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Help with 94 D1 Manual to Auto Swap

5K views 35 replies 6 participants last post by  Wookiee 
#1 ·
I bought a pair of D1 Manual transmissions vehicles as a package deal. They both had different issues as well as both had Bad Transfer Boxes. I decided to keep the one with the engine that was recently overhauled and swapped everything I wanted or that was nicer over to the one I keep and sold off the the other (for most of what I spent). The one I keep had a issue with the transmission, the Transfer box or both. When I got into it, it turned out it was both. My wife really didn't have any interest in driving a manual and I prefer a Auto. The Manual being fairly rare around here, I was able to trade my non-working Manual (they were going to rebuild it), for a working ZF4 Auto. He also gave me a working BergWarner Transfer Box as well as everything else needed for the conversion. So it begins.

I am not auto mechanic and my experience is fairly limited to helping more knowledgeable people then myself do things. But, I am very mechanically incline and felt I would give it a go. Did a lot of research and have made a lot of progress but am wanting to get some help finishing this project up. I mated the trans to the engine (ordered special shim the adjust spacing correctly and installed the torque converter fully and everything mated nicely). I attached the torque converter to the Flex plate. I have mated the transfer box to the trans. Everything is torqued to spec.

Here is where I would love a little guidance and what I have left. I need to hook back up the wire harness but there are 2 additional plugs/contact points that my wire harness doesn't seem to have. What are they for and how can I add them? There appears to be a speed sensor on the Transfer Case that matches up with a plug that is also on the transfer case, is it just a loop to the speed sensor? That same plug is one of the plugs I am missing on my wire harness. 2 of the exhaust bolts snapped off when removing the exhaust. I thought I would be able to remove them by soaking them with liquid wrench and the drilling and extracting them but I can't get them to budge. Should I use heat? What's the best way to use Heat?

This is what is stumping me and holding me up from finishing this up, any help would be great. Thanks
 
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#2 ·
Sounds like a fine mess��
Someone may be able to identify what is missing ? If you can identify what components are missing wiring connections.
Also online manuals are available that may have wiring schematics to help,you identify what you are missing

"All required parts included" rarely is what it is supposed to be
 
#3 ·
Actually it shouldn't have a Borg Warner it should be an LT230 transfer case......... The Borg Warner is off a Rangie and the trans is probably too. Oh boy. Pics my man are the name of the game, if you could post them it would help immensely. The vehicle speed sensor is off the transmission tail piece. The transferase used a shift lock solenoid and a switch for an idiot light on the dash saying you are in locked mode (front and rear axles locked). As far as heat on a frozen bolt/stud use a propane torch and if it's a tight space get a pencil tip and get frozen parts as cherry red as possible. Get a wrench or whatever on it as soon as you can, should twist right out.
 
#4 ·
If you have access to a welder......

Place a nut (3/8 or 7/16) over the broken bolt, even if flush......weld the exposed portion of
the bolt to the internal portion of the nut......don't just tack it, give it a good weld.

The heat from the welding will help with the extraction & the nut provides a place for
your wrench.....work it a little back and forth, then extract while hot.

Ground clamp should be attached directly to the block, remove battery.
 
#6 ·
You're going to need a Range Rover classic front shaft if you keep that TC. I personally would not. The LT230 is the better case. Some say the BW is quieter but the whole damn truck is loud to me so....
Also if you have a RR trans you will need a Disco torque converter and flywheel if you are running GEMS management. The Gems system uses a crank sensor rather than the distributor. So it needs the the flywheel to trigger it.
The electrical connections for the BW and the LT230 your Disco originally came with, aren't the same.
 
#7 ·
One thing to note it's a dizzy Disco, it's a 94 so no worries on sparks there Shifty.
 
#8 ·
I actually did not mind the BW transfer case. All my previous ones had the LT230 and I had one ready to replace the BW with. But I found the auto lockup of the BW good in that it would activate when needed rather than when I decided to engage it. For example on wet roads, where i would would never engage the centre diff lock, it would lock up when needed. Even in the off-road work I found it reasonably good. Of course it had a bit of a delay when locking up off-road, but everything is a compromise.
 
#9 ·
I do have the RR front shaft. I can get a good deal on a LT230 from someone living close to me and have decided to go get it. I never wanted to switch in the first place really. Also I will be getting a wire harness that will include the multi plug in the deal and that will fix that issue as well.
Can I use the current transmission oil cooler/radiator that was for my manual trans or is the one given to me with the Auto different in some way? Doesn't appear to be different other then the line connection locations and they are longer so I can bend and flare them to the right location.
Thanks everyone for the help.
 
#10 ·
I'd probably stick with the safe bet and use the auto radiator with the auto. They probably are the same but I'm not 100% certain without poking my nose in the manual. Do you have a copy of the "Rave"? That's the name of the service manual, good stuff. If not I can link it.
 
#12 ·
Turns out the Deal to get the parts I talked about are from a 96 Discovery 1. I believe that means it had the GEMS. If I am correct the LT230 is still the same and didn't interface with the GEMS system, am I correct? If that is correct I am still going to jump on the deal. I may not get the wire harness I want (not sure what plugs and configurations changed for the GEMS but I will still get a bunch of things I want and it's a steal. Just want to know that the LT230 will work first.
 
#14 ·
Okey I bought a rolling frame from a 96 D1 that included the auto trans and LT230 still attached. Also had a bunch of other things like wire harnesses, radiator, fuel tank and a bunch of other little things. I got it mainly for the LT230. Plan to keep the auto trans as a back up and was going to use one of the wheels to replace the spare and cover on the back of mine (like the look of having a full matching rim/tire on the back). Figured next time I needed to replace tires I would get 5 so they were all the same. However upon closer inspection the rims are not the same style I have and the tires are a fair amount bigger. I thought the frame looked like it might have been lifted when looking at it in person but figured it only looked that way due to it not having the full weight load with no body, engine or anything else weighing it down. The tires on it are 265/75r16 and those seem to large to have on there without a lift? So the question now is how do I determine if there is a lift on this rolling frame? I was thinking of doing a 2" lift on mine at some point and if this one has one, well bonus! I am going to pull all the parts I want and then sell/recycle the rest because I don't have anywhere to store it. I know this has kind of jumped off topic but I need to pull the LT230 and get it in to see if I need any more help with the swap and thought I would float this question in the meantime. Thanks
 
#16 ·
Can you get any stamped numbers off the springs/shocks? 265's usually require a 2" lift to stay away from fenders and quarters while wheeling. Also look for any pucks either on the frame to lift the body or at the top of the springs.
 
#18 ·
Can you get any stamped numbers off the springs/shocks? 265's usually require a 2" lift to stay away from fenders and quarters while wheeling.
This is a misconception.
The people in the US love spring lifts. So springs that are only designed to bring a car back to standard height are marketed as spring lifts to you guys. For example, OME springs are marketed as spring lifts in the US, yet they are Australian springs and marketed as Heavy or Medium duty springs here.
Most were designed to counteract they extra weight that people add to their vehicles through things like bull bars, winches, or the camping gear in the back, etc.
Of course, if you put them on a vehicle that has no extra weight, they will raise the height of the vehicle. But most people that fit them have already added weight to the vehicle through accessories.
So all these people that say they have a 2 inch lift have nothing like that and may not be any higher than standard.
I have reasonably heavy springs in my Ute, but its ride height is not much higher than standard.
So if you want to know if your vehicle is higher than standard, it does not matter what springs you have in it, you need to actually measure it.
 
#19 ·
Well I had to clean it off a bit but did find the stamp on the rear shock and it looks to be stock. Or at least a Land Rover Part. It is stamped ANR 6468D on the 1st line, a faded LAND ROVER on the 2nd line and 8126 4845 9JD on the 3rd line. So I'm thinking someone just dropped larger wheels on it and figured screw the fenders/wheelwells. Couldn't find any markings on the springs but it was late and I was working by flashlight so maybe I will double check in daylight. Hopefully I was able to load the picture I took.
 

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#21 ·
There is actually no need to change shocks with lift springs. Most lift springs have around the same uncompressed length as standard. Some are even shorter. So fitting longer shocks would simply allow the springs to become disconnected from their mountings.
Changing shocks when you change springs is just the salesman up-selling. Shocks are usually worth more than the springs and there is more profit in them. There are many reasons to go to aftermarket shocks, but changing springs is not one of them.
If they are original springs they will have a paint stripe the full height of the springs. So if you given them a clean you should see what is left of the paint somewhere. If they do not have a stripe, then the are most likely aftermarket springs. Even if the do have a stripe, it does not mean they are standard. You need to know what colour is on them and compare it to the colour that would have been on the standard springs. Land Rover made many different springs of different lengths and compression rates. I only use Land Rover springs and they have a painted stripe, but they are not standard for the vehicle. For example I run red springs on the front when standard was blue.
 
#20 ·
Cool, thanks and it looks like stock. The springs should be all black and might or might not have a paint stripe or dot like pink, yellow, blue, red........ if they're stock.
 
#22 ·
Very interesting stuff n the springs, I will have to look into that further.
As for a update on my progress, I think I am into the home stretch. Took the TC of the parts frame and mated it to the auto trans. The wire harness was the exact one I needed as well even thought it was off the 96 Disco with the GEMS, they didn't change anything. I am putting it back together at this point. Still can't get the 2 snapped off bolts out of the exhaust connection (not sure what to do there). Tomorrow I will hopefully get everything put back together (minus the exhaust probably) and be able to start filling up the oil levels. Other then noise and where the exhaust is venting, is the a concern about driving it without the exhaust installed until I can get those bolts out? Really looking forward to getting it off the jacks.
 
#23 ·
It'll be allot louder than you'd ever think. I've drilled them out and used heat to get stubs moving.
 
#24 ·
At this point they have a hole drilled all the way through them. Have been hit with liquid wrench about 6-7 times. Have been torched 3 different times. The extractor gets plenty of grip but where they are does make leverage difficult. I think next I am going to make a device to extend the extractor so I can get 2 hands on it. Just wanted to see if anyone has more ideas. Thanks
 
#26 ·
Drill them out as much as you can without cutting the thread. Then knock the remaining part of the stud away from the edges with a pointy punch. You will either be able to knock it out or the extractor will do it more easily.

Be VERY CAREFUL with putting too much pressure on the extractor. They can break off in there and then you are really in the ****.
 
#25 ·
Ran into a new issue with this swap and hoping to get some help. I now have everything done with the exception of the exhaust (due to the 2 snapped off bolts having trouble removing) and my newest issue, the kickdown cable. Because I'm going from the manual to the auto I didn't have a kickdown cable previously. It's supprisingly hard to find a video that shows where/how the kick down cable is connected on the throttle end. I found some diagrams and have seen enough to get the cable hooked up where it adjusts but actually connecting the end to the throttle is proving more difficult. It appears that there is a place to put it but there is no hole there to connect it (surprised that they would put in a different part just missing a hole but who knows). I am pretty sure that is the spot but would love to see a picture to make sure. Drilling a hole is going to be very difficult but I will figure it out if that's the right spot. If anyone could take a good photo, that would be great. Thanks for all the help everyone.
 
#28 ·
Do have the manual but not the CD. It looks like I should have looked under the fuel system area. Thanks that picture helps. Mine is like that except the area with the hole that doglegs out isn't there. It is just a tab that comes out and is rounded off. I will try to add pictures. Don't see why I couldn't just drill a hole in what's there and connect it but doing so is going to be a real challenge with the space that is there. How difficult is that part to disassembly and is it a part that is able to be ordered or will I need to go the salvage route?
 
#31 ·
Was able to drill the hole with a lot of effort and hooked it up. I had to move the cable a little more forward in the adjustment mount to accommodate the added distance it goes. Going to start her up tonight and see how things are looking. I will give a update as I know. Thanks again for all the help and advise.
 
#32 ·
Got her started up and the transmission seems to be running fine though I haven't driven it far or much because it appears the power steering pump isn't working right. Gonna take a look tomorrow and get that straightened out (have 2 extra ones if I need to switch it out).
 
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