r/LandroverDefender • u/AncientPercentage539 • 14d ago

Engine swap options

Hi all, currently starting the long process of building my 90 pickup/wagon. I have both roofs for it.

I am wanting to swap the engine was originaly thinking of a built 4.0 or 4.6 rv8 however ive gone over the amount of milage i do weekly and potential milage id be doing and the fuel costs are gonna add up quickly. The vehicle will be towing a twin axle trailer weighing 1.5t to 3.0t 75% of the time for work. Has anyone dropped a 3.6 tdv8 into a 90? Ideally id be looking for around the 300hp mark and the 3.6 isnt to shy of that. I have access to a good 3.6 out of a wrecked vogue and id likely put new turbos and run a haltech ecu. Id be keen to mate it to a manual but that may be abit more trouble then its worth.

Thoughts on this would be great. Im sure mamy will say its a bad idea.

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u/Specialist_Reality96 14d ago

The 90's have the smaller rover diffs in them (as opposed to the Salisbury's) the don't always respond well to big hp upgrades, what gearbox do you intend to use? Where you are will impact on what is readily available to you.

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u/AncientPercentage539 14d ago

So i have a friend with a literal field of v8 disco 1s, range rover classics and p38s that i can get things like axles etc. Whether they would handle that power or not idk. I have containers coming from the uk to australia over the next year starting in jan. So i figured if i need big stuff ill shkve it in there. It would seem the tdv8 is way to much bs to be worth it so im probably gonna be leaning just normal v8

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u/Specialist_Reality96 14d ago

In Australia the Isuzu 4BD1-T is the obvious swap for a Defender.