Engine & Gearbox swap
Engine, Gearbox & Transfer Box Swap
When I bought the truck, it was fitted with a Discovery 200TDI engine. It had clearly had a hard life before I got it, there were leaks from every part of the engine. I used this engine for 3 years and went on multiple long trips to Scotland and Wales.
It was always difficult to cruise at motorway speeds with my mates in newer trucks. The original LT77 gearbox has a slightly lower gear ratio than the later R380, generally designed for driving round farms! And the standard LT230 transfer case is a 1.4 ratio. This meant the engine was revving quite high at 50-60mph.
First Signs of Trouble:
The engine was clearly worn. After our first trip to Wales, I noticed a significant amount of blow-by coming from the oil filler plug and breather. I was supposed to go to Wales again in a few weeks, so I decided to pull the head off and check the condition of the bores. They were significantly glazed and not looking great. I got the head pressure-tested, replaced the piston rings and bearings, and honed the bores. This kept her going another couple of years.
Scotland Trip Drama:
On our second trip to Scotland, around Manchester on the way up, the oil filler plug popped out making a real mess. I also noticed the fuel return line leaking. We stopped at a Euro Car Parts to do a repair, and my good mate Flynn put his Makita lamp on the wing. During startup after the repair, the lamp wobbled into the engine bay and destroyed the viscous fan. Luckily it was December, so the truck survived the next 2 weeks in Scotland, even though it was consuming a lot of oil.
The Final Straw:
On the way home from Scotland on Christmas Eve, coming to the end of the A34 near Winchester, the alternator light came on. I pulled over and found the water pump shaft had snapped and the pulley had gone flying. This resulted in us sleeping in a garage car park and being recovered.
After this trip, I decided something had to change, I was going to have to swap the engine out. At the time I was working away on the yachts, so I decided to replace the gearbox and transfer box at the same time, as they were in the same sorry state as the engine.
The Swap:
I purchased a fully rebuilt Ashcroft R380 stumpy (direct replacement for the old LT77) and an upgraded LT230 with all the bells and whistles, including Ashcroft's own ATB. I opted for a high 5th gear in the R380 and a 1.3 ratio in the LT230 to improve drivability on motorways for long-distance trips.
I also managed to source an original Defender 200TDI (with the turbo on top) from a Land Rover breakers in Exeter. I used the injection pump from the old Discovery engine, as this had been rebuilt professionally only a few years ago. I changed the cam belt and gave the engine a once-over. I also replaced both prop shafts, clutch, radiator, etc.
After all the work, the result was as planned, reliable.
