Manual to Auto!

Have you measured the engine to see if it would fit inside the engine bay yet? The injector pump drive belt on the rear of the engine sits a long way back past the block and will push the oil filter forwards into the front crossmember. Not impossible to get around but more work to consider if you haven't already. The LT77 gearbox requires significant work to fit inside the tunnel of a manual car, and dimensionally similar in size to the BW65, then you'll most likely need a custom length propshaft.

The bits to convert the Rover fwd engines to rwd appear to be difficult for most people to obtain, although not impossible. I have no real experience of autos but it may be possible to get the fwd auto preferably off a Rover diesel and unbolt/ cut the gearbox section off leaving just the bellhousing and starter motor, and make an adapter to mount that assembly to the front of a suitable rwd autobox.
 
Hmm, Thanks Simon and Chris, there is a lot of food for thought there. I'm starting to think that the auto idea is making an already difficult job even tougher, so I'll probably stick with a suitable manual box. Simon I have not actually acquired the engine yet so have not done much measuring. I just had a quick look at the engine when it was still in the freelander and thought it looked suitable, it was only after looking at the 'pimpmysherpa' web page that I realised how deep the L-series is! when I get the engine beside the car I will get out the tape and see what I can do. If it can be squeezed in, then the next step is to find a suitable box and make up any adapters required and 'dry fit' the whole lot on the floor in the garage. If I can get that far I will be happy enough as you can make anything fit! As I said though it will be a slow burner as I'm not living where my workspace is.
 
Alternatively the Perkins Prima has the injector pump run off the front, but I have not seen one of those in a while so could not comment on it's suitability. Is your heart set on the L-series or would another similar engine do and if so is there a budget?

If I was to be doing this, my top choices would be the L-series, or the Peugot XUD series, for availability, cheapness and proven long term reliability on an R380 gearbox, and adapt the car to suit where need be. I woudn't ignore the auto option if thats what you're really after, just it needs some serious research on what parts do fit and what could be adapted to fit.
 
Well initially I wanted the perkins prima but just could not find one! so I went looking for the next best thing which was the L-series. An XUD would have been a good choice too and plenty of them over here but I said I would try and keep things rover. I wouldn't mind but I got rid of several XUDs I had around the place last year. I think I will probably stick with the idea of a manual box for the sake of not over complicating things. What was the R380 box used in? I'm not familiar with that gearbox. thanks.
 
R380 looks like landrover, discovery Morgan from a quick Google. Might also be mg rv8 but you'd have to check that one...
 
Yep, RV8 too, and a good selection of LDV vans, even some with peugeot engines I believe... (hint!)

Good robust boxes with a wide range of internal ratios available for them.

Chris
 
Your best bet would be to source an LDV/Sherpa van being broken and take the entire transmission complete with flywheel, starter, clutch, adapter/backplates, in fact as much as you can remove, and source the matching engine from a running car and bolt the two together.

I could be wrong here, but from my scrapyard rummaging, the L-series appears to mostly be attached to the LT77, and the XUD seems to mostly have the R380 attached. Both are very similar gearboxes, but they do have their differences which make them, depending on application not a direct straight bolt on swap.

I think the XUD does not need an adapter plate like the L-series, I'm told the bellhousing bolts direct to the block making sourcing bits possibly quicker and easier as I assume the fwd engine would just bolt straight up to the rwd gearbox without too much messing around chasing rare parts like you would for the L-series. Looking at pictures of the XUD, it looks like it has nothing hanging low beneath the front crankshaft pulley so it could sit over the front crossmember?
 
Would the td5 from a discovery be any good? Engine is the right way around and should be able to find an auto?
 
I reckon the TD5 would be too big to fit compared to the peugeot or L-series engine. Does anyone know up to what year the LDV vans had the peugeot engine fitted? I think around 2000 onwards they seem to have ford transit engines and running gear. It seems the XUD is starting to look like a better option now! Well I have committed to the L-series so I'll see if I can do anything with that. LDV vans are rare enough over here so I'll see what turns up. thanks for the suggestions and help chaps.
 
Wikipedia seems very vague on what engines and when were fitted to the Sherpa's, but Ebay seems to throw up more XUD's right up to the end of production in 2006 than the Prima.

You may be lucky and find an agricultural breakers who have the odd Sherpa van or remains in stock.
 
Are you sure the LDV Pilot got the L series, Simon. I know it got the Perkins Prima, but i thought it went staright from that to the Peugeot?

Chris
 
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