Which engine to replace a TD5

[warninglight]

Inspired by a resurrected thread about MGF engine swaps ( http://autoshite.com/topic/8217-hnd-automotive-engineering-exam-mgf-lump-swap/ )

 

Until a year or so ago I had a Discovery TD5, as anyone here who has owned one will probably testify, about 80% of all their actual problems stem from the TD5 engine. When it works it goes well enough, will do 30mpg all day long, and sounds good to boot. When it goes wrong it isn't exactly a simple thing to fix, slightly at odds with the separate chassis and live axles it sits on. I sold mine when it started to use coolant and I lost confidence in it, but until then it was a supremely useful thing. It was on coils all round, without the active cornering enhancement gubbins, it was manual and a fairly basic but nice spec, and I've recently been thinking that I'd have another, but without that TD5. There's no point in considering a V8, as in most ways that's a backwards step from my 4.4 Rangie with no discernible advantages.

 

I'm interested to see what the options are for this, as I may just build one.

 

Ideally it would be kept with working 4wd. The R380 gearbox is an OK thing, but at its limits mechanically behind a TD5. The axles are pretty strong (and I believe the pinned diffs from a 4.6 Rangie may fit?) A 5 or perhaps 6 speed manual would be preferred for pulling things about on the hills of Cumbria.

 

The ability to happily run on veg would be very advantageous. The TD5 with its PD type injectors is a big no-no on this front. If veg-able, economy also isn't such an issue. Manual bosch pump would obviously be ideal.

 

Now obviously a Disco TDI could be the solution here, but I'd rather patch a chassis than lots of bits of bodywork (or build onto a galv chassis which can now be bought for the D2), and I prefer the longer rear of the D2.

 

What do you think might work best? Pic attached of my TD5 towing my V8 (Once I got around the immobiliser fault I bought it with, I found it had chucked a rod through the block, hence a possibly irrational mistrust of them)

 

 

 

 

[Asimo]

Early version of the BMW 6 which later turned up in the P38?

 

There must be advantages in "keeping it in the family"

[Junkman]

4.6 V8.

[andy18s]

Cummins in either 4 or 6bt flavour

Plenty being done now and it keeps the std running gear from the transfer box back

Mercedes OM seem to fit nicelt too

[dollywobbler]

Is the TD5 really that bad? Neighbour's TD5 has needed a turbo, but not a fat lot else. Well, plenty other than the engine...

[Lacquer Peel]

OM605 (C250TD) is a feasible swap, a few people have done it and there are adapter kits for the auto box. Capable of big power with a few mods and 200bhp with a tuning box.

[DodgeRover]

Can you convert the TD5 to mechanical injection?

[Lacquer Peel]

It was fitted with unit injection (like the VAG PD engines) from the start. Probably not possible to fit mechanical without a lot of fabrication and faff

[Guest Hooli]

Is the TD5 really that bad? Neighbour's TD5 has needed a turbo, but not a fat lot else. Well, plenty other than the engine...

 

Only early ones as far as I know, where LR didn't bother to threadlock the oil pipeup pipe so it'd fall off at random. Oh & not forgetting the injector loom inside the cam cover that fills with oil, lets it drain back into the ECU & kills that too.

[dollywobbler]

Yeah, I'll never understand that 'loom inside the engine' guff to be fair.

[Rusty_Rocket]

To be honest, I don't think the TD5 is too bad to run nowadays.  I owned a D2 for a few months and only got rid because everything else about it pissed me off (rusting chassis, doors that don't open far enough, hopeless steering lock, constant water ingress, yadda yadda yadda..)

The TD5 engine is very well catered for nowadays and everything is available cheaply-

Oil pump pulley bolt - pence but you'll need to drop the sump, obvs

Loom in head is £20 and simple to replace, do it if you see any oil leaks; it takes months/ years to get as far as the ECU!

The unit injection is reliable apart from the odd failure of injector seals, usual old stuff.

Buuuuuuutttt...!  I have a 200TDi Offender and 300TDi Disco and wouldn't trade up* to the TD5.

 

I'd say any engine swap would be way more hassle than just keeping a TD5 in rude health.

[danthecapriman]

What's wrong with you lot, this is easy.

 

If your not going to stick a honking great V8 petrol in it (which you really should) then there is only one other.

The 2.5DI Transit engine. It'll be the last thing left working after Trump and Kim's nuclear holocaust with that engine in it.

Has anyone ever done this?

[Guest Hooli]

I've seen Transit lumps in Series LRs, they make the original diesels look refined.

[AMC Rebel]

Er....am I missing something? Wouldn't a 200/300 TDi fit?

[Dave_Q]

Cummins in either 4 or 6bt flavour

Plenty being done now and it keeps the std running gear from the transfer box back

Mercedes OM seem to fit nicelt too

Was gonna suggest this, the 5.9l cummins diesel out of a Leyland roadrunner / daf 45 is the one, can be picked up relatively cheaply and run on anything, mechanical injection pump.

 

There's a Facebook group with lots of good knowledge / info.

[Clanger]

Well, if no one else is going to suggest it then I will...

 

LS3 - simples... you're welcome!

 

http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet-Performance/809/19301326/10002/-1?CAWELAID=230006180000981251&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=44693592161&CATCI=pla-171299449991&catargetid=230006180039220668&cadevice=c&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9afOBRDWARIsAJW4nvxBymZqsXeOvLJFFC1y-83PArKd8Zcbfz7xNj7V6dkoMBsOMiS3h9UaAl-XEALw_wcB

[DodgeRover]

Do you want it to drive like an old truck or like a modern car?

Modern car I would fit a nice V6 or V8 with LPG something like a lexus lump.

Truck? Then fit an old school diesel lump with mechanical injection and a super or turbo charger. Beware nose weight though, I have a Perkins 6247 in a RangeRover and it's very heavy...

[DodgeRover]

I've seen Transit lumps in Series LRs, they make the original diesels look refined.

I've seen a turbo one in a LWB SIII it went well and did 30mpg BUT it was noisy, Perkins Prima would be good in a swb series though.

[vaughant]

I'll have a cheap Merc ml cdi engine/vehicle available soon, the engine is fantastic but the injectors aren't the best although there's loads of solutions it there now to fix them.

Tbh though it's probably a better vehicle all round than a td5, or most LR products of that era. I always see either a disco 2 or 3 broken down on my commute home at least once a week which is no joke.

Merc is a grand if that's any use to you, needs loads of stuff but mechanically is ok.

[vaughant]

The big Leyland conversion does sound far more tempting though.

 

Someone I worked with one claimed to be fitting a humvee engine in one, n/a but 200 odd horse and big torque, however he was one of the biggest fucktards I've ever met so it could be all lies.

[Felly Magic]

Didn't Hummers have the Cummins B series 5.9 in as standard?

[chaseracer]

Dodge Ram certainly did.

[Guest Lord Sward]

Is the TD5 really that bad? Neighbour's TD5 has needed a turbo, but not a fat lot else. Well, plenty other than the engine...

 

 

I don't think so.  140k on mine now.  My local Land Rover specialist says the TD5 does high miles better than any TDV6 or Transit lump.

 

I removed my injector harness at 64k miles and it was bone dry.  The Land Rover parts man seemed to think they'd been modified for the last-of-line cars.  Certainly it killed my Defender TD5 which was on the 51 plate.

[jakebullet]

You're getting me worried about my V plate disco that's on 186K now

 

Touch formica there's been no major engine probs so far. (I got it at 150K.) Air flow meter, viscous fan n fan belt pulleys are all I can remember.

[Lacquer Peel]

Didn't Hummers have the Cummins B series 5.9 in as standard?

GM V8 diesel

[John F]

I've got a 200 TDi engine that's currently surplus to requirements, is that any use to you?

 

It's in West Yorks.

[CreepingJesus]

Volvo D5? It'll be about the same size, decent power output, and it sounds the same...

[hpi_matrix]

Shouldnt you just spend some time looking for a 300tdi where someone has sorted out all the rust? Failing that get a Land Cruiser or Patrol.

[gordonbennet]

The only solutions, sorry

Whilst i have a soft spot for LR's, and the aftermarket parts and indy back up is superb, they suffer too much with underbody rot, not helped by the vast majority of first owners not giving a crap about the undersides, though this applies to all vehicles LR's suffer more than they should have done given the cost and the number of previous models which rotted just the same.

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

[sierraman]

Tellingly you never see land rovers in the outback or Africa. They're all jap stuff like landcruisers or shoguns, what does that tell you.