Change of engine

Hi everyone,

The time is approaching to change the engine in my 91 RRC, I have had the 2.5 VM for just under 300000 miles and decided to rebuild it but the cost and availability of parts has made me change plans, I have bought a 96 300 tdi manual discovery, The engine will have a rebuild and I will take all parts needed to fit to the RRC.

Now this is where I need your advice, The VM has a LT77 box with the borg warner transfer box, I want to keep the borg warner box but the tdi has a R380 box, I have all the mountings for the disco but I think the late RRC with the 300 tdi had different mounts to the 300 tdi Discovery because of the different transfer boxes. Would it be better to keep my boxes which I am quite happy with and just change the bell housing and engine?

Oh what a complicated web we weave when first set out to change Land rover parts !!!
Thanks for all you help.

Personally I'd prefer the r380 with the BW.
I also think using the disco transfer box will need the propshafts to go with it as the lengths are slightly different to yours

If you aren’t sure might be worth speaking to someone like Ashcroft transmissions and clarify what bits you’ll need. They will know for sure.

On a side note. You’ll find the Tdi probably won’t go as well as the VM. Although be a little more economical. The 2.5 VM’s went very well.

Jeep use the VM engines. I wonder if you could source some bits that way or even transplant in a latter 2.8 litre variant.

Kev12 said:

Personally I'd prefer the r380 with the BW.
I also think using the disco transfer box will need the propshafts to go with it as the lengths are slightly different to yours

Click to expand...

Hi, Is the R380 a better box than the LT77? As I said I am happy with the LT77/ BW and I would have to source the left hand G/B mount as it is different to the RRC. My main concern is will the 300 tdi bell housing fit on to the LT77 ?

300bhp/ton said:

If you aren’t sure might be worth speaking to someone like Ashcroft transmissions and clarify what bits you’ll need. They will know for sure.

On a side note. You’ll find the Tdi probably won’t go as well as the VM. Although be a little more economical. The 2.5 VM’s went very well.

Jeep use the VM engines. I wonder if you could source some bits that way or even transplant in a latter 2.8 litre variant.

Click to expand...

Hi, I agree with you that the VM is a very good engine, I've had mine for 300000 miles and apart from a head problem ( I didn't re tighten the head down with the old type H/gasket )
And having driven my wife's 200 tdi disco I know what you mean but for the cost of a rebuild on the VM I have bought a rusty disco and can have a top rebuild on the 300tdi,
The heads alone are over 250€ X4 if you can get them. At least around here my main rivals are tractors so I hope even a TDI will beat them !!