Gearbox out

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Trailstar

Well-Known Member
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554
S3 with the original engine swapped out for a Nissan ED33, 4cyl engine ( out of the Civilian Bus)

The gearbox has been getting worse and worse recently, and then as of 4 weeks ago it lost a tooth off first gear and reverse gear, so have been babying it around ever since but now it is completely jammed in reverse and I cant move the gear lever at all so its properly buggered.....
So, gearbox is coming out...if you hadn't guessed already:rolleyes:
Thankfully the seat box was easy enough to get out!!

20181003_223108.jpg
 
Well this one has been there 12+ years now, and it was the original gearbox, the farmer that owned it before us never serviced it or the engine, and used it as a farm run-about for 6 or 7 years...and he wasnt the sort of guy to go easy on vehicles!:confused:

So if you ask me it's done ok....but I do think it's a good idea to put something tougher in, what would you suggest?:)
 
Trailstar said:
Well this one has been there 12+ years now, and it was the original gearbox, the farmer that owned it before us never serviced it or the engine, and used it as a farm run-about for 6 or 7 years...and he wasnt the sort of guy to go easy on vehicles!:confused:

So if you ask me it's done ok....but I do think it's a good idea to put something tougher in, what would you suggest?:)
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Lots of Landy Series ran about over our way with "transplant" 6 cylinder Holden, (GM), and Chrysler Valiant 6cyl engines running through original gearboxes, both those probably make more power than the Nissan, seems the diffs and axles were the "achilles heel" not the gearboxes. We don't see many around with those transplants now days as every old surviving Series has become desirable as original and as such, owners are reconditioning and putting the old engines back in.
 
Gazbo said:
Lots of Landy Series ran about over our way with "transplant" 6 cylinder Holden, (GM), and Chrysler Valiant 6cyl engines running through original gearboxes, both those probably make more power than the Nissan, seems the diffs and axles were the "achilles heel" not the gearboxes. We don't see many around with those transplants now days as every old surviving Series has become desirable as original and as such, owners are reconditioning and putting the old engines back in.
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Yeah I think you are right, this does have a discovery front diff too....
I also think it would be a good idea to even put a 200tdi in but I might leave that for a later date...
 
Trailstar said:
Well this one has been there 12+ years now, and it was the original gearbox, the farmer that owned it before us never serviced it or the engine, and used it as a farm run-about for 6 or 7 years...and he wasnt the sort of guy to go easy on vehicles!:confused:

So if you ask me it's done ok....but I do think it's a good idea to put something tougher in, what would you suggest?:)
Click to expand...



Given what you say I recon a rebuilt series 3 box would be fine then,a lot does depend how things are serviced/driven.:)
 
The ED 33 is rated 96 bhp (non-turbo) which is quite a bit less than a Rover V8 so it should handle the power OK. The torque pulses of the 4cyl could be an issue but I run a 3.3l Perkins 4 that slogs and its been in my series for 20 plus years. I did have to rebuilt the box but that was due to a 3/4 syncho failure that send bits into the other gears. I was advised (and agree) that the problem with bigger diesels is the heavy flywheel, they can put a huge load through the box if you drop the clutch so I'm always very gentle on the clutch. The Perkins flywheel is about 2" thick and weighs and absolute ton.
 
tottot said:
Given what you say I recon a rebuilt series 3 box would be fine then,a lot does depend how things are serviced/driven.:)
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Yep well it's happening now anyway....:) picked up a decent s3 box for $200 so will see how it goes...I do like to double clutch and in general treat it nicely but offroad it gets plenty of right foot...

If it was turbocharged then would be different story!!:eek:
 
rob1miles said:
The ED 33 is rated 96 bhp (non-turbo) which is quite a bit less than a Rover V8 so it should handle the power OK. The torque pulses of the 4cyl could be an issue but I run a 3.3l Perkins 4 that slogs and its been in my series for 20 plus years. I did have to rebuilt the box but that was due to a 3/4 syncho failure that send bits into the other gears. I was advised (and agree) that the problem with bigger diesels is the heavy flywheel, they can put a huge load through the box if you drop the clutch so I'm always very gentle on the clutch. The Perkins flywheel is about 2" thick and weighs and absolute ton.
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Yeah ok that makes sense.....I would love to try one of these engines with a turbo...

It should be fine for a while to come so I'm not that worried....!

I'll put some pictures up of how they have done the conversion...so far the guy hasnt used locking washers to bolt it to the adapter plate at all....!:confused::eek:
 
Well I got it all safely back together and it looks like it works fine! Working out the hi/lo range selector took some time but it all functions now......the transfer box is in surprisingly good condition.

Just need to get it all back in and we will be back on the road....:D
 

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Folks often complain series gearbox is unreliable but then you find it has been going for ages with little oil and never in memory had an oil change. Keep it serviced and it should give long service.
 
tottot said:
Folks often complain series gearbox is unreliable but then you find it has been going for ages with little oil and never in memory had an oil change. Keep it serviced and it should give long service.
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Yeah it's like that with land rovers, people seem to love to hate them. They forget most series have actually been going for 40 odd years and if maintained right will go for many more years...

And over here in NZ we have too many people that love the old hiluxes and seem to come up with every excuse under the sun when they fail.....
 
I'm finding my Series suprisingly reliable, I spent the last 15 years driving Mercs and their engineering is first rate, but they are complex. The series takes a lot more routine maintence, but its simplicity and strenght mean it keeps going. Mine is 48 years old now and I would happily get in it and drive 200 miles (having checked the oils the night before...). The Merc (sealed) wheel bearings lasted 25 years but when one failed it required the whole hub to be removed and sent to a workshop with a special tool, same for the bottom ball joints (£200 per side!) The Series wheel bearings get greased and andusted - a couple of hours every few months, same for swivel oils and gear box, and are going strong at 45 years. My front axle still has the military leather gaiters on and I'd bet the swivles are the originals.
 
Gazbo said:
That's simply because they don't have the patented LandRover underbody protection system, (aka mahoosive oil leaks), and even then the Landy still sacrifices it's chassis to the rust gods.
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And.....
You cant say it doesn't work!

Also about rust, our landy spent 10 years on a farm right by the coast and it did a lot of beach trips.....only rust repairs were some minor ones to the outriggers...
 
rob1miles said:
I'm finding my Series suprisingly reliable, I spent the last 15 years driving Mercs and their engineering is first rate, but they are complex. The series takes a lot more routine maintence, but its simplicity and strenght mean it keeps going. Mine is 48 years old now and I would happily get in it and drive 200 miles (having checked the oils the night before...). The Merc (sealed) wheel bearings lasted 25 years but when one failed it required the whole hub to be removed and sent to a workshop with a special tool, same for the bottom ball joints (£200 per side!) The Series wheel bearings get greased and andusted - a couple of hours every few months, same for swivel oils and gear box, and are going strong at 45 years. My front axle still has the military leather gaiters on and I'd bet the swivles are the originals.
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Nothing wrong with a series land rover...

The only major things to go wrong with our landy has been this gearbox failure, which I can accept after 40 years of abuse(not just an excuse:p) and the NISSAN engine...which blew a head gasket, and needed a new water pump...:rolleyes: reliable engines huh?o_O:p
 
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