How can I work out what gearbox I have?

Hi all,
I have a 1985 90 that originally had a 2.5td engine and now has a 200tdi. I believe it's a defender 200tdi rather than disco but I can't be sure. The previous owner didn't exactly give me an enormous amount of information about its history other than the 200tdi engine had done 70,000 miles when it was transplanted about 20,000 miles ago.

How can I tell if it's a defender 200tdi or a disco 200tdi?
What gearbox am I likely to have?
What can I look for on the gearbox that will tell me what type it is?

I can get some pictures at the weekend if that would help make a definitive identification.

if yer turbos sat on top tissa defender enjun,if its a cobble together disco enjun itll be underneath everythin else

Turbo is near the top on the right-hand side looking from the front of the car so by your reckoning is a Defender 200tdi. So what gearbox am I likely to have or how can I tell?

wot position yer reverse in? to the left an forward or to the rite an backwards?

oil dripper said:

wot position yer reverse in? to the left an forward or to the rite an backwards?

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To the left and forwards (with a bit of a shove sometimes need to take it from second dog leg straight to reverse).
What does that mean it is?

gidgrace said:

To the left and forwards (with a bit of a shove sometimes need to take it from second dog leg straight to reverse).
What does that mean it is?

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LT77 (or maybe LT85, but pretty difficult to glue those to Tdi's, so i'd suggest LT77)

is the main gearstick closest to the dash, or is the transfer lever closest to the dash?

main stick = defender spec gearbox

transferbox stick = discovery/rangie spec box

diesel_jim said:

LT77 (or maybe LT85, but pretty difficult to glue those to Tdi's, so i'd suggest LT77)
is the main gearstick closest to the dash, or is the transfer lever closest to the dash?
main stick = defender spec gearbox
transferbox stick = discovery/rangie spec box

Click to expand...

The main stick is closest to the dash.
So LT77 then?

gidgrace said:

The main stick is closest to the dash.
So LT77 then?

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LT77 defender type.

LT77 Short bellhousing long stick same as 2.5na/2.5Td/200Tdi's. 90's/110's/early defenders This is what you have.

*Not the same as later 300TDI gearbox R380.

Other types somtimes used are:

Disco/RR Long bellhousing short stick fitted to 200Tdi's these have a longer input shaft and a different gearstick arrangement. Somtimes when they convert a motor they use the engine and box from a disco complete. This has an longer overall length as the engine is furthur forward in a discovery/RR than a genuine 200Tdi defender.

By using the longer overall engine gearbox combo you need to move the engine mounts furthur forwards to compensate if you are to keep the gearbox mounted and propshaft lengths as standard. This can be tricky to be done to miss the steering box seen it done once but can reduce cab noise and make the exhaust easier to make. The one I saw was not that good.

I have seen an abortion where they left the engine in its original position and used a disco box where the centre seat should be. To me this is a bad idea on a 90 when you consider custom propshafts have to be made and how short the rear one would be let alone the cost of such items would out weigh the cost of a recon box. The most common way and easiest IMO is to use the original engine mounts from the original engine mounted to the cars original gearbox leaving only a modded exhaust and some clutch/brake pipework to relocate I would suggest this is what they have done to your vehicle.

Land Rover made all the bits to fit a 200 without too much hassel it really isnt worth using the wrong gbox to save a few pennies when doig a conversion.

:5biagree::5biagree::5biagree:

Ta V mucho