Landrover

[Wendelspanswick]

I was trying to get a photo of the Red Deer today and came across this hidden in the adjoining woodland to ours:

Looks like it hasn't moved in a very long time, bulkhead has some rust in it and peeking under the bonnet its a 2 1/4 petrol.
20 years ago I got rid of my old series 2a and I have regretted ever since, if I manage to get hold of this what is the cheapest way to replace the petrol with a diesel engine?
And can you buy complete new bulkheads for a series 2a?

 

[Bill Edwards]

Bulkheads are an issue, I believe you can get some not very good new ones, repair it yourself with repair panels of varying quality, pay somebody else to repair it with the quality being at either end of the scale, or buy a new good quality one for I think £1200 ish plus the VAT - and about a year wait for it to be made.

As to fitting a diesel, the 2 1/4 is a nice engine and can be picked up very cheaply. However, unless you're lucky you can expect to need some work to run well as there are a lot of tired ones about. Some people find them a bit sluggish, each to their own really (I love mine, when the timing is set right they're lovely).

Fitting a 200tdi is a very popular conversion as it pretty near drops straight in and goes quite well in a series and gives good fuel consumption.
The downside is they're getting less easy to find cheaply, are a little harder on gearboxes and quite noisy (direct injection vs indirect on the 2 1/4).

 

[Wendelspanswick]

2A bulkheads are available here and there, but they are not cheap...

What diesel engine would you want to put in it?

Nothing very powerful, its just we have to negotiate a fair few floods round here and a diesel is easier to prep for wading.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Bulkheads are an issue, I believe you can get some not very good new ones, repair it yourself with repair panels of varying quality, pay somebody else to repair it with the quality being at either end of the scale, or buy a new good quality one for I think £1200 ish plus the VAT - and about a year wait for it to be made.

As to fitting a diesel, the 2 1/4 is a nice engine and can be picked up very cheaply. However, unless you're lucky you can expect to need some work to run well as there are a lot of tired ones about. Some people find them a bit sluggish, each to their own really (I love mine, when the timing is set right they're lovely).

Fitting a 200tdi is a very popular conversion as it pretty near drops straight in and goes quite well in a series and gives good fuel consumption.
The downside is they're getting less easy to find cheaply, are a little harder on gearboxes and quite noisy (direct injection vs indirect on the 2 1/4).

The cab is full of junk so its hard to get a good view of the bulkhead but there is obvious rust on the A pillar, so much so that the drivers door top hinge is almost hanging.

Is the 200TDI ECU free?

 

[Bill Edwards]

A pillar's are available. Foot wells rot badly, but are also available. Would you be wanting to keep (if it currently is) original, or just have it to hack about in and not worry about the accuracy of reproduction parts?

Yes, the 200 is ECU free. A wire to the injector pump stop solenoid from the ignition, and a wire to the glow plugs which they don't seem to need anyway. Also runs well on veg oil. Generally considered quite reliable.

 

[waldershelf]

The bits that tend to rot on the series bulkheads are available from YRM and others. Unless the bulkhead is completely rotted repair is the best option, if you or a mate has a welder its a fairly straight forward job.

 

[super noob]

Replace the petrol with a 2.25 diesel and you'll regret it, the dervs are terrible

 

[Kayos]

I wouldn't care how rotten it is, I want it

 

[blenkie1]

What about a Perkins Prima? Should be a few around and I think you can get a conversion kit for them. They used to fit them in the Maestro/Montego and people may chuckle but they are a really good motor. I had one in a Maestro van with over 250,000 miles on before the bodywork gave up. Never had any problems with it at all and a really good starter as well no matter how cold it got. Get the Turbo model for a few extra horses.

 

[blenkie1]

http://www.nhua.co.uk/conversion/perkins.htm

 

[Wendelspanswick]

http://www.nhua.co.uk/conversion/perkins.htm

Cheers, just been looking at that.

 

[lchris21]

here's my mate who jammed this 300 TDi into his series 2...................its a flying a machine and great fun

 

[super noob]

Yeah but V8 wins.....this is one of mine

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=877861172225707

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Perkins are a good "period" conversion, and reliable, but to be honest get a scrap 200 tdi disco for 300 quid and bang the motor in the series . Don't go 2 1/4, rubbish engines for road work. Gearbox will handle 200tdi just fine, we used s2 boxes on triallers with v8's. Swap the diffs for the higher ratio disco units and away you go

 

[pedrobedro]

Perkins are a good "period" conversion, and reliable, but to be honest get a scrap 200 tdi disco for 300 quid and bang the motor in the series .

You'll be lucky to find one for that price nowadays, even scrappers with high miles are going for a lot more.

 

[mowersman]

John, bulkheads aren't really available new, there is a company that advertises them with a 6 month lead time, but I know a few people who have been waiting 18 months and then company has gone very quiet...
Personally, I wouldn't fit a 200TDI. Nasty rattly things! I ran one in mine for 18 months and it ate its way through 4 gearboxes in that time, maybe I was just unlucky. That said, you rarely hear of people trashing boxes with standard engines, quite often with TDI's. The gearbox is basically a pre war design that was strengthened over the years and really isn't up to the harsh torque pulses of the 200TDI.
The only reason I would fit a TDI is if I were doing serious miles in one and even then, I would fit the 5 speed box as well, which make it an awful lot of work.
If you are only looking for using it to potter round locally, I would fit either a 2.25 or 2.5 diesel indirect injection diesel. No, not as powerful or economical as a TDI, but far less harsh, not as noisy and just retains the character of the vehicle. Don't believe everything you hear about 2.25 diesels, one in good condition are great little engines, so long as you aren't in a hurry. Most people who slate them have only experienced a knackered one. I ran a good'un in FUD for 4 months and yes, a bit slow, but it would cruise at 60 on the motorway and pulled well enough. The 2.5 is the later engine, drives just the same, just a minor, but useful boost in power and torque.
That said, the old petrol engine really isn't hard to waterproof well.
The old Perkins prima is a good engine as well, but getting difficult to find these days.
The one in my profile picture is my only vehicle and has been for 4 years now. it runs the 2.5TD engine, the predecessor to the 200TDI, which didn't have a very good reputation, but I find its brilliant, reasonably powerful, but still quiet and smooth for a diesel, just keeps in character with the landy.
Buy it, they are great fun!!! Plus, Somerset is really very good for the owners club, regular meetings and green laning trips, if you are into that sort of thing.
Andrew

 

[pedrobedro]

The 2.5 indirect in my friend's was a disaster it had a new head when he bought it and the gasket went not long after. The army didn't like them either. He swapped it for a 300Tdi engine

 

[dannyp]

300 TDI goes in easy enough, defender ones fit easyer but disco ones go as well just more fun with the exhaust, you can adjust th intercoolr and stuff it infrount of the rad an keep it inkeeping, if you get really excited its possible to fit the 5 speed box as well. there is no ecu that matters, knock the silly box of the back of the inj pump and theer is a std stop seloniod hideing 12v tot hat and it runs. there is a " black box" but that just controlls the egr valve and that'll get blanked off anyway so dont need the controll box anyway

perkins prima i just wouldnt its reliable in a car but not in a truck they can develop a habbit of knocking big ends out. the old TD motors are worse they are absolutly gutless untill you play with the pump, it'll be ok for a bit then blow up. the 2.8 isuzu motor now that is a damb good motor to drop in

 

[Bill Edwards]

There is nothing wrong with the 2.25, people should not be so quick to knock it.

They are very sensitive to the timing, it needs to be set accurately which isn't particularly hard to do - easier still if the engine is out for a swap. It needs doing on a lot of them as the chain wears retarding the timing, then giving poor performance. I doubt if many (any?) of those who slate the 2.25D have driven one that is in good condition with decent bores and properly timed.
Ignore the stories of the diesels that barely manage 30, 40 mph etc - it's total rubbish. Mine does not take very long to get above 60!
If towing often then you will find it frustratingly steady with heavy loads, but for normal use it is just fine.
They start fine with some heat and in my opinion run smoothly and are reasonably quiet.

 

[penfold]

Unless you're doing big miles stick with the original petrol; while fuel's the price it is diesel doesn't make much sense.