Hey!
I just bought my Defender a few months ago in Germany. It's British Spec and in pretty good condition but I was hoping to get an upgraded engine dropped in.

I was hoping to find some resources for finding engines and engine adaption kits. I'm here in Germany so German engines are easy to get a hold of.

Currently it seems to have a 2.5 L 85 hp (63 kW) I4 Turbodiesel engine.

I love the Rover but I want to go faster than 70 mph in it! Thanks for all the help- I'm glad this forum is here!

 

I feel your pain. But I don't think Land Rovers, particularly the Defender series, are built for speed.

Personally I'd much rather have the better mileage of the diesel than the (slightly) better speed of the 4.0L V8.

 

your gearing is as much of a problem as the lack of power.

 

So do you mean the gear ratios or the drivetrain? If I put in a new engine I was expecting to put in a new transmission too.

And I'm not trying to make it a speed machine- I'd just like a top speed of maybe 10mph more. It's scary on the autobahn!

Do you guy have any resources I can look for? Should I just look for Land Rover engines or will other diesel work? Has anyone done this with success?

Thanks for the replies guys! I'm really excited with the Land Rover and I'm grateful for the help

 

I'm talking about the gear ratio in your differentials. You cannot gear a truck to climb up the side of a mountain and have it do 80 mph at the same time. If you want the ability to drive anywhere then you have to be able to give up top end. If you want top end then you have to give up the able ability to drive straight up the side of a mountain

 

For less than you will spend on engine/tranny/ differentials why not buy a used Mercedes or BMW that is built for Autobahn cruising at 120 mph plus? The you have work toy and weekend fun toy. And something to go fetch parts in when working on Rover.

 

Do you just not have enough power to go any faster? Or do you feel that you are spinning the engine too fast at that speed?

The calculator here: Ashcroft Transmissions - Ratio Calculator

Shows that you would be turing 3000rpm in 5th gear at 70 mph (assuming that you've got a 1.4:1 transfer case, lt77 transmission, and 32" tall tires).

If you just need more power, replacing the 2.5TD with a 200 or 300 tdi would probably give you more, and all the other gearing could probably remain the same. If you really want to go fast, a V8 and a 1.2:1 transfer case should get you to discovery (or NAS d90) speeds.

Of course I'm talking about stuff I've never done.... so I provide no warranty.

 

Absolutely. You wouldn't drive a Porsche over rocks down a dirt road through a river.

 

I'm looking to go a little faster- thanks for the great info! (and many others above, I just couldn't reply to everyone). So is it hard to find a 300tdi or V8 engine? Where would be the best place to look? I don't mind losing some fuel economy. Any suggested sites or methods that could bag me the right engine?

And I know it's not meant to be a Porsche or something like that. I just think I can find a happy medium between mountain conquerer and standard speed sedan. It also might be true that the nearly 25-year-old engine may be underperforming.

Thanks!

 

You might want to see what is out there for turbos these days; things have changed a lot in 20 years.
They now have variable vained turbos that give adjustable boost, that maybe all you need.
Try looking at some of the European sites and suppliers and see what is available for your 2.5. Turbos are not cheap but it easier than changing the drivetrain.