1988 Ford 300CU inline 6 with 5 speed into 109

[mongoswede]

Curious if anyone knows of write ups on a swapping in a ford 300 cubic in inline six into a rover. A friend of mine has a 1988 van with a 5 speed and said engine and wants to swap it for another part I have. I am not sure which 5 speed it has but my brief online research shows the engine makes good low end torque and looks like a good engine for a rover. The intake and exhaust are both on the passenger side instead of the drivers side.

[gudjeon]

OOOoh. If you can wedge that in, you'd have something there. If its efi, you'll have it made. Thats a good motor IMO.

[bkreutz]

I think one of the difficulties would be the length (it's a pretty long motor) I've had a number over the years, never a problem. Then there's the drivetrain, with all that added torque (I'm figuring at least twice a stocker) I'd think there would be potential breakage problems all the way down the drivetrain. You might end up with the Ford trans, transfer, and axles to get it to hang together. IMO it's possible to put anything in anything (I shoehorned a 289 into an MGB about 40 years ago) but it can be challenging.

[gudjeon]

The little 170 inline 6 that we had in a '66 Bronco would be a good thing for the landy. Good luck tracking one down mind.

[greenmeanie]

If you have a 6 cyl bulkhead it might be possible if very, very tight. It would be easier on one of the later trucks with the lights in te wings as you could then shift the front cross memeber forward and run the radiator forward right behind the radiator panel to gain a few inches. Putting a Defender style nose on would make it quite possible.

I put a breathed on Chevy 292 in my 109 mated to an NP435 4 speed adapted to high ratio Rover transfer case which I managed to keep in the stock location. It is a tight fit and required a power steering conversion as I moved the radiator forward for clearance but it has tourned out very well. I still need to add beefed up axles but am waiting on a few things to sort themselves out in my life before committing to a particular path for this.

Plan on PLENTY of fabrication. Its not the big things but all the minutae that will get you and cause the project to snowball.

Obligatory picture of my engine bay prior to adding the electric system. For reference this a NADA 109 6 cyl and that is a 292 which IIRC when I was measuring up potential swaps is at least an inch shorter than a Ford 300. It doesn't sound much but it has a big effect. That engine is hard up against the bulkhead and its tighter than a gnats arse between the waterpump pulley and those fans. The radiator position is set by the headlamp buckets which I shortened to gain a bit of room. As I say it is the niggly stuff that gets you.

[mongoswede]

Thanks for the speedy replies. I did some research and it seems the engine would be a good low end torque monster with similar characteristics to the rover engines but a lot more power and torque. The idea that spun through my mind was inline 300 6 mated to a T18 4 speed with Rover transfer case driving Land cruiser axles. My current 109 has a 2.25 in it at the moment but it started life as a 6 and still has the 6 bulkhead. possibilities...so many possibilities.

[amcordo]

Gonna be tight. Nice part is the manifold isn't on the steering side - that's huge. When the PO installed the engine in mine he had to cut the steering mount bracket into three parts, add little outriggers to it so that it was a U shape, and then weld it all up strong so that it would fit around the manifolds on the 8.

[yorker]

It would be an excellent engine in a LR and with the later Ford EFI I really think it would be an exceptional engine choice. I've known people who have gotten 300-400k out of these engines with little more than oil changes. They really were a great design.

The length is the biggest issue as IIRC it is longer than the 292.

4.9l I6+T18+TLC axles would be a relatively simple, durable, and inexpensive off the shelf solution. If you wanted a 5 speed you might be able to use a NV3550 witht he AA adapter to the Series T case. Or you could possibly use the Ford/Mazda M5OD R2 5 speed-

I really think that if you don't go diesel then a straight 6 gas is the 2nd best truck engine for a Land Rover Swap. There is just something about a straight six that is soooo right in a truck.




I've seen 1 Ford 6 put in a LR back in the 1990's so it can and has been done. Another swap that would be interesting woulf tbe the Dodge Slant Six, Years ago there was a good deal of interest in swapping those into LR's but I never heard of anyone actually doing one. With the adapters available to us today that swap would be possible too.

fun I6 truck thread:

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/383167-ford-300-i6-vs-chevy-292-vs-dodge-225-6-a.html

another:

http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/204036-any-ford-300-straight-6-engine-swaps-advice-out-there.html

Bore & Stroke: 4.00" x 3.98"
Compression Ratio: 8.0-8.9:1

1965-1972
Brake Horsepower: 170 @ 3800 rpm
Torque: 283 lbs.-ft. @ 1600 rpm

1973-1974
Net Horsepower: 101 @ 3000 rpm
Net Torque: 223 lbs.-ft. @ 1600rpm

1975-1977
Some were the same as '73-'74 others
were bumped up to 120nhp @ 3400 rpm
with the same torque specification.

1978-1986
Horsepower ratings varied from 101nhp, 115nhp, 117nhp
and 120nhp @ 3000-3400rpm. Torque ratings remained
223 lbs.-ft. @ 1600 rpm.

1987 - 1993
Switched from carbureted to electronic fuel injection.
Compression ratio was 8.8:1
Brake Horsepower: 145 @ 3400 rpm
Torque: 265 lbs.-ft. @ 2000 rpm

1994-1996
Brake Horsepower: 150 @ 3400 rpm
Torque: 260 lbs.-ft. @ 2000 rpm

http://www.clubfte.com/users/fordflaresides/300.html

[109 Pretender]

Mongo,
It sounds like you have the best Rover platform to try this mod. And I think you have chosen a good selection w/series transfer mated to T-18. Ike is just now getting his NP435 mainshafts built @Advance Adapters for the series transfer. (Meanie - Ike sent me photos today of the 6 shafts ready to be heat treated and I know you and I and I think Mercedes Jim have been waiting over a year for these parts). The NP435 is a shorter box and I thought I'd mention it because o/a length will be a challenge here even w/6cyl chassis and bulkhead. But as Meanie said - it's doable!

Good luck whatever you do!

Cheers!

[rejeep]

this opens up the door to other I6 ideas..
Jeep 4.2L/4.0L bolts to many of the trannys suggested..
and a D18 case has the same offset as a rover one..

AA now makes the adapter to mate the Rover case to many circular 6 bolt trannys

An ideal short WB combo.. 258/T18/D18 (can have overdrive as well)
Have this setup sitting in my warehouse.. just a bit too zealous of a project for me at the moment..

I would love to see write up on plopping a I6 into a 4cyl Rover..

[mongoswede]

this opens up the door to other I6 ideas..
Jeep 4.2L/4.0L bolts to many of the trannys suggested..
and a D18 case has the same offset as a rover one..

AA now makes the adapter to mate the Rover case to many circular 6 bolt trannys

An ideal short WB combo.. 258/T18/D18 (can have overdrive as well)
Have this setup sitting in my warehouse.. just a bit too zealous of a project for me at the moment..

I would love to see write up on plopping a I6 into a 4cyl Rover..

Yorker forwarded a Fj60 to me a little while ago...that could have donated axles and complete drive train. Aside from needing custom drive shafts it too is a inline 6 with 4 speed and passenger side drop axles. another something to consider.

[yorker]

this opens up the door to other I6 ideas..
Jeep 4.2L/4.0L bolts to many of the trannys suggested..
and a D18 case has the same offset as a rover one...

There is also the NP200 with passenger offset that should work, since it is divorced you could put anything in front of that. Driveline length would be an issue though.

A 4.0l and NV3550 or ax15 would be nice in an 88". That combo is a dime a dozen in junk yards too.

In South Africa and Australia the smaller Holden 4.1(?) straight six engine is a popular swap- they retained the LR transmission as a rule though.

[greenmeanie]

Jeep drivetrain in a Series

[yorker]

Curious if anyone knows of write ups on a swapping in a ford 300 cubic in inline six into a rover..

read this:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13265&page=3&highlight=adapter

[ccec]

Ford 300 6 Cyl. into 109 -- I've done it...

Hi Guys,

In 1985 I had a 1967 green 109 with the stock 6-banger that was quite ill. I was really going for a Ford V-8 when a nice, low miles, EFI 300 came up. The Advanced Adapters plate worked fine. The big hassle was with simply running out of room. I ended up getting a Buick cross-flow radiator and an electric fan from an Audi that was placed in front of the engine, blowing aft. The "Thermostat" was me watching the temp guage and simply turning on a switch to run the electric fan. She made it down to Baja and back w/o breaking anything, but not fun on the washboard roads!

I sold the truck in 1988 when I had to move to LA... I wonder if anyone knows where it is now??? It had a full roof rack... can't find the Lic. #

Keep an eye out so maybe it can make it into the NADA registry.

Regards,

CCEC