tdi conversion

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
R

revdj

New Member
Posts
8
Hi,
Just got a complete 200tdi disco engine that Im planning to put into my 1981 petrol series 3 swb. Im trying to aquire as many parts I need before I put it in so if anyones got any tips they would be gratefully recieved. I know very little about diesels but my first thoughts are;
what to do with the power steering which I dont want?
will the petrol front leaf springs take the extra wieght?
air filter?
Is the steve parker exhaust the best option?
glow plug electrics?
cheers
 
Answers to all of the above can be found in the Search facility - or read through the numerous conversion logs....:D
If you opt to remove the PAS pump - then Langers is looking for one!
 
Thanks, there will be a pas pump avaliable. am tempted by the alt spacers to line up the belts after removing it.
 
you'll need to shift the viscous fan and go electric.
what you doing re. radiator and oil cooler?
standard tdi rad only fits series flush with front wings. steering arm gets in way.
then youll need a 90 110 bonnet.

not used steve parker exhaust, fabricated my own from old propshafts.

intercooler pipework and water pipework was a bit involved too.

glow plugs will have to be seperate from everything as yours is a petrol and doesent have any.

where are you?
 
It can be done without needing to go with a flush radiator grill when you are fitting to a Series 3 (or even a late Series 2A) both with headlights in wings.

Take a look at these two photos, will give you some idea of rad/intercooler mounting and the plumbing involved.
 

Attachments

  • tdi engine 001.jpg
    tdi engine 001.jpg
    48.4 KB · Views: 1,506
  • tdi engine 002.jpg
    tdi engine 002.jpg
    50.6 KB · Views: 477
Thanks, Ive been told you can keep the recessed grill and the viscous fan if you split and step the rad and intercooler or get a different shaped intercooler from another source. Does anyone have any knowledge of this? I,m near pulborough, west sussex nrgyserve
 
You'll be lucky to keep the viscous fan. Better to fit an electric one in front of the rad. The Tdi runs fairly cool and you can get away without a fan at all if you don't tow or do too much slow off road work.

Yes you 'split' the rad and intercooler. Intercooler fits neatly in front grill in those Series LRs without head lights in there. Get hold of a 300Tdi intercooler as the pipe outlets are in better locations for the eventual intake pipe routing.

Right that even 'secrets' :D
 
Thanks for the pics Andy very usefull. Is this your vehicle and if so how are you finding the swap. Did you connect the heater blower back up. It looks like the filters in the way. Whilst on the subject does any one know what ampage the in line fuse should be to the blower on a s3. Mine was a 12 which I replaced only to blow again today. Although I suspect the problem is to do with someones dodgy stereo wiring in the past (dont ask).
 
You'll need to be handy at bodging to make it fit for cheap :) And it helps if you have various bits of pipe laying around to make up exhausts, intercooler hoses etc. I've had a few Saab turbo engines around the place so it helped that I had a good selection of intercooler pipes to rob aswell as heater hoses.


This is what my setup looks like using a Disco rad and oil cooler (oil cooler is built in to rad) a Seat Ibiza 20 valve turbo intercooler, cut about the down pipe to make it fit and made up my own radiator hoses with metal connectors and cut down pipes.

DSC00451.jpg

DSC00448.jpg
DSC00045.jpg

DSC00044-2.jpg

DSC00453.jpg
 
StuntmanAd said:
You'll need to be handy at bodging to make it fit for cheap :) And it helps if you have various bits of pipe laying around to make up exhausts, intercooler hoses etc.
Click to expand...

The only 'bodging' in my install was the making of some top brackets for the radiator and cutting the front panel to make room for the intercooler.

All the other coolant pipes, and intake pipes are all Land Rover parts, either Discovery or Series and either straight fits or modified in some way. Yes there are some pipes joined as you can tell but everything in the engine bay (except some brackets) has a Land Rover part number. Altho' the bracket holding the header tank is a modification of the original bracket as is the one holding the air box to the passenger footwell.

Having Land Rover part numbers also includes the fuel lines (including tank return, the orginal LR was a petrol) and the pipe to the servo from the vacumn pump. I also retained the Discovery throttle cable.

I also reused all the glow plug circuit including the timer and starter relay.

The pipe work for the heater was squeezed in along side the air box intake; the heater inlet mesh panel in the wing is a handy size and location for the air intake.

The exhaust is also a mixture of Defender and Discovery exhaust modified to fit.

The engine was fitted into a 109 LWB for a customer and the similarity of wheelbase made the Discovery centre and rear sections and ideal choice for the exhaust.

Hope some of that helps :)
 
Last edited:
I have a 300 tdi, the exhaust manifold and turbo are in a better position, and this would be easier to 'bodge'.
At first I removed all the needle rollers from the pas pump and filled the case with oil, the intention was just to have it as an idler, your better doing as per the photo though and using the series alty.
As for the heaters, you need a heavy duty relay and I prefer a simple pushbutton rather than a fancy timer, or the special ignition switch.
You can rob a relay off a citroen diesel and hack it, or if you want to do it proper a fork truck supplies centre can supply a relay, pushbutton and all the bits.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
2,5 NA to 2,25 Petrol
Replies
15
Views
1K
ThomasLRNL
T
dominicbeesley
2.25 exhaust manifold with 2.5 inlet
Replies
0
Views
1K
dominicbeesley
dominicbeesley
A
Classic LT77 Short stick to long stick conversion
Replies
7
Views
2K
Alex_melkadze
A
Montyjohn
P38A EV Conversion / Hybrid conversion - Pie in the sky thinking
2
Replies
28
Views
3K
Alibro
Alibro
M
Land Rover 200 TDI STARTING ISSUES.
2
Replies
20
Views
2K
Marney96
M
Back
Top