the most powerful landrover conversion!!??

i am completely rebuilding my 130 and i have absolutly had it up to the eyeballs will crap sluggish engines, especially ones that are hard to start (my current engine, mazda 3.0l turbo.)

i was considering using a 6.5 gmc v8 engine, which should give me nearly 300hp

apart from that i cant think of a more suitable engine.

i have had perkins, yes their good but slow and not really powerful engough when towing heavy loads.

i like diesels as they are best for towing which i do alot of.

landy tdi's 200s and 300s in my opinion are absolutly no good for towing

the only thing i can think of is tdv6 and tdv8 but i dont do electrics really.

ANY IDEAS ON WHAT I SHOULD SLAP IN IT GUYS??

keep in mind i just want alot of power and am prepared to sacrafice economy,

the 6.5 gmc will destroy your gearbox and axles

td5 would work but would be a lot of work i.e. wiring

i would use a 200 with a bigger intercooler and the pump tweeked

the 6.5 is an awesome motor replaced my 200 tdi with one and ran for 18mnths towing 3.5t trailers and no probs with axles boxes etc

i know of the gmc setup on lt95 gearbox and has been going fine for years, as for axles i was considering upgrading to dana axles if the rover/salisbuiry axles start to fail.

i really will not consider going down the 200 tdi route, they just do not have the low down torque that i need, however much they are tweaked.

does anyone have much experince of the 4.2 td landcruiser engines???

BAGGYJIM! what box have u got your 6.5 on, and also have you got a mechanical injection pump or electric?

the gmc is good in the non turbo version.

Audi 4.2 v8 on cards for me, uses audi bell housing and rr auto box

slap a cummins engine in there only need to up rate the springs and dampers it drops straight in same engine mounts uses 300 tdi flywheel gearbox adapter plate costs £60 ish to be knocked up at ur friendly local engineers shop works fine with r380 box choice of 150bhp all the way up to 220bhp both all turbo lumps and if you get a transfer box thats had the gearing changed you can sit at 75mph at about 1750rpm (still in the green rev range on the truck tacho dial. takes an electrician 10 mins to alter set up for fuel stop on pump and to get the rev counter working. cummins lumps are pretty bullet proof work fine in the trucks i drive and manage to pull 7.5tons 12tons and 16tons fine my friends defender has got the 150 bhp lump in it and re geared transfer box for over a yr now and no axle or gear box problems and you can pick up fully dressed 150bhp lumps in good working order from £200

I've been running my RRC witht the GMC 6.5 v8 TD for well over a year now, I do alot of heavy off roading and green laning an have had absolutley no problems with the drive train what so ever. The power an torque are completely unmatched! on road tyres it will happily sit at 70 mph just ticking over at 1500rpm and knock out about 30mpg. Fantastic engine!!

Curve ball here - What about a 4.7V8 From a Jeep WJ (Grand Cherokee).

Get the one out an overlander / some of the limited models and its 265bhp out the box.

No idea what else you would need to do to get it to fit but a nice lump.