Having a 300 tdi installed in Belize
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Millsteel
Having a 300 tdi installed in Belize
We have run into some technical difficulties on our trip through Central America. After losing the 4 wheel drive in the transfer case and having it repaired the same problem 500 km later. Long story short all options surveyed we have decided for the price down here we are having the truck converted from a right hand drive gas to a left hand drive diesel. What are some of the thing I need to look out for in a new engine? Any tips for driving a diesel would be greatly appreciated as I have never owned one. All the work is being done by a man who has done this quite often but just so I don't look to stupid. Thanks Danny
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red90
- Defender of the World
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- Location: Calgary
Make sure it has the latest timing belt "fixes". The earlier 300TDI has problems with the timing belts eating themselves. Get a compression and leakdown test. When the engine is out, fit new bearings, timing belt, clutch, clutch fork and such. You might even be able to get a low cost rebuild down there. Worth considering.
I assume you are getting a whole drivetrain. If so, check the t. case input gear for spline wear.
Nothing special about driving them. They can do with a bit of an injection pump tweak to reduce turbo lag.
I assume you are getting a whole drivetrain. If so, check the t. case input gear for spline wear.
Nothing special about driving them. They can do with a bit of an injection pump tweak to reduce turbo lag.
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JD
300 Too Darn irritating
Danny,
Nice choice of engine. You will like it. Quiet, strong, fuel efficient. Will it be mated to an R380 and 1:4 LT230?
Make sure the clutch fork is re-enforced accross the fulcrum (ball - pivot) point. Dave Blair has a pic of his on this site somewhere. If the fork isn't beefed up it will puch thruogh before a clutch job is required. You have a long heavy hot drive ahead of you If possible fit a low water alarm or engine shut off switch to the area near the upper coolant plug. This may save you a head gasket job if coolant loss is experienced. Also, if possible replace that plastic plug with a metal one. Consider boost, pyrometer and rpm gauges. If the 300Tdi is a new one with a serial number higher than 23Lxxx... it is quite possible that some of the improvements of the HS2.8 made their way into the engine. Both engines were being produced at the same time.
Timing belt issues that John mentioned will have been addressed in a new engine release. A new LT230 should have the cross drilled input shaft in it - a modification to null excessive wear through better lubrication. Putting a transmission cooler onto the R380 or LT77S (which ever one you are getting) isn't a bad idea if the parts are available.
I have found the fuel lift pump to be weak on these engines. Now I carry a spare in the truck and have put a 15micron filter on the fuel tank side of the lift pump in addition to the regular filter after lift pump but before the injection pump. A dual filter system like this will keep some grit out of the lift pump hopefully extending pump life. This kind of setup is standard on marine diesels so I can't see why not road diesels.
As for driving a diesel, suggest a google search on that subject. Tons of info. Your foot has to be a bit different than on a gasser.
Hope some of this helps.
JD
Nice choice of engine. You will like it. Quiet, strong, fuel efficient. Will it be mated to an R380 and 1:4 LT230?
Make sure the clutch fork is re-enforced accross the fulcrum (ball - pivot) point. Dave Blair has a pic of his on this site somewhere. If the fork isn't beefed up it will puch thruogh before a clutch job is required. You have a long heavy hot drive ahead of you If possible fit a low water alarm or engine shut off switch to the area near the upper coolant plug. This may save you a head gasket job if coolant loss is experienced. Also, if possible replace that plastic plug with a metal one. Consider boost, pyrometer and rpm gauges. If the 300Tdi is a new one with a serial number higher than 23Lxxx... it is quite possible that some of the improvements of the HS2.8 made their way into the engine. Both engines were being produced at the same time.
Timing belt issues that John mentioned will have been addressed in a new engine release. A new LT230 should have the cross drilled input shaft in it - a modification to null excessive wear through better lubrication. Putting a transmission cooler onto the R380 or LT77S (which ever one you are getting) isn't a bad idea if the parts are available.
I have found the fuel lift pump to be weak on these engines. Now I carry a spare in the truck and have put a 15micron filter on the fuel tank side of the lift pump in addition to the regular filter after lift pump but before the injection pump. A dual filter system like this will keep some grit out of the lift pump hopefully extending pump life. This kind of setup is standard on marine diesels so I can't see why not road diesels.
As for driving a diesel, suggest a google search on that subject. Tons of info. Your foot has to be a bit different than on a gasser.
Hope some of this helps.
JD
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seapotato
Hey danny,
I'm not familiar with that particular diesel you're putting in, but I'm a biiiig fan of having a pyrometer installed. Especially if you're loaded up in the mountains.
Tells you exactly how hard you can push it, always better to grab a lower gear than to lug, keeps the turbo spooled up and lots of air going in to keep the EGT's cool.
When it's lugged, and there isn't much air, but lots of fuel is where they can get hot and bad shit can happen.
not too $$ a guage, ( I put a cool little digital one in my toyota, was only 60 bucks) pretty easy to install, worth it for me. I'd have killed a toyota and a ford diesel(towing boats in the mountains) without them for sure in the last few years.
this is the little digital one I put in, http://cgi.ebay.ca/DIGITAL-EGT-THERMOME ... 240%3A1318
but lots of different ones out there, had an autometer before, and an Isspro in my dads ford ( it's pretty cool, doesn't require power except for the light.)
other than that, enjoy the new smells...
cheers,
ryan :lol:
I'm not familiar with that particular diesel you're putting in, but I'm a biiiig fan of having a pyrometer installed. Especially if you're loaded up in the mountains.
Tells you exactly how hard you can push it, always better to grab a lower gear than to lug, keeps the turbo spooled up and lots of air going in to keep the EGT's cool.
When it's lugged, and there isn't much air, but lots of fuel is where they can get hot and bad shit can happen.
not too $$ a guage, ( I put a cool little digital one in my toyota, was only 60 bucks) pretty easy to install, worth it for me. I'd have killed a toyota and a ford diesel(towing boats in the mountains) without them for sure in the last few years.
this is the little digital one I put in, http://cgi.ebay.ca/DIGITAL-EGT-THERMOME ... 240%3A1318
but lots of different ones out there, had an autometer before, and an Isspro in my dads ford ( it's pretty cool, doesn't require power except for the light.)
other than that, enjoy the new smells...
cheers,
ryan :lol:
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DaveB
- Defender of the World
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- Location: Vernon, BC
Yes, make sure it has adequate gauges. That stand alone Pyro is pretty cool.
Like Seapotato says, you do want to have really good monitoring of your new engine if you expect it to last.
You may want to look at a digital multigauge that can monitor a number of functions while only taking up a bit of dash space. This is the one I've just ordered for my Range Rover conversion:
http://www.madman.co.za/digital_car_gau ... ar%20gauge
cheers, Dave
Like Seapotato says, you do want to have really good monitoring of your new engine if you expect it to last.
You may want to look at a digital multigauge that can monitor a number of functions while only taking up a bit of dash space. This is the one I've just ordered for my Range Rover conversion:
http://www.madman.co.za/digital_car_gau ... ar%20gauge
cheers, Dave
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Millsteel
Thanks
We have been having a great trip beside the car being laid up. I am just a bit nervous as I have never owned a diesel before. I will post up some pics when I get back of the place where I am getting all the work dome he has a ton of defenders. Has anyone looked into importing from Belize.
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red90
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- Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2004 7:19 pm
- Location: Calgary
IME, you can get high EGTs at any engine speed. It depends on how your injection pump is setup. It is all based on the amount of excess fuel and this can be set to whatever you want based on boost and engine speed.seapotato wrote: When it's lugged, and there isn't much air, but lots of fuel is where they can get hot and bad shit can happen.
With stock settings on a 300TDI, it will be impossible to have dangerously high EGTs. They are setup to keep the EGTs in a safe range regardless.
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Glenn D.
- Cross Member
- Posts: 193
- Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:14 pm
- Location: Vancouver
- Contact:
A pyro-meter was the best thing I've added since installing a 200tdi!
I got this one:
http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugedetai ... 731&sid=67
You will be pleased with your 300 tdi, I could never go back.
Glenn
I got this one:
http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugedetai ... 731&sid=67
You will be pleased with your 300 tdi, I could never go back.
Glenn
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seapotato
well, i'm not fond of the word impossible... :lol: things go haywire now and again.red90 wrote:IME, you can get high EGTs at any engine speed. It depends on how your injection pump is setup. It is all based on the amount of excess fuel and this can be set to whatever you want based on boost and engine speed.seapotato wrote: When it's lugged, and there isn't much air, but lots of fuel is where they can get hot and bad shit can happen.
With stock settings on a 300TDI, it will be impossible to have dangerously high EGTs. They are setup to keep the EGTs in a safe range regardless.
It does depend on setup, my last diesel truck I had to watch the egts as I could easily cook it, because I had the fuel cranked.
generally it's when you mat the pedal going up a hill and the revs are dropping that things get hot. especially in the mountains with less oxygen.
At any rate,even if the engine is supposedly safe from egt issues, I still like having the guage. you can also get something of an idea of how to drive more economically from them.
not essential by any means, but it's nice to have.
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Millsteel
Just to let you guys know the switch went well
We have put like 4000km on the truck now on our way home and it works awsome. The gas milage on this engine is insane we are getting over 20 miles to the gallon while towing a trailer and the roof tent. I cant wait to take it on a run this year to show it off.