OP, I think this thread accurately describes what your journey will be like if you decide to go outside the fold. While there are certainly advantages, make sure you have the appetite for these kinds of challenges and the conversations that ensue. It's completely admirable (and very cool) that folks out there can pull this kind of stuff off, and for sure I've wasted plenty of my own time on projects which others will fail to see any value at all in, but for me there just aren't the big gains over what Land Rover originally offered for these trucks.

 

ahab, you are totally right lol. It is a, dare I say, never ending rabbit hole lol. I often suggest a reman, or top hatted LR engine. It is just much simpler.

Captain Aaron,
You being up a good point. In my head I was thinking about this differently. I was thinking the trans just needed more inputs to operate properly, but it actually asks the engine ECM to reduce engine power as well (if I am not mistaken). In order to get the VW to work, it would require some way for the 6L to ask for a power reduction and the VW ECU to then reduce power for the shift process. I imagine it is not impossible, but that is a rabbit hole I have not gone down yet. I'm imagining a manual transmission would simplify that whole swap considerably.

 

You could probably theoretically use the GM Gen 4 ECM as a CAN gateway to provide information to the Gen 4 TCM to shift a 6L80. People have used Gen 3 ECM (which controlled transmission solenoids directly) to control 4L80s as standalone. That being said, while it could be done, obviously not the best solution. And probably a lot of work for a lesser result.

To use a torque reduction strategy, the TCM has to be able to make a request from the ECM, the ECM has to be able to affect the request, and the ECM has to transmit a signal back to the TCM. In the past, this was done over dedicated PWM lines, now this is done over messages on CAN bus. Some expensive aftermarket TCMs, particularly the ones for DCTs, like the HTG GCU, have programs to be able to interface with a variety of ECUs to coordinate the CAN requests for torque reduction or temporarily reduce the electronic throttle control (for engines with electronic throttle but without CAN-bus). From what I understand, it can take some effort to get it working right.

Overall, I think the older automatic transmissions don’t really need it, and can use controllers separated from the engine ECM. But for these newer ones, like the 6L80, I think it helps to run them in the factory configuration (e.g. with Gen 4 LS ECM and TCM). That way those features work with no adjustments required.

 

Switching to a manual transmission is the absolute easiest way to make an engine swap happen. Unfortunately the significant other can't operate a stick shift nor has any desire to learn.

As I get deeper into my 40s working a clutch does lose some of the joy and thrill it had when I was younger. Bumper to bumper traffic after work. The morning after a beer league hockey game.

A transmission like the aw4 can be adapted to the lt230 and run off of a stand alone without the torque reduction. But a 2.0 diesel with 175 HP/300ft lbs of torque performs so much better if you give her more gears than a 4 speed. Especially when that vehicle is north of 5000 lbs.

A little tin top geo tracker or zuk sidekick probably wouldn't mind.

 

When I get some extra money, I'm thinking of doing an LS swap.

 

Let's just say I'd be willing to spend up to $10k to restore it.

 

So basically right now, the vehicle is sitting. I know it's no good. The engine (when I bought it for supremely cheap pre-COVID) lasted 3 years on almost no maintenance except myself changing oil, trans fluid, and tires. I was completely fine with that ownership. However, I do eventually want to restore the vehicle entirely. I want a long term use out of the vehicle (it only has about ~140k on the body) and I would love to get at least ~300k out of it. I've seen many DII owners say that they can get a lot of mileage out of theres so definitely like that. The vehicle is sentimental so money is not really an issue,

 

Rick,
I have had several thoughts. (I love the LT230 and this is my least favorite option) You could use a GM 4 speed or something else (I'm thinking 4L80) and a GearVendors overdrive unit. It would give you 8 speeds, but would require A TON of modification! Altering the trans tunnel as well. And you would lose the LT230.

The second/more complex/out of my realm of expertise, would be using the 6L80, and some form of CAN BUS gateway. I'm not sure if the Arduino would be something that would work, but it is a possibility. I'm not sure what level of control you have with the VW, but, if you can control injection timing, you should be able to request torque reduction during shifts. Way more complex on that front, but better for fitment and more. I just don't have enough knowledge of that side to know what is required. The Arduino was the route I was looking at if I was unable to get some stuff hooked up. Fortunately, I was able to get all of that squared away.

 

In marine set ups with the alpha inboard/outboard set up a kill switch is used to momentarily kill the power to the engine while switching gears.

If the stand alone controller for the transmission can send out (or cut) a 12v signal (pos or ground) as it's switching gears, it would be easy to wire this into the fly by wire throttle signal via 4 prong relay tomo deactivate the throttle signal between gears.

There are very smart people doing crazy things with VW TDI and Mercedes electronic controlled diesels. There are also very smart people doing crazy things with the 6l80/90. Unfortunately these people dont seem to speak the same language so I'll likely have to think outside the box for a solution to this one

 

Rick,
Check out this page https://www.instructables.com/Yes-We...in-30-Seconds/ . This is the path I thought I may need to take in order to get the GM computer to talk to the LR ECU etc. My understanding is that most "black boxes" basically take one message and translate it to another. If you are willing, or know someone who is willing to put in the time determining the messages sent from the computer, it can be translated to a message the VW computer can read. Your idea for a cut switch is pretty ingenious. I know most of those messages are like 2.5V and they are either pulled down from that or up from that. This is where I mention using a GM ECU. It will receive that information and change the output. The hard part would be, does it output something you can use? That's where the Arduino and just creating your own translator would eliminate that and give you just outputs that you need. I apologize if I am not making too much sense. This is an area that intrigues me, but my experience with it is low.

Gleep,
$10K is approximately where I will land. I noticed that some of the parts from the ACE recommended parts, were not the same price a few years later as they had listed on their list. I imagine my $10K figure will be different depending on when you purchase and how much prices have gone up.
I am an advocate for the LS, but that is because I had some bad experiences. Blown head gaskets, blown idler pulley bearing and none available same day, and constant misfire issues. Some of those problems can be solved in rebuilding the Rover V8 correctly. The LS solves nearly all of those issues, adds horsepower, and I gained two additional forward gears with the GM transmission. I am planning to tow a travel trailer, and the extra torque multiplication of the deep first gear ratio should help. I bought a core transmission for $300 and the engine for $1100. I rebuilt both myself. I have done all of the fabrication myself as well. Just plan for a lot of work. I'm glad to hear you want to keep/rebuild this rig. Just be realistic in your expectations and your abilities.