Diesel swap OM617 into a Disco.

Message

franko · #1 Post by **franko** » Mon May 03, 2010 3:00 pm

Well i don't come on here much,but I have been lurking around.
I posted my build on our local forum island4x4, but I thought I should post it so that the rover community can see what i am up to.
Maybe I'll be ready for the 2nd trip on the Canol trail, that would be fun but we shall see.

Anyway, this idea came about because the wife wanted a diesel SUV for camping and what not. But not a RHD import. So the search began for a Disco,I was lucky enough to find one in Delta for under a grand and in pretty good shape , besides the leaky sunroof.
Okay so have the truck now the search was on for the motor, was able to buy a running mercedes with the OM617 diesel. Ran great drove for a week or so before pulling the motor, got the whole car for really cheap so that was a bonus.

Okay enough chit chat on with the pics.

The truck in the shop.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 248JPG.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 263JPG.jpg
Gas pot pulled and out.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 270JPG.jpg
And the old beauty herself.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 271JPG.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 272JPG.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 284JPG.jpg
Not a bad way to pull a motor .
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 276JPG.jpg
All cleaned up.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 285JPG.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 286JPG.jpg
Disco engine bay all washed and cleaned.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 287JPG.jpg
More pics to come later on.
Also I must give full props to Chester for taking on this project with me and doing most of the work.
http://www.carlislefabrication.com/
The truck is in his shop and he is currently working on it .
Thats all for now.

PaulC · #2 Post by **PaulC** » Mon May 03, 2010 4:28 pm

Looks like a great project all us soccer mum mobile drivers should be interested in the results.

ANDYD · #3 Post by **ANDYD** » Mon May 03, 2010 5:30 pm

Looks like you are well on your way with the engine swap, it will be all the little things at the end that will give you the headaches!

We apprieciate you keeping a running log / photos of your progress, and look forward to seeing the "beast" come alive!

The members on this forum have done lots of diesel conversions, so if you have any questions then throw them out there!

good luck with your build,

Andy
PS. I gotta get one of those cool engine lifts that you have there! :D

red90 · #4 Post by **red90** » Mon May 03, 2010 5:35 pm

So how have you decided to tackle the oil pan problem??

franko · #5 Post by **franko** » Tue May 04, 2010 8:48 am

Most likely we will have build a custom oil pan. But we have not gotten that far yet.

John · #6 Post by **John** » Tue May 04, 2010 10:51 am

These guys talk about developing a dry sump kit for the OM617 - might be worth a call.

http://www.4x4labs.com/

rezdiver · #7 Post by **rezdiver** » Tue May 04, 2010 3:39 pm

very nice, keep the posts up to date.
Chester is an awsome guy, gotta love his workshop.
If you guys need a hand with anything heavy or rover related give me a shout I am just up the road in Cumberland.

cheers,
Reza

franko · #8 Post by **franko** » Thu May 06, 2010 8:42 am

Well I had to order a bell-housing adapter from a guy on the East coast of the States Robert Davis. Some of you may have heard of him as he has been working with Series Land Rovers for a long time . And just so happens to be putting a OM617 into his Range Rover. So he was able to help me out and ship out his adapter plate , but it did cost me a few pennies.

All this to say that Chester still have to fab up a torque converter adapter. I have to say that he did a great job and it turned out wicked.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 400JPG.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 401JPG.jpg
Below you can see the adapter plate that I had to order from Robert.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 402JPG.jpg
And this is the adapter that Chester made.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 431JPG.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 432JPG.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... 433JPG.jpg

Lots more to go later.

red90 · #9 Post by **red90** » Thu May 06, 2010 11:54 am

Does this mean you are running the stock Discovery gearbox? Are you planning any changes to the shift points or torque converter to better suit the diesel?

The adapters look great.

franko · #10 Post by **franko** » Thu May 06, 2010 12:45 pm

Yes stock gear box and what not. At this point its all trial and error, but yes we may have to play around with the shift points.

red90 · #11 Post by **red90** » Thu May 06, 2010 4:49 pm

Might be worth talking to Ashcroft about what revalving is normal for the 300TDI as that would be closer.

franko · #12 Post by **franko** » Tue May 25, 2010 11:51 am

seapotato · #13 Post by **seapotato** » Tue May 25, 2010 8:08 pm

have you seen this?

couple interesting oil pans

http://forum.ih8mud.com/diesel-tech-24- ... -fj55.html

franko · #14 Post by **franko** » Wed May 26, 2010 8:14 am

Thats a great link, thanks for that.

franko · #15 Post by **franko** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 11:32 am

Well I guess its about time for an update. We are back on track after having to rotate the adapter so that now the engine sits upright and has better clearance under the oil pan.
Had to cut the bell housing a bit to clear the starter.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7963.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7964.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7965.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7966.jpg
Side view and the hood still closes with it upright.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7977.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7976.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7975.jpg

franko · #16 Post by **franko** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:40 pm

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7981.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7980.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7979.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_7978.jpg
Most everthing is clearing alright, might need to trim the valve cover or the cowl so that the valve cover can come on and off.

franko · #17 Post by **franko** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:08 pm

What, are you guys all snoozing? Must be a bunch of old farts around here.
No comments at all.

Anyway got most of the motor mounts down.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8068.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8073.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8070.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8069.jpg

And you can see in the picture below one of the cuts to the oil pan to clear the steering box.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8074.jpg

PaulC · #18 Post by **PaulC** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 6:28 pm

I may be getting old but I'm not currently farting......so here is my comment Bravo!...are you still going to have full suspension articulation? Transmission are you just going to try out the stock shift points see how it works?

franko · #19 Post by **franko** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 7:25 pm

Well we will be making bigger bump stops, and I just ordered my OME heavy duty lift so those 2 things should help with clearance issues. And yes will try out the stock trans, and see how it shifts and go from there.

red90 · #20 Post by **red90** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 8:10 pm

If you are adding longer bumps, then I would suggest shortening the shock towers to get the lost travel back. You may need spring retainers and longer brake lines, though, if you do this.

Dreslerdisco · #21 Post by **Dreslerdisco** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 11:33 pm

dude

your truck is rad. I am so glad we have time to disco soon. you into party? maybe some logging roads? some camping.

get it done!

franko · #22 Post by **franko** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 1:00 pm

Thanks Scott, you will have to come out with me on its first test drive.

Well its starting to come together a lot faster these days.

Got the pan all modified so now I have enough clearance for the diff and all.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8087.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8088.jpg
Closed up the gap on the bell housing, welded a chuck on to it.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8090.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8091.jpg

And here is what the pan looks like.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8094.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87 ... G_8098.jpg

Dreslerdisco · #23 Post by **Dreslerdisco** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:50 pm

So I have to put a new gasket on my oil pan... leaks a bit. I was poking around down there and I brushed my hand against something and all of the sudden I was doused with about three or four cups of water... I was soaked by my truck. I am thinking it was some kind of air conditioning drain nipple... so I checked for another one on the other side... soaked. At least I didn't have my mouth open.

Skookumchuck · #24 Post by **Skookumchuck** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:20 am

An interesting engine swap how is the truck running now that it is complete?

romayama · #25 Post by **romayama** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 10:03 am

Hello,

I've always been curious about those MB engines fit into Discos. Did you manage to get it driving? How is the power of it?

Here are some pictures of my on-going Isuzu 2.8 turbo diesel conversion:
http://design-engine.ca
My engine is running poor so I'm going to rebuild it soon.

Regards,

Roman

The Rover-Landers of BC

The Rover-Landers of BC

Diesel swap OM617 into a Disco.

Diesel swap OM617 into a Disco.

Engine swap

Go frank Go!!!!.

Weirdedst thing happened.

Discovery Diesel Isuzu 4JB1T conversion