Series 3 Advice please fitting a 300TDI into my 109 Series 3

Hi
Wondered if anyone might be able to help me with a problem that has arisen whilst fitting a new engine into my series 3


If I can give everyone some basic back ground

My 1972 Series three 109 (Originally fitted with the 6 cylinder engine, now long gone), I have taken out the 2.5l Transit engine (Low powered) and just started to offer up the TDI300 engine from a 1995 Disco mk1. I have attached it up to the original gearbox (with overdrive fitted) and that fits fine as per various articles on websites. The gearbox is on its original mounts and I have supported the engine in place under the sump to a reasonable height level so that there is clearance from the front axle hitting the fan at the top on the suspension travel. I know wish to locate and weld in the chassis engine mounts.

My two issues are

1) When I try to offer up the front prop-shaft it interferes with the back part of the complicated engine mounting plate fitted to the engine and it also mounts to the bottom of the flywheel housing, therefore I can’t fit the prop shaft back in place, should I cut off this part of the engine mounting plate and remove the triangular casting on the flywheel housing or does anyone know of an adapted prop-shaft with a reduced diameter shaft or an adapted engine mount bracket for the right hand bracket (Drivers side).

2) I also notice that the engine chassis mounts on the Disco are reasonably equal in width, but I find that with the engine in the s3 chassis it will need to be offset 1-2 inch to the passenger side (Exhaust) otherwise the engine an gearbox will not be fully parallel inline with the chassis, is this correct


I would really appreciate anyone's advice and if you know of any products for sale that will assist please let me know.


Best regards


Jon (Rif)

I removed the 300 engine mounts all together and used a series engine mount on the passenger side and made my own for the drivers side

But i have a galv chassis so didnt want to cut / weld it but i assume your original chassis mounts are long gone anyway

chrisstdt said:

I removed the 300 engine mounts all together and used a series engine mount on the passenger side and made my own for the drivers side

But i have a galv chassis so didnt want to cut / weld it but i assume your original chassis mounts are long gone anyway

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Yep the originals were taken off some time ago, and then ones welded in place to take the transit engine, these are now totally in the wrong place. so I have ground them off and looking to start again. I am not sure why the 300 brackets have this rear mounting point fixing to the gear ring when there are quite substantial bolts holding the brackets on the the side of the crank case, I can only guess that they in some way act as a stabilizer. I was wondering if I cut the rear section off of the bracket and weld on a forward facing plate that would then bolt in to the original (TDI200) mounting holes further along on the crankcase closer to the fan etc, would anyone know if this would be a viable adaption to the mount?

They are to strenghten thwe engine mounts but many vehicles with a 300 conversion run without them (as does mine)

There are unused bolt holes on both sides of the block which you can use for your new mount ,you can buy both new and sometimes secondhand 300 tdi chassis mounts on ebay and others to weld onto your chassis ,i would recommend this so you can keep the much beefier 300 tdi rubber mounts

chrisstdt said:

They are to strenghten thwe engine mounts but many vehicles with a 300 conversion run without them (as does mine)

There are unused bolt holes on both sides of the block which you can use for your new mount ,you can buy both new and sometimes secondhand 300 tdi chassis mounts on ebay and others to weld onto your chassis ,i would recommend this so you can keep the much beefier 300 tdi rubber mounts

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip and explanation, so you think it will be ok to cut off the that part of the bracket and remove the union on the flywheel ring as well would there be any benefit in adding some support to the bracket using the old 200tdi mount holes at the front or will it be a waste of time. Do you think there is an issue with the offset? Or will it not matter
Jon

The 200 tdis didnt have that support and neither did the earlyer engines so im sure you will be fine

The engine and box will need to mounted in line with the chassis (not on an angle) but if you are making your own mounts that wont be a problem

Go to Steve Parkers Website....used one of his kits for a 300tdi to replace 2.5 and it was well worth the money.