Modifying battery box.

Currently in the process of stripping out the damaged 2.25 diesel out of my series 3 and in the process of prep'ing for a disco 200DI to replace it.

I will be reusing the oil bath filter and the battery has already been resited under the passenger seat.

The battery box frame has been removed with just the base in place.

The base will be cut back as per Glencoyne's article but it would help immensely to known how much to cut out. If somebody could measure their modified base with approximate dimensions, that would be great. I would rather do the cutting out before I fit the replacement engine

I am not retaining the power steering pump

Many thanks. Wellcroft

I can't remember exactly how much I took out. I'll take a photo in the morning if I remember.

Are you keeping the TDI oil cooler? Or series oil filter?

Hi Wildefalcon

No oil cooler, keeping standard series 3 radiator and 200DTI oil filter (although I will be running as a DI) so all oil ports blanked off.

regards

Wellcroft

Er, is blanking the oil ports on the filter wise? There was a good article on here about eight years ago suggesting not. It effectively blocks the filter, iirc.

The thermostat and spring has been removed so there will be no problem. thanks for replying

The series 3 might be different but on my series 2 I only removed approximately a quarter of the battery box base to get the engine in then I miunted the oil bath air filter on the reminder of the battery box base.

Bear in mind this was done in a hurry as I had a ferry to catch. And I've discrete oil and charge coolers in front of the series radiator.

I cut away the horn mounting to get this to "work".

Wildefalcon said:

Bear in mind this was done in a hurry as I had a ferry to catch. And I've discrete oil and charge coolers in front of the series radiator.

I cut away the horn mounting to get this to "work".

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Always a good idea to turn the battery so the battery terminals are on the engine side so the bonnet strut cannot touch them.

Wellcroft said:

Hi Wildefalcon

No oil cooler, keeping standard series 3 radiator and 200DTI oil filter (although I will be running as a DI) so all oil ports blanked off.

regards

Wellcroft

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Obviously it is your porject. But if you are going to the effort and cost of the conversion, running as a DI is utter madness. And hardly any easier to install. A DI engine will put out barely more power than the old engine. The turbo makes a BIG difference in how it runs.

I like the space available with the di and also keeping to a more original look so I kept a smaller battery and air filter under bonnet, the 200 starts first turn with 10 secs heater plugs so a 65amp battery will do it, also I had a second fuel tank under my passenger seat
But original tray can be shortened at the front to fit nicely , I also fitted a brace from btm oil bath tray to chassis top using a rivnut not shown here, if you want to consider this further I have more piccies on pc,

I know you don’t want a tdi as I didn’t and I’m happy just plodding along for me the benefits were less leaks and easier starting with but increase in power

300bhp/ton said:

Obviously it is your porject. But if you are going to the effort and cost of the conversion, running as a DI is utter madness. And hardly any easier to install. A DI engine will put out barely more power than the old engine. The turbo makes a BIG difference in how it runs.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the update but unfortunately, my old 2.25 lump is a write off therefore it was a question of what I could get hold of .

The new engine has been rebuilt and is of known origins therefore going this route was sensible but thanks

for your views

Wellcroft

steve2286w said:

I like the space available with the di and also keeping to a more original look so I kept a smaller battery and air filter under bonnet, the 200 starts first turn with 10 secs heater plugs so a 65amp battery will do it, also I had a second fuel tank under my passenger seat
But original tray can be shortened at the front to fit nicely , I also fitted a brace from btm oil bath tray to chassis top using a rivnut not shown here, if you want to consider this further I have more piccies on pc,

I know you don’t want a tdi as I didn’t and I’m happy just plodding along for me the benefits were less leaks and easier starting with but increase in power

View attachment 315056View attachment 315057View attachment 315058

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Thanks for the pictures. The battery has already been re-sited under the passenger seat when I was rebuilding the body work but would still like to move the oil oil bath further forward. It looks like a hybrid of ideas put forward.

I still like the description of Richard Hall's modification ( Glencoyne, as per my original picture). So if anybody can give me the dimensions of the cutting out necessary, that would be great

Wellcroft said:

Thanks for the update but unfortunately, my old 2.25 lump is a write off therefore it was a question of what I could get hold of .

The new engine has been rebuilt and is of known origins therefore going this route was sensible but thanks

for your views

Wellcroft

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Thats fine, just saying putting the engine in with the Turbo is hardly any more work really, but will make a huge difference.

i.e. the battery, if you don't have dual fuel tanks just put it under the passenger seat using this box: https://yrmit.co.uk/product/under-seat-box-battery-tray-190x405x105mm-deep-lr-series-2-3/

300bhp/ton said:

Thats fine, just saying putting the engine in with the Turbo is hardly any more work really, but will make a huge difference.

i.e. the battery, if you don't have dual fuel tanks just put it under the passenger seat using this box: https://yrmit.co.uk/product/under-seat-box-battery-tray-190x405x105mm-deep-lr-series-2-3/

Click to expand...

A normal battery will fit in the passenger side toolbox terminals towards the front, they just clear the top and a nice thick rubber mat just to be sure they do not touch the lid!
Mine used to have a transit battery in it and when that hot weak I stuck my old D3 one in its place.