Engine conversion - Land Rovers Only

Gerhard Smit · 06-05-2009, 06:08 AM

Hey!
Any advice on doing a engine conversion on a series 3 109 pick up with a falcon (100tdi) land rover engine. Im thinking of swapping my 2.25 diesel for someting stronger and lighter on fuel, and that wont imply a whole drivetrain conv. aswell. To rebuild my 2.25 would be about R10 000 (thats $1500) and a falcon can go for R8 000, plus I have the option of upgrading to power steering at the same time. People say the 200tdi is the best engin for the job but thay are as rare as chicken teeth and new cylinder heads are non existing. I would love a 200tdi but do not want to be stranded with it. I would like to keep it all land rover. Any ideas? Im still new at this but I wount learn any thing if someone wount teach me!
Please let my know if what I am planing is a good idea.
Greetings from South Africa

TerryS · 06-05-2009, 08:11 AM

Other than the Ford mid-sized car sold in the states many years ago, I've never heard of a 'Falcon', nor have I heard of a 100Tdi (unless that was a typo) but a 200 Tdi will bolt right into your 109 after moving one engine mount on the frame. New Cylinder heads may be scarce, but RDS in the states has had them. It's a very good engine, and knowing some parts may be hard to find wouldn't stop me from getting one. Don't overheat it and you'll never need the new head.
How are you going about the power steering install? What steering gearbox?

Gerhard Smit · 06-05-2009, 11:20 AM

The "Falcon" engin is a 2.5 turbo or N/A land rover engin that came just before the 200tdi's. They had some issues with overheating but the later tipe turbo engin had all that stuff sorted out. Regarding the power stearing box, I have spoken to a few people here and they said a box from a 110 Defender works well with the power steering pump standard on the 'falcon' engin. I've read a few sites regarding convertions and they all mention the falcon. Here are a few of them
Wouter's page : Land-Rover Engine Choice
Power specs for engines commonly used in Series Land Rover engine conversion
The sites also give the specs on all the conversion options. Will you give me an opinion on the falcon if you see the specs? Thanks for the reply!
GAS

TerryS · 06-05-2009, 03:28 PM

Falcon must be a name given to it in SA, but the old 2.5 Turbo can't hold a candle to the 200Tdi. though parts for it abound. It was commonly used in MOD 109s, but if you're going to go to all the trouble of a new engine, do it once and get the biggest bang for the buck.
There are alot of PS mods out there. Terri Ann has an excellent one on her website.

Gerhard Smit · 06-05-2009, 06:18 PM

The big thing is a 2.5 turbo is half the price of the 200tdi, but the tdi would be better.
I went throu Terry-Ann's PS page, and it seems like a good option but I have not had a chance to check the availability of that items in SA. But would the Def power steering system be more difficult to fit, as seeing the defender and series 3 have a few simularities?

TerryS · 06-05-2009, 07:13 PM

The track rod and drag link are in front of the axle now, but with the LR steering gearbox, you'll need to relocate them to the back side of the axle, and figure out how to connect to them to the swivels. I dont think Defender swivels fit series swivel balls

TerryS · 06-05-2009, 07:31 PM

Actually if you swapped your left swivel to the right side, and vice versa, the steering arms would then be on the back side of the axle.

Gerhard Smit · 06-06-2009, 10:50 AM

Did not know you can do that. Thanks for the tip. I was also considering a front axel swap with a defender, then there is the option of front coils with disc brakes. Exept for the difference in gear ratios of the defender front diff, is there anything that can complicate things?

TerryS · 06-06-2009, 11:08 AM

You can swap ring & pinions, but the DEF axles are wider, so if you can get both, do it. Then you may only have to add wheel arch flares. You would have to add spring purchase points to the frame if you wanted to go to coils, and the shocks go up through the towers, meaning you'll have to cut out your inner wing panels to allow for them.

Regarding the steering arms attached to the swivels, you would have to get some from a RHD truck if your is LHD, or vice versa, so that the track arm and drag links will work from the DEF steering gear box. Of coarse, all that is moot if you get a whole DEF front axle.
All in all, whatever you do is going to be alot of work. Had you considered just getting an EX MOD 110 and sell your 109?

Gerhard Smit · 06-06-2009, 12:19 PM

I like the feeling of having something thats difrent to all the rest. If I went with a 110 it would be just anouther 110. If I go and do all this work on the 109 it will not be just anouther 109, it would be special. The 109 is there so I have something to do on my off days, the more work I can come up with the better, but I do not think I will go with a total axel swap. Its just pointless.

TerryS · 06-06-2009, 02:41 PM

What a difference a country makes. Over here, there's no such thing as 'just another 110'.

Gerhard Smit · 06-06-2009, 11:20 PM

Over here there are thousands of them! On your way home you will see at least 5 driving by. The Defender is our most popular 4X4, then ther is the toyota land cruiser. So in this country Defenders are as common as a Ford F100, 200 or the Doge Ram pickups over there. I like to be difrent.
Do you think a disc brake con. is a good idea, with the exstra mass in front of a new engine? My braking system is non existing, hoses pluged, jamed master cylinder and need new pads. I am planing to do a duel system conv. but keeping the pads in front.

jrose609 · 06-07-2009, 03:07 AM

I would definitely do the disc brake conversion. You get that extra weight from the diesel, and you will need the extra stopping power.

I'd give my left nut for a 110 with a 300tdi. I don't even think there are any in Idaho.

Gerhard Smit · 06-08-2009, 12:59 AM

The 109 I got for free, I love the 110 but they are expensive if you get one that has a 300tdi, and is in a condition that does not need a lot of work, 300tdi's are not to common on the market everybody who has one keeps them becouse they are so hardy. The 109 with every thing I plan to do with the rebuild will not cost me as much as a decent 110. What does a 110 300tdi go for over there?

greenmeanie · 06-08-2009, 09:21 AM

For the PS box a good option if you can't find the Saginaw off a Scout II is to use the unit from a Range Rover P38 which means you can keep all the linkage in the same location and just make up a longer linkage arm.