Help needed please for transplanting a Discovery 200Tdi engine into a Defender 90
 

Hi guys, Im new to the forum, and here because I have a major headache: The 19J 2.5TD engine in my 1987 90 is knackered (burning major amounts of oil and coolant). Guessing rings, head gasket and possibly a cracked piston. It also generates a lot of crankcase pressure and vents oil into air intake and out of the dipstick !

Given the inevitable death of the engine, and the high costs in sorting a bad lump out, I'm wanting to pick up a 200 Tdi engine and drop it in. I have been told the best way to do this is to buy an old Discovery because the 200Tdi is better tuned in that truck than was put in the Defender. Given I can get a Disco for less than £1k, I reckon this is the way to go. I have also heard good reviews of the 200Tdi engine.

I understand the 200Tdi has the same engine mount positions as the 19J 2.5TD engine (I cant be doing with welding new engine mounts!), and that it will marry straight up to my LT77 gearbox with no modifications or adaptor plates. What I want to explore though is all the little questions around the outside that keep popping into my head.

Hopefully some of you out there have done this engine swap before, same as I plan to, and I was hoping I could pick your brains? Or can anyone point me in the direction of an idiots guide that may exist on the web? Perhaps even in an old magazine someone has done an article on this swap (could it maybe be scanned in and emailed to me?).

What I'm after is some help on all lessons learned in doing this engine swap, i.e. what wont fit in the 90 from the Disco (radiator, etc); what I need to watch out for; tips and hints on doing the replacement; will the engine fit okay in the engine bay; will the exhaust from the 200Tdi marry up to the exhaust on the 90/need to be replaced, is the clutch arrangement the same/different? etc, etc, etc. Basically, any help people can offer I will be most grateful for.

I have recently in my job adopted the catchphrase of "Total Paranoia is Total Awareness", and I think this is probably the way I want to approach getting this engine swapped over, as I cant afford to be without my truck (the 90) for more than a few days (I want to try and avoid hitting problems in doing the swap really). (Planning on a swap over the Xmas period, when I park both motors up for a couple of days).

Any emails gratefully accepted.

Many thanks in advance guys and gals,

Yours, mandythelandy (mandythelandy@yahoo.co.uk)

PS: Sorry for the waffle!
PPS: Has anyone got a good 200Tdi Disco, cheap!, for sale?

RE: Help needed please for transplanting a Discovery 200Tdi engine into a Defender 90
 

i have no idea. on my land rover i don't turn a wrench on it out of fear of voiding a warranty.

if it was a old Ford, i could help you

sorry

-James

RE: Help needed please for transplanting a Discovery 200Tdi engine into a Defender 90
 

Funny but I came across a French lad, who is presently driving thru Arizona, who motorised a 110 2.5l TD into a 200TDi. If you want his email address, let me know.

[8D]

RE: Help needed please for transplanting a Discovery 200Tdi engine into a Defender 90
 

Replacing a 2.5 td with a disco engine is not that hard ;)
The enigne fits the gearbox without any problems,you have to turn the engine a litte bitt ( i think it was one hole) and remove some of the steel pins (i am from belgium and have no idea how else to call them).(I think gudeon ????)
If you don't have servo steering you can use the steering box from the disco.
The only real problem is fitting the exhaust from the turbo to the muffler,with a defender engine the turbo is mounted higher.
However i think that it was steve parker who sold a piece of exhaust to make this simple,otherwise you have to weld your own (not that easy).
Some of the hoses from the turbo have to be longer.
And off course the electric has to be modified.

Steven

RE: Help needed please for transplanting a Discovery 200Tdi engine into a Defender 90
 

A mfg cannot void the warranty because you do your own work, provided you document the work with receipts and dates. It's against the law.