My V8 engine has died please help

Hi to everyone here on the wonderful landyzone. Ok i am team member of a small lodge based in The Gambia, West Africa. We own two landy's both are left-hand drive a disco 2 and a defender 130 (rapier) V8 petrol. The defenders engine is abanta-lay (Mandinka language) translated into English is finished, as my mechanic puts it. So we need to get a replacement? Is it correct that we can replace with a 300tdi and gearbox? What are the issues and what will be problematic in undertaking the conversion? Where can we acquire the engine and gearbox and all things needed? i am back in the UK until early Oct to try and solve this problem and hopefully get an engine shipped over to our lodge. I hope some of you lovely landy people can help us please. yours Brendan

Wow, Gambia!

We got someone from NZ, but I think you just won the "most back of beyond" trophy!

Welcome.

You'd be able to find out what you need to do in the common faults and questions sections, and by doing a quick search.

I'm no expert on your problem, but it from what I've heard by what others have done is that you may need to make up some engine mounts for the 300TDI and its gearbox.

This is actually a popular conversion, so its well documented.

Finding and engine: your bound to find one at a scrappers, have a look in the for sale section aswell. If you do find one, I'd get a few extra air-filters. I take it its pretty dusty down there!

Might be a good idea to pack a service kits as well when you go back. (filters, glow plugs, fuel filter, thermo-stat, hub bearings for wheels, gaskets, etc) All these are available at places like Paddocks (google Paddocks).

Good luck.

Thank you very Tronicus Maximus for the info it is much appreciated. Or as we say in Gunjur, Abaraka Baka.
Brendan