR had a page on their site about it as well. And they have a page where they put the original Land Rover 300tdi into a Series III.

Good reading

http://www.britrest.com/modules/content/index.php?id=2

Also a good site.

http://www.mdengineering.co.uk/index.php?act=category&cat_id=1

It's not cheap at all. The M&D Defender kit is around $11k USD without shipping from the UK. You can buy a really nice truck for that amount or the Chevy v-8 and transmission of your choice as well.

EwS