 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > V8 engine options |
 
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| TJ101 Member Since: 30 May 2007 Location: Taunton Somerset Posts: 3748   
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Best option if it was me
Find a late Disco 1 with a 3.9 Thor engine (serpentine belts) You will then have the Ecu,loom etc etc, to swap over (plus the auto box  )
Forget going P38 lump,, the 4.6 had known block problems, plus you would need to sort a engine management system out, like Megasquirt or simalar California F1, 75th 110 "Kermit", 50th Ann V8, 90 V8 Hybrid, 55 Series 1 Main Brian James Trailer Dealer for South West UK |
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18th Dec 2014 3:25pm |
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| Romadog Member Since: 07 Jul 2011 Location: Powys Posts: 1749 |
Late Disco 1 route...
or Go 50th Anniversary defender / P38 Range Rover route with 4.0 or 4.6. The latter is how mine is done. Plug and play rather than joining wires and hoping it works long term. yes there are some negatives, but you can get an old 3.9 from a Disco that blows its head gasket soon after refitting. 50thdefender loom(RHD Japan) is what I have. It contains, engine, autobox looms. Then 50th Defender bulkhead loom has wing looms already in it, similair to Td5. I've updated the dash centre and warning lamps, really easy, just need to be patient and methodical. |
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18th Dec 2014 4:11pm |
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| K9F Member Since: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 9610  
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Is it burning much oil and smoking? I had a similar experience with #5 cylinder and it was due to the valve stem guides. It smoked blue on start up and as a result used a little oil but did not smoke or burn oil on the run. I was advised to leave well alone until it started burning oil all the time. The only drawback was that due to excessive carbon build up on that cylinder I had to remove and clean that sparkplug on a regular basis. Lasted another three years like that. If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!
Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!! |
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18th Dec 2014 4:20pm |
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| Fozzauk Member Since: 05 Feb 2014 Location: Derbyshire Posts: 268 
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If you give it some good gas on start up then it throws out quite a cloud of black smoke.Seems fine when running and warm though?
I bought it as a project from a guy on disco3 so haven't run it long enough to see how much oil it's burning through. On the plus side it passed the MOT only needing a number plate light. I quite like the idea of going down the 50th anniversary route, as Romadog said i'm concerned about an old disco engine blowing soon after fitting and having to start again. Are the 50th looms readily available? |
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18th Dec 2014 5:13pm |
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| uncas Member Since: 22 Nov 2012 Location: Wentworth near Rotherham Posts: 340
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Black smoke is air to fuel ratio. Blue smoke oil.
Uncas |
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18th Dec 2014 6:22pm |
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| Stue5 Member Since: 06 Jul 2014 Location: Marche Posts: 111  
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I had the 4.6 Thor in the p38 1999 had no trouble only the heater matrix went funny after I sold it, it's still going strong lpg and all, sold at 119,000ish miles. I read the castings were beefed up in the later 4.6 engines to rectify the porriouse block. Range Rover p38 4.6 99 lpg(gone
 ) |
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18th Dec 2014 7:59pm |
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| Grouse Member Since: 16 Apr 2012 Location: on the hill Posts: 520 |
If changing the engine and reliability matters - then no question go the 3.9/4.0 efi the rest are over stressed and suffer more from slipped liners etc
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18th Dec 2014 8:29pm |
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| Fifth Horseman Member Since: 08 Mar 2011 Location: Lanarkshire Posts: 322 
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3.9 is physically a straight swap, did that with my first 110. Also if you get the loom and ecu with the engine then fitting the whole efi system is not too difficult, there are usually a few wires in the loom that will not be needed in the Defender application.
The main challenges are arranging the air inlet plumbing along with airflow meter and filter and providing the high pressure fuel supply from the tank. TBH the carbs are a right pain to keep in balance and using an efi system results in a much smoother running engine with better economy (until you use the right foot  ).
I started out with a standard 110v8 with Stromburg carbs, then tried SUs, went to using an early efi setup off a classic RR, then when that engine died, fitted a 3.9 with the hotwire efi system. |
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18th Dec 2014 8:35pm |
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| mikeh501 Member Since: 07 Jan 2013 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1142
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this is the one im putting in mine
still no idea of the problems im yet to encounter lol. ignorance is bliss. Click image to enlarge |
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18th Dec 2014 9:19pm |
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| 100inch Member Since: 15 May 2012 Location: Brunswick Posts: 411  
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I think you would be better off having a EFI v8 (3.9-4.6) with the later serpentine belt. There will be a few changes coming from a 3.5 carb but the it is worth the effort. JE Developments sells a stand alone harness in case you go 14CUX. m
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19th Dec 2014 10:10am |
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| dazzx10r Member Since: 26 Nov 2014 Location: Rotherham Posts: 17 
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stick a chevy LS in there job done
 or be a little more creative and get super reliability go for a Lexus V8  That's the beauty with Defenders the engine choices are huge, I've seen one guy on Landyzone fit a BMW M5 motor in one!
At the end of the day it's all down to how far you're prepared to go with it. |
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20th Dec 2014 2:29pm |
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| Fozzauk Member Since: 05 Feb 2014 Location: Derbyshire Posts: 268
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At the moment I am leaning towards a 5.0litre tvr chimera engine I have seen. I have quite a few spares for my wildcat with pretty much the same engine so this makes sense with my man logic.
Anyone done this before or have any advice on going this route? |
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20th Dec 2014 6:04pm |
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| keith Member Since: 15 Aug 2012 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 2211 
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X2 for the TVR .
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20th Dec 2014 6:21pm |
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| dazzx10r Member Since: 26 Nov 2014 Location: Rotherham Posts: 17
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21st Dec 2014 6:04pm |
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