The GM 6.2 diesel just plain sucks. They sounded like they were going to fall apart when they rolled off the assembly line. I had an 85 GMC that started life with the 6.2 diesel and was actually glad when that engine finally died. The 6.5 fixed a lot of the 6.2 problems but it's still a piece of junk.

Spike- Anchorage is 360 miles from Fairbanks where the OP lives.

Dreager - I grew up in Fairbanks and I'm afraid you're right about it being difficult to find a diesel to swap in up there. It's been so long since I left that I bet most of the shops I used have gone out of business so that wouldn't be any help.

 

Still does not change the facts that 6.2 V8's fit,, and with up dated parts will or should be better than stock.
Its like out 4.0 gassers we have but after head gaskets they will last.

 

My brother had a GM diesel that he ran the wheels off of. Never any problems except pump eventually needed rebuilding. You could find one of them cheap.

Mark G

 

A number of people have put the M&D Engineering 2.8 IH powerstroke (updated 300tdi) kit in Discovery's. The full kit, everything you need, is about $7,000 now.
As for costing "more than the vehicle is worth", that only matters if you plan to sell it. You can't really put a $$ figure on what it's worth if you're keeping.
The Discovery came OEM with the 300Tdi, and that would be a decent conversion as well. But they are getting long in the tooth and any used one you would get would probably need to be gone through, so the 2.8 kit might make more sense. Parts for the 300Tdi in the US are no problem.

 

Well, i have dug around and looked into some of your suggestions and found some things out. As far as the engine, found a guy in england who put a 6.2l GM diesel in a 95 Disco. As far as his experience, as long as you have automatic, the torque converter keeps the drivetrain intact.
As this is a long term project for me (@ 1 year), money not that big of a concern (no car payments currently) I think I am going to give it a shot. A Dana 44/14b should take care of the torque issues in back and a borg warner transfer case the front. Total top to bottom rebuild with a banks turbo added in and I should get what I want... "Holy Cow dude, that rovers a Monster!" I have been wrong about stuff before so time will tell.
Thanks for the input and if anyone has anything HELPFUL, I would appreciate it.

 

Here is a thread with pics about a guy who put an Izuzu diesel engine in his Disco. It's looks like a lot of work, pretty cool though if you have the time, skills and money. Definitely keep us posted sounds like a cool project.

http://www.discoweb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=44878

 

Find a 6.5 rather than a 6.2. Same physical dimensions externally but a little more displacement for a little more power and more reliable. I believe a naturally aspirated 6.5 is 180HP and 350 lbft of torque. Very comparable to what your current 3.9 is making but at a lower RPM. With that small power increase you should be able to use the stock drivetrain. Of course that is just my suggestion.

Definitely make sure to keep us up to date on your progress as you do the conversion. I'm sure there are lots of people interested in how it goes. I know I am.

 

But what kind of mpg does that engine get?
A large CID diesel isint going to get you better mpg I would not think.

 

Id hope you keep us posted as well, I looked into doing a diesel conversion for my 1968 Datsun truck..

 

My 85 GMC with the 6.5 diesel got 11 mpg whether it was empty or loaded to gross. But that's a 6500 pound truck with 4.11 gears and 33" mud tires. The diesel should get pretty good mileage moving a lighter vehicle like the Disco. The peak torque comes at around 2200 rpm so it's not revving nearly as high to make the torque to move the vehicle.