Which diesel engines are suitable for use with ZF auto box?

[Dr Strangeglove]

Which diesel engines are suitable for use with ZF auto box?

Very quick background!  I have a RRC that I only use at weekend!  I use it for going to a local sports club that is inaccessible by car and that is my main reason for having it (though I have always fancied one since leaving the army!) but I will also fancy doing a bit of green laning!

As I hardly use it I will be putting my 1991 3.9 auto Vogue SE onto a 1972 tax exempt chassis.  This way if I only do 300 miles per year I won’t get too much earache about road tax costing me a fortune.  I have a good friend (a mechanic with a vehicle lift) that is going to help me, but I want to make sure I do all the work at the same time if I can.

I fancy keeping the auto box due to the good reviews I have read about them off road, so I will also keep the 3.9 efi engine and drive gear unless I change to a diesel!

I am also more likely to do the mileage if it’s not to expensive to refuel, and I like the sound of the better resistance to deeper water with a diesel!

So, if I do change to a diesel engine, what are the alternatives and which would you recommend!

I have heard the Isuzu 2.8 turbo is a good engine but the people I have spoken to have had it onto a manual box!

The engine I choose will also have to be kind on my insurance as the beast needs to be kind on my wallet when it’s sitting on the drive not being used!

So in summary:
Diesel
Suitable to fit a ZF auto box
Reliable with parts available
As little electricary as possible
Easy on the insurance
Easy on the wallet
(Don’t ask for much do I?)

This may or may not happen, but I thought it was a good topic for debate!

Cheers

Mick

PS - I put this on here as I would welcome comment from all users - not just LR fans.

[littlepow]

200/300 tdi, td5, have all been fitted with a ZF auto box. Plenty of them around too.

Sticking with a Landy engine might make it easier to sell on and insure.

That and LR have already done it as a choice in disco's.

[ian_s]

stick with teh V8!! the money needed to buy a decent diesel will pay for a rather large amount of petrol!!
buy an LPG kit for it, and it will be almost as cheap to run as a diesel anyway, but with a much bigger grin factor!!

[hairyasswelder]

I would also GAS IT  
with the tax exempt chassis I would do some more research as to how much of the original car needed to keep tax exempt status

Steve

[datalas]

The TDi engine, as far as I am aware is actually different to mate to the ZF4 (or the ZF4 is different) as the bell housings are odd, which makes them a little bit rarer etc...

TD5 should be ok, but getting hold of one of those without spending over the top is an issue.

[Jim-Willy]

TDi auto box is different to a v8 one, different ratios (or whatever autos have instead).

[Range Rover Blues]

You can't use a V8 auto box on a Deisel, not unless the diesel revs up the same way as a V8 (which is possible gievn how slowly they rev).

Simply becuase the valve block is totally different, all the gearchanges will be wrong for a diesl and you might not be able to go fast enough for it to change up at all.

That said then, the ZF will go almost straight on to the 3.5 engine that came with the tax exempt chassis.

BTW if you are modifying, make sure you actually have the chassis and not just a logbook
IIRC you need a minimum of 8 point to prove you have the majority of the vehicle in order to retain it's identity.

Original, unmodified chassis is 5 points
engine is only 1,
gearbox and transmission is 2
steering gear is 2
axles is 2
suspension is 2
body counts for nothing if it bolts off.

So you can swap the engine and box without loosing the original logbook.

[Dr Strangeglove]

I am keeping the chassis, axles and suspension!  It keeps the points, I keep the Vogue SE body and seats etc, and my good lady keeps off my back due to the road tax.

If I was running it as an everyday car or even putting more miles on it I would not bother.  But this way if I hardly use it I am not too worried - and also it gives me something to tinker with in the nicer months (do we get them any more?) when she is soaking up the sun in the garden (rather engine oil than sun oil!! – and the odd spot of red oxide).  I can spend the time preserving the beast (I am an ex sheet metal worker by trade and still have contacts for steel and the odd bit of folding) as when she's on the lounger she is happy for me to have a hammer and welder in my hand if it keeps me out of her hair.

It looks like I will keep the 3.9 out of the 1991 as the engine in the 1972 is a 3.5 SD1 engine so it will not have the point’s value anyway.  The chassis on the 72 is in superb condition for its age.  The vehicle has only done in the region of 70k miles as it has been on a private estate and off the road for many years.  Saying that the bodywork is showing every one of it years (though that wont matter to me).  The seats look like they have been a good home for several generations of mice.

Thankfully I have a friend with a vehicle lift and plenty of land so my vehicles will not be in the way whilst I am doing the work in my spare time!

As always, thanks for your opinions guy’s, they are appreciated.

Cheers

Mick