Freelander 1 Auto 1.8

can anyone tell me whether a Freelander K series block and sump is the same, or different to other MG Rovers?
I'm looking for a block to start mocking up an adapter plate for the transmission, flywheel etc.
MG Rover blocks are cheap enough that it could be worth buying one just to save time.
Ideally I would like to fix a spare IRD to the tryout block as well.

Dont't know answer, but can supply you a Freelander sump if different when you get it !!

They look identical to me

Come to think of it, I have a spare working F1 1.8k sitting here. Bit far to post it though.

There's a block for sale in Reading which I'm intending to grab tomorrow

Depending on where you source the engine from you may have changes on the engine and sump.
My mockup engine came from a step speed mgf and the three bolt holes in the block for the right hand driveshaft support bearing were not drilled to size or tapped out. On the sump the holes for the lower engine restraint were missing one hole to use the r75 mount, so I used the mgf one.
The three holes on the block were present but were only tapped M6, not the M8/10 the driveshaft mount wanted .

As the ird bolts to the sump in a few places , perhaps those are missing on a non Freelander engine too.

I'm not that bothered about the driveshafts, but I would like to get the relationship between IRD and engine the same as it is on the Freelander block

dazq said:

Depending on where you source the engine from you may have changes on the engine and sump.
My mockup engine came from a step speed mgf and the three bolt holes in the block for the right hand driveshaft support bearing were not drilled to size or tapped out. On the sump the holes for the lower engine restraint were missing one hole to use the r75 mount, so I used the mgf one.
The three holes on the block were present but were only tapped M6, not the M8/10 the driveshaft mount wanted .

As the ird bolts to the sump in a few places , perhaps those are missing on a non Freelander engine too

Click to expand...

That makes sense: there will be the needed bosses in the castings (Rover Powertrain likely only ever had one casting for all its 1.8 engines at any given time), but you may need to drill and tap non-Freelander blocks to mount the IRD

I am still thinking about the comment earlier that the Manual and Auto Engine ECU's for a Rover 75 appear to have identical software.
So - stay with me !!!

Could the Freelander 1.8K Engine ECU actually provide the data required on the Canbus for an auto gearbox if one was fitted?

If you examine the TD4 circuits. On a manual vehicle the Canbus H & L lines come from the Engine ECU Connector C0331 pins 36 & 37 and go to the ABS ECU Connector C0501 pins 13 & 44. If the vehicle is an Auto then these same lines go to the Auto Transmission ECU Connector C0932 pins 12 & 33.

Interestingly on the Freelander K1.8 Engine ECU the C0913 connector pins 65 & 79 go to the ABS ECU C0501 pins 13 & 44.

So - noticing that the Engine ECU Canbus lines to the ABS ECU are the same as those to the Auto ECU, could the K1.8 ABS Canbus lines contain the data required to connect to the new V6 Auto ECU ?

Just a thought - must get out more often

I am no Canbus expert so may be talking balderdash... in which case my sincere apologies.

The auto and manual Rover 75 ECUs do appear to have similar firmware. Probably either word work. The maps are different though because the auto has stronger anti stall for example.

The problem with the Freelander ECU is that it can't work with the hall effect crank sensor that the auto gearbox has.

But if you can convert the F1 sensor to talk to the R75 then it must be possible to do it the other way around then just remap the F1 ecu for an auto ?? Saves all the air con and other configuration. But it also sounds too easy !

No, one way is easy, the other way is much harder. The other option (I suppose) would be to bolt an auto torque converter to a manual flywheel.

Thanks for the info. Glad to see you are progressing.

how’s this project progressing Phillip?

Ditto!
Also, now Xmas is out of the way I have sorted out the IRD bracket if you still want one.

yes I need that bracket.

I am waiting for the weather to improve so that I can weld up the sills and take it for an MOT.
Once that's done the gearbox is coming out.

status update:-

before



now





this is just bare metal as welded and cleaned up. It'll look a lot better with the skim of filler and some stone chip on it.

Now I have to do the other side.

It seems to me that long term those protection strips that run underneath the sill seams are counterproductive. I think that they cause the sill drains to get blocked and then the sills rust out.

good work - and I still have that seam protector on my car's sills - I dare not peel them off!!!

I think that the fundamental problem with them is that they cause the drain holes to get blocked up with dirt, but then that can happen with any car I suppose. You need to make sure that the drain holes can drain water whether you have the protectors on or not.