petrol to diesel conversion

hi has anyone fitted a bmw diesel 325 into a petrol p38?. mines a 4ltr 1998 gems type,with the bottom end gone,im having trouble sourcing an engine for less than a thousand pounds.im thinking diesel would be cheaper as can source from an omega.whats involved in apetrol to diesel conversion?
or is there a cheaper alternative to the 4.0 lt petrol ie 3.9,then fit a lpg system? as the fuel prices are extortionate and the cars got a drink problem! would appreciate any advice thanks

Anything is possible, there was a chap on here the other day who managed it in fact, but you'll have to be shrewd with where you source the parts to make it economically viable.

i seem to remember a thread on this a while ago that chap had an accident damaged diesel and a blown engine petrol if i remember right even after swapping everything loom/ecus/pedals/tank/gearbox and engine as all where different at which point it still didnt drive if you have to buy all the rest gonna be expensive the thread was about no drive i think

ok thanks for that,next question any one got an engine for sale or no were there is one pleassse its a 4.0ltr 1998 gems unit eng code 42d thanks and helpppppppppp

H i , you dont say wether your motor is auto or manual ? , i had a good look at a gm 6.2 in a p38 manual last night and it fits well . some small fabrication work on the oil sump to slot it in . No auto box ecu electrics to fettle . im about to embark on fitting a 6.2 gm diesel into my p38 auto it was a 4.6 before it tried to re-enact nuclear fusion in the block , and like you said £1000 plus for a petrol eating rover v8 is hard to swallow . p.s conversion & precission have put 2.8 isuzu tdi engines in p38,s .

amc90 said:

H i , you dont say wether your motor is auto or manual ? , i had a good look at a gm 6.2 in a p38 manual last night and it fits well . some small fabrication work on the oil sump to slot it in . No auto box ecu electrics to fettle . im about to embark on fitting a 6.2 gm diesel into my p38 auto it was a 4.6 before it tried to re-enact nuclear fusion in the block , and like you said £1000 plus for a petrol eating rover v8 is hard to swallow . p.s conversion & precission have put 2.8 isuzu tdi engines in p38,s .

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hi thanks for your reply my rangie is auto, so when changing over to a diesel what do you do about ecus and the engine management side? do you have to change the brain or is it a seperate entity on a diesel? does the engine ecu being changed effect the becm setup,what about the fuel tank can the petrol tank be re used? can you hard wire in a diesel with just basic wiring without effecting the ecus ie auto box becm units are they not reliant on all sensors on engine communicating info to them,with the price of diesel is it viable against sticking with petrol/lpg?

ashcroft transmissions have a bespoke ecu for the p38 auto 4speed box it allows you to tailor your box to suit any engine torque and bhp curves , but its £750 +the chancelors cut . you will lose sports mode on the box but hey you lose that as soon as you fit a diesel any way . and no i didnt drive the p38 but i did buy a classic with a 6.2 & lt95 4speed box in and it pulls well so into my p38 that lump shall go . will let you know if the extra weight of the p38 tames the big diesel.

hi i was the one that recently changed my 4.6 to a 2.5 diesel when i fitted myn i had to change all the front wiring loom but as yours is a 1998 so all looms should be the same as i put a 97 engine into a 94 i had to change it and the gearbox ecus will need to be changed to the diesel ones as they are all different and the becm will also need to changed. the gearboxs are also different as the diesel has a longer spline than the petrol the accelerator pedal will have to be changed iswell as the diesel is electroni and the petrol is cable. myn would drive after i had converted it all as i broke a little star type cog on the gearbox oil pump but it is runnin great now an used every day it is staright forward if you have the parts i would suggest buying a damaged diesel range rover can pick a writeoff up quite cheap or buyin the parts from a breakers i find the Oxford and Aylesbury Auto Salvage Motor Salvage Dealers Vehicle Parts Dismantlers Used Car Spares Scrap Car Breakers End Of Life Vehicles ELVs UK are quite cheap and i no the have a few range rovers in at the moment

hope this helps