Hi all, nearly at the end of doing my 200tdi 110 project just interior bits to do , and I've only gone and brought another (must be mad ) this time its a 300tdi 90. Have been bouncy thoughts around my head (it makes a right racket) and decided to do this one for road use so going lower it and had a mad Idea could you put a td5 engine into a 300tdi, has anyone done this conversion is it do-able or to costly to bother with . Any thoughts or help on this would be greatly appreciated.
cheers Ian

A lot depends on the outcome you're after. Do you want a tidy example in relatively standard condition, or to go all out with shiny bits? I personally prefer the former, but the latter gives a lot of scope for individuality and can work too if executed tastefully.

50mm lowering springs and stiffer anti-roll bars will improve on-road handling, but obviously at the expense of off-road capability. It would make for a capable and stable tow vehicle though.

While you certainly can put a TD5 in with enough time, effort and cash, I'd personally spend it on upgrading the 300tdi. There's lots you can do to them to improve performance if that's what you're after. Turner Engineering and others make all sorts of upgraded bits.

You can do a lot internally with these too. I carpeted the back of my 90 using ordinary low-pile carpet. End of a roll from a carpet shop was dirt cheap. Sound deadening can be fitted all over the place to help reduce the 'tin shed on a windy day' effect. Automatic gearbox out of a disco is a doable conversion which tends to have good results.

If it's anything with rear seats, I'd recommend not going down the popular route of swapping the rear seats for forward-facing ones. They really don't fit properly unless you have the later chamfered wheel boxes, meaning the seats end up too close together and you can't get in and out without folding one up. This is frankly dangerous in an accident as rear-seat passengers can't readily vacate the vehicle. Go for sideways or backwards only IMO.

sorry to bomb your post, but just out interest, will it go in without all the electronics the TD5 has, ECUs and the like?

The TD5 can't run without the ECU and rest of the leccy bits, youd also need the clocks/gauges too.

Turner and TD5inside/PerformanceInside both do pretty big upgrade kits for the 300tdi. One of which is an uprated turbo and fuel pump

Cheers all think upgrading the 300tdi is the best option brought it off my stepson as he wanted an L200 so know the engine is pretty solid but will rebuild it anyway. Glad you mentioned that about the rear seats as its a station wagon so was going to fit forward facing seats don't think I'll go down that route, already sound proofed the 110 with silent coat certainly makes the panels thud rather than ping if you know what I mean so will be putting some on the 90. Had a look on TD5inside/performance inside web site but looks like its still under construction so it might be up and running by the time I need it.
cheers Ian

I always fancied air ride in mine, then you can raise it for normal use and get it to lower when on the motorway

Yes I've looked into that a bit was trying to find a kit for a 90 but not had any look so far

Ian Maycock said:

Yes I've looked into that a bit was trying to find a kit for a 90 but not had any look so far

Click to expand...

Not cheaply, I think nene overland do one. The cheapest way I think is to get some kind of universal one from the US and then fabricate something

Looked on there site and couldn't find any info but have seen an advert from them in a mag about installing air suspension. Did find a company called air lift but I think they are for when you are fully laden so they help the suspension rather than replace it.