Trans Mate

I suspect this section is going to cause a slue of belly aching because lack of availability of the parts is used. Also some consideration for the condition of the set one may find it to be in once found.

You may not find a 240D flywheel as they are not very common. BUT... Keep in mind that this is just how I did mine and is a guideline for those who want to do this conversion with absolute MINIMAL MODIFICATION and expensive CNC work / material. Any other flywheel would require a new starter that will handle the 21:1 compression ratio, relocation of starter bore on the adapter plate to mesh the bendix to the ring gear of said flywheel.

In this application, I will be using the Mercedes 240D Manual Flywheel, Friction Plate and a 8.5x1x23spl clutch disk which adds up to just over 41lbs. The Benz disk is a 10 spline and the Input shaft of the R380 is 1inX23 Splines there fore will not be used. I was lucky enough to come across a retiring Benz shop owner that had 2 complete sets for super cheap. 100 for both!

In contrast to the the prefered addition of 10lbs of weight of the flywheel from ERUO 300TD and the 300GD for more torque transfer, there is also the unavailability unless I want to spend 400+ in the european market Or go to dealer and pay what I was quoted 2300.00

At the end of the day, a heavy flywheel makes better torque transfer. Diesel is high torque and we want to take full advantage of torque available and there is no substitute for balanced heavy weight.

With the R380 and xfer case together out of my 95 Disco I placed it in front of the engine. I used some 2x4s to prop the bell housing up so I could draw the OM617 motor up to it by use of my hoist with canter rig. The canter rig is about the best thing to use because you can tilt up or lower the working end of the motor ensuring a flat mate of the adapter plate and the bell housing.

I could have used the hoist to bring the trans to the motor but it required a lot more rigging and stabilization as trans and xfer case together is kind of long. It will be a bit awkward for anyone that tries without the LT230 jack adapter which more or less centers gravity of the weight. But this adapter has to be fabricated out of the Rrave and really is not meant to have trans on also. It also requires cutting and welding .15+ steel plate. I have no torch or plazma cutter available at the time.

Prior to mating surfaces, the bell housing needs to be notched out to make room for the starter cone and hardware I chose to use.

So aligning the bell housing based on the pilot bearing / bushing is about the easiest way to get holes marked for drilling.

Once satisfied the trans is not off set, I used 2 large vice grips to clamp adapter plate while on motor and bell housing and used spray paint to mark my holes. Time to drill.


I strongly recommend use of a drill press unless you have drilling experience with steel and want to stop and apply cutting oil at intervals as to not burn your 14.00 bit up. Cutting oil is necessary. I don't have a press or I would have removed the adapter plate from the motor and used it to drill precise and not stress my back. Having the motor up on a VERY HEAVY platform (truck bed, loading dock) about waist high is ideal unless you want to spend 4 hours on the floor as I did. Heavy table that can handle 800 lbs. The motor is 600+ and better to be over heavy duty than just enough. Drilling into something that weighs a lot makes it easier to focus steady pressure and ability to make a straight hole.


Prior to any drilling, I had installed my roll cage type flanged bearing into the bore of the crank flange. The total depth of this bearing is about 2 inches so I have satisfactory coverage inside the crank as well as to close the distance to pilot portion of the input shaft and provide firm coverage inside the bearing. I preferred to use a sealed bearing or rather an oil impregnated bronze flanged bushing but time waiting and money is not an option. This bearing is heavy duty and I am happy with it. I packed the crap out of it with lucas red and tacky grease and mated finally.



Looking closely, I have fully seated my pilot bearing


So, with certainty I have no deviation in the trans side of input shaft, I mark my holes by spraying paint referencing my holes and drill them out, It is now time to test the alignment and see if all the hardware is going to go in and through.



At the time I drilled my adapter plate, I did not have my r380 face to face with the motor as I was still driving it. So, the only thing I did not take into account was interference of the slave cylinder body preventing a proper mate of the bell housing and the adapter plate, I made quick work of that small issue and ground out a notch little more than 1/8in.

And I am satisfied all my holes accept hardware and nothing deviated except the top of the block hole. I cut a bolt and decided to use it as a guide dowel as I had none. It was a great thing I did because dropping in the motor and mating up to trans went super smooth.

As a side note, some folks may want to try dropping the motor in with trans attached. I did not want to because I didn't want to handle the weight and I didn't want to empty the gear oil in the xfer case to do so which is required because the bottom bolt holding the trans and xfer case together also served as a secondary drain plug. Also THIS is why:

And here is my console in it's completion.


Here is my Photobucket page for Trans Mate section

 

Subscribing.

 

Glad to have you with us charlie_v! any specific questions you need to address to get your build complete, please do not hesitate to PM me. PM preferred unless there is an item that can be addressed and helpful to others following, subscribed or even just lurking to see WTF...

 

This is a shockingly good thread and series of threads. Why the hell you don't have a thousand questions to answer is beyond me. I am the reading it now. I need to find a good r380 to replace my automatic (my transmission is electronic and I don't want to buy a controller for a transmission that sucks most of the power from the engine). I have two om617s in my garage, one is off a wagon and has the allegedly auto adjusting valves. The other is in my 300CD and is running and complete.

I am looking forward to the mounts section. I've done some reading recently about using 4bt mounts. Have you found that you have much vibration? Did you chain the engine as well or make any additional modifications such as a girdle? I have a thousand questions, even down to how you connected the throttle linkage and whether you are still using your Land Rover fuel pump. You have a disco I so the electronics may be less of an issue than for me, I'm not sure.

I am also super, duper, interested in how you modified the oil pan or if it was even necessary after a lift. I have 5 inches of lift now (all suspension) but I have MD springs so it sounds like I would lose most of it when the hoist comes off and will need custom HD springs. I'm curious whether that will take care of the sump issue.

I'm rediscovering this thread and my old 4.0 is just getting... older. Pardon me for posting in the wrong spot; just excited and READY.

NO WAY I COULD MAKE AN ADAPTER WITH PRECISION AS YOU DID.

I hope to have a complete 1983 300cd for sale soon. Sans engine.

I am wondering whether I could just have my automatic flywheel weighted. See? I am editing my post to add questions...

Best,

Charlie V

 

No worries Charlie V. The mounts were constructed of 2.5" heavy square tube at 8" each. You can cut them down to 7.5 or even shorter. Considering ultimately where you have your mount perches. I can left mine at 8" as i did not extend toward center the perches and I can slot or could if i had to the end of the mounts. Leave the om617 mount studs in the block and use plate steel for the block side base. Look at my photobucket galeries and somewhere you will find the mounts.

As for the plate, you will also read(adapter prep) that I transposed the block side holes including the guide dowls first and worked out ward. Dude, I used a irwin whole saw and a t-handled drill for the crank bore and starter cone bore. a press for the bell housing holes would have been nice but I didn't have it at the time I drilled. Just go bloc side first, get your trans bell housing notched and you can allign the bell housing patern best you can while seeing the pilot portion of input shaft and spline mesh. Get with koldstart as if not for him and his quick work of sketchup, I would have not known to use 3/8 plate for my app.

Auto flywheel. hmmmmmm balance and weight is critical. and keep in mind you will have to build the friction surface and pressure plate ring and holes. procure if you can a 240D manual flywheel and pressure plate. If not, your internal measurements of clutch disk spline mesh and pilot is going to be askew and have to be compensated for with crank flange adapter, and thickness of the adapter plate.

The rover manual flywheel assembly would work if u move the starter bore to mesh gear ring and you would have to adapt the crank flange and then again close correct distance for pilot and clutch disk spline mesh.

For the comment on well written thread, I thank you. I did my best. In my old thread, i had a few nay sayers that are gone now that the project is complete. If you had all material and good running motor, I could do this project in about 4 days.

 

So what's the anticipated fuel economy for this setup? Do you have other reasons for using that motor?

 

Finding that flywheel is a big deal, it seems. After an hour I have found some possibilities from 1980s 240d MT's. I'll start calling in a bit.

Did you have to change the ring gear? I have to figure out whether my two OM617 starters are toothed correctly.

Naysayers go away.

I have to get an r380 and the whole setup for clutch pedals. I've wanted to do that anyway (anyone need a super sweet rebuilt Disco II AT?). Zombie Motors in Washington always has them, but the shipping is a killer.

 

there was a $1100 5speed disco on dallas craigslist last week. haven't looked this week, but might get lucky.

 

It is gone, but that would have been a heck of a deal. I appreciate the thought!

 

Yes the flywheel is a big deal. That is why i started my thread with preempting those that would complain about finding that setup. I have a line on an r380 and it is in WA of which internals appear to be new. It's availability depends on a few things I can discuss at a later date when I am sure I do not want it. There is a shop in atlanta that imports the r380. do a ebay search for r380 and you will find them.

The ring gear is the same betwixt the 240D and 300D 1984 and previous. the G-wagon setup is available in europe and the 300TD wagon with the 5 speed ( very rare) will work as well.

If you get the clutch pedal, springs and pivot bushings associated with it, the auto version of the pedal plate has accommodation for the clutch pedal. the plate is lacking the knockout for the clutch plunger and mounting holes which can be made quick work of with a drill, a hole saw and tacking 2 studs for mounting the master cylinder. And of course you iwll need a master cyl and slave cyl.