V6 auto to manual ??

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Nodge68

Nodge68

Well-Known Member
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Near Newquay
Hi guys i'm new here. Just a thought that's been in my head for a while, is it possible to fit a manual box in place of the horrid auto on the v6 freelander ?? I feel landrover missed a trick there!!
Cheers John
 
I doubt it !
I'd be saving the money for your next head gasket.
Saying that, the time and money it would cost you could probably get a td4 manual anyway lol
 
The v6 in my daily driver MG ZS180 has run faultlessly all it's 65000 hard driven miles. and it was rovers most reliable engine!! I'm not a fan of oil burners anyway. I just think the v6 would be better in a manual!! Has anyone done the conversion ? It doesn't look to hard to do!!
 
All v6 FL's are auto, so I would say you couldn't do it unless you can find a gearbox from one of Rovers other creations that had a v6 in it!
 
I recon that it's possible due to the way rovers all use the same parts modified to fit different applications! The MG ZS180 uses a PG1 manual box as does the FL1.8 K series and the old 2 ltr Di unit (Di box is stronger and the one to use) so there is a box that would fit the V6 if the flywheel and clutch from the 180 are used. The gear linkage and clutch pedal would come from the same source as the box too. The only bit I see a problem with what Ird to use? I'm thinking the Di one to give more favourable gearing? There might be a box mountings issue but something could be made up i'm sure nothing to bad??
 
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There int nothing orrible about the jatco used in the v6 auto. We likes em. Even after mine failed I still likes em.

Gearing will be the problem. Good luck. Many have come on ere wanting to do this. None have come back with an answer, but there was one recently who's started to convert his.
 
I actually don't think this is possible without going FWD unfortunately. This is due to none of the donor boxes available having the appropriate IRD mounts cast into the diff/bell housing.

Yes, the ZS180 has the PG1, but to mount the IRD you'd need the bellhousing of a Di to facilitate the IRD, but that itself won't easily pair up to the engine in terms of bolt pattern, and it's not easily altered. Any manual boxed 1.8 or Di FL will provide pedal box and gear linkage. Also, you may need to swap the diff assemblies over from a PG1'd FL into the KV6 PG1 as the splines are different for the shafts.

Or, you could use the Getrag 5-speed box out of a Rover 75/MG ZT V6. A TD4 FL uses this box does it not, so that's your source of pedal box, gear linkage and clutch hydraulics. However, again, in terms off IRD mounts to retain 4WD I can't think how that'd work as no 75's/ZT's were 4WD and have no IRD pick-up points. I'll ponder on that, think I've got a Getrag in the garage at home I'll study. The diff would again need swapping from a TD4 FL manual box.

Also, stop knocking the KV6, nothing wrong with them. The HGF's are mostly caused by leaks elsewhere; waterpump, thermostat or inlet manifold gaskets. That and ignorant owners not checking coolant levels and then whinging when the gaskets do fail as a result! I've got 2.5KV6 in one of my project cars, two GT20rs turbos, stock rover 75 1.8t pistons, rods and liners, bit of lightening and balancing and some head work and I've got 320/330-ish hp and it's only been mapped using the industrial-estate-at-night method so far.
 
autotecsheffield said:
I actually don't think this is possible without going FWD unfortunately. This is due to none of the donor boxes available having the appropriate IRD mounts cast into the diff/bell housing.

Yes, the ZS180 has the PG1, but to mount the IRD you'd need the bellhousing of a Di to facilitate the IRD, but that itself won't easily pair up to the engine in terms of bolt pattern, and it's not easily altered. Any manual boxed 1.8 or Di FL will provide pedal box and gear linkage. Also, you may need to swap the diff assemblies over from a PG1'd FL into the KV6 PG1 as the splines are different for the shafts.

Or, you could use the Getrag 5-speed box out of a Rover 75/MG ZT V6. A TD4 FL uses this box does it not, so that's your source of pedal box, gear linkage and clutch hydraulics. However, again, in terms off IRD mounts to retain 4WD I can't think how that'd work as no 75's/ZT's were 4WD and have no IRD pick-up points. I'll ponder on that, think I've got a Getrag in the garage at home I'll study. The diff would again need swapping from a TD4 FL manual box.

Also, stop knocking the KV6, nothing wrong with them. The HGF's are mostly caused by leaks elsewhere; waterpump, thermostat or inlet manifold gaskets. That and ignorant owners not checking coolant levels and then whinging when the gaskets do fail as a result! I've got 2.5KV6 in one of my project cars, two GT20rs turbos, stock rover 75 1.8t pistons, rods and liners, bit of lightening and balancing and some head work and I've got 320/330-ish hp and it's only been mapped using the industrial-estate-at-night method so far.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input ;)
Would you know if the 1.8 k box will mate up to the V6 motor ? That would provide the Ird mounting point!! If not it puts the scupper on another unrelated project :(
I'd not knock the V6 it's a fantastic engine that gets a bad name due to por maintanence!!
 
Another thought would be make a manual Fwd using a 800 Vitesse Turbo box with it's Lsd! That working in conjunction with the TC would ease some of the traction issues likely to crop up ??
 
Nodge, just re-read your last post. Yes, you could make it FWD but to utilise the Torsen diff from a T-16 turbo you would still need to use the ZS180 PG1 gearbox/flywheel/clutch, but the Torsen diff is a straight swap into it.

I've got a hankering for a full T16'd Freelander Commercial, dropped, FWD, maybe some Range wheels on adaptors... Need to get my other FWD FL done first, I too have a V6 auto, but I'm retaining the auto using a 75 Jatco and modified 75 shafts so i can junk my (shot) IRD.
 
autotecsheffield said:
Also, stop knocking the KV6, nothing wrong with them. The HGF's are mostly caused by leaks elsewhere; waterpump, thermostat or inlet manifold gaskets. That and ignorant owners not checking coolant levels and then whinging when the gaskets do fail as a result! I've got 2.5KV6 in one of my project cars, two GT20rs turbos, stock rover 75 1.8t pistons, rods and liners, bit of lightening and balancing and some head work and I've got 320/330-ish hp and it's only been mapped using the industrial-estate-at-night method so far.
Click to expand...

As an 'ignorant' owner who lavished much TLC on a V6 over 60k miles, fed it with its excessive demand for petrol, and was then rewarded by the engine self destructing, I have practical experience of a V6 Freelander.
If only the engine had been designed and manufactured in the country that produced the excellent Jatco box we would not have had the expense of replacing the V6 which was scrapped.
Possibly the car is suitable for a few miles of pleasure driving, with such a fragile engine as a serious means of transport forget it.
 
The Jatco is far from excellent IMO. Maybe your engine was built on a Monday morning, or a friday night! Sure, I've done a lot of them with HGF, but they have always been as a result of other faults that have gone unnoticed or ignored via a lack of a quick weekly check over and thereby worsened the final failure. It's not as if they've ever had the K4-type gasket which does fail as a result of it's own poor design.

Overall I think they are a fab engine, you should see some of the dross I get in from the VAG-stable, utter crap. See far more serious VAG faults than I do MGR-LR, and that includes my time at the dealerships, too. The VAG bill is always higher due to parts costs, but publicly they are supposed to be "good" cars. I know what I'd rather have!
 
autotecsheffield said:
The Jatco is far from excellent IMO. Maybe your engine was built on a Monday morning, or a friday night! Sure, I've done a lot of them with HGF, but they have always been as a result of other faults that have gone unnoticed or ignored via a lack of a quick weekly check over and thereby worsened the final failure. It's not as if they've ever had the K4-type gasket which does fail as a result of it's own poor design.

Overall I think they are a fab engine, you should see some of the dross I get in from the VAG-stable, utter crap. See far more serious VAG faults than I do MGR-LR, and that includes my time at the dealerships, too. The VAG bill is always higher due to parts costs, but publicly they are supposed to be "good " cars. I know what I'd rather have!
Click to expand...


You sound as pleased as I was once. May your good fortune continue.
 
The Mad Hat Man said:
nope - use the rover 220 turbo box n diff.
Click to expand...

False, the T-series PG1 bellhousing is different to that of a KV6 PG1 bellhousing, so you cannot fit the T-series PG1 to a KV6. Swapping the diffs is a simple job and a good opportunity to upgrade the box with steel caged-bearings.

Or, you could just go for a Qauife diff, expensive but useable Torsen's are thin on the ground.
 
Now it's looking more complex to make a manual V6 than I'd hoped :( I'm thinking in would be easier to fit the Turbo 1.8K from the 75? Or up the power of the Old DI unit?? The worst part is I was planning to use the KV6 in another project but as it won't mate with the box i'v got (for the 1.8K) I'll have to rethink :( thanks for all your imput but fot the moment the V6 will stay auto.
 
If you wanted to uprate the Di, the best way is to get a later electronic-pump engine from a 25/45 but use your original injectors. This gives the same gains as effectively having a remap, but you will need the matching ECU and do a small bit of re-wiring, or adapt the 25/45 engine loom to fit.

If you source a 115 MG ZR/ZS engine and ECU set and fit your injectors and have a remap after that your really laughing. 150hp on the stock turbo is possible. Google L-series diesel forum and join up.

The 1.8t is a good prospect, done a couple of conversions in other MG's/Rover's using this engine. The engine will bolt up to your box set-up so you could retain 4WD, use a modded rover 25/MGF auto ECU and a tiny bit or wiring work and they are an easy 150/160hp unstressed.

It seems the only way to manual a KV6 in the FL is to go strictly FWD. Depends what plans you have in mind with what you are going to do with it.
 
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