Auto box Defender / Land Rover Special Projects

...and Steve spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...

Do you mean Land Rover Special Vehicles? I believe they will do almost anything if the money is right. There was an article in LRO a while ago where a guy challenged his local dealer to fit him an auto in a new 110 before sale. They did it as a one-off project (I think they used Ashcroft Transmissions' expertise extensively) but it cost him several grand on top of the price. I can't put my hand on it at the moment, but I'll look it out if you are interested.

Yes, you're right.

That's what I want to put to the dealer. I had this question three years ago when I bought my Defender Black, but I thought at the time that I could accept a 'manual' again after years of autos. However, although I like the box in the TD5, the clutch is so heavy. It hurts my knee a lot in traffic. I think they're all the same - it's not that my Defender is any different.

It's a bit frustrating because the Defender is a really good vehicle in so many ways. I don't like the Discovery. The Range Rover depreciates too much for my liking. So, if they can put the auto box in, I'll have another one.

Yes I would also like a Defender with Auto box, but the trouble with the old

4 speed ZF, fitted to the Td5 Discovery, was the slipping torque converter, it never went solid until about 52mph. I coudn't stand the noise, and in the end went back to manual. So for me, it would need to be the new 6- speed auto box, and I can't see that coming to fruition. Gordon

Cured by a simple spring change within the gearbox valve block. My 110 (4.0V8, ZF4 auto, self-converted) locks up in 4th at 38mph!!

Badger. B.H.Engineering, Rover V8 engine specialists.

...and Badger spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...

How easy is this to do?

I put a ZF auto in my 90, very easy to do. A few pics at

Richard

This Richard anon leet fle a fart, As greet as it had been a thonder-dent, That with the strook he was almoost yblent. and said....

Thanks, but I have an auto already - it was the spring change in the valve block I was interested in.

I'd like to know a bit about this, I have the offer of an 87 RR 3.5 auto with some new 7.50x16 wheels and tyres and I'm tempted to try and get the autobox in my 110 if I could get it to lock up early enough. It's been offroaded so the inside and panels are duff and the engine won't start with a ECU or fuel pressure problem but the chassis might interest someone.

OR would it be only 3 speed at this age?

AJH

"AJH" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

'87 ought to be a ZF4. The mod is simple, all you need to do is remove the sump and filter, remove the bolts securing the valve block (rangie factory manual identifies the correct bolts - remove the wrong ones and the valve block could dismantle itself!!!!) once removed, invert the valve block and identify the "converter lock valve" (I have the zf manual for the box, it identifies the valves, but it's difficult to try and explain as there are too many valves within the block), remove spring keeper plate and swap spring for a slightly softer one. There are a multitude of springs available, as this box was fitted to numerous volvo's, bmw's, jag's etc over the years, the difficult bit is identifying the lock speed against an rpm for a given model and then ordering that spring. I've cut a couple of coils off the end of one before now, but that's very much a trial and error process, just remember to fit it with the cut end towards the keeper plate. Next time I strip one, I've a bmw version valve block with the electronic control solenoids, I'm going to see if I can rig up a solenoid operated lock valve by amalgamating different parts together and use it like an overdrive on a manual as I find it's useless with a trailer at anything below 55mph when locked, which is maybe why landrover set it that way! Some pre-production and early 4.2 LSE boxes have the lower lock speed from the factory, if you can ident the serial number of a box from one then zf ought to be able to quote the correct spring part numbers.... Badger.

Badger said this Cured by a simple spring change within the gearbox valve block. My 110 (4.0V8, ZF4 auto, self-converted) locks up in 4th at 38mph!! Sounds easy, until you explained what we need to do. It's not straight forward, especially the trial & error bit, and all the parts start falling out. No thanks. Gordon

>

In message , Badger writes

I have a similar 90 -can you give more details please. Mine currently locks up at about 55 so the chance to reduce that would be most welcome.

That's the good news!

Well there's simple and simple! Thanks but I was looking at a straight swap. Anyway will this ZF4 fit in place of my lt85?

AJH

On or around Fri, 7 Apr 2006 14:34:17 +0100, "Steve" enlightened us thusly:

It's not hard to do - engine and box from a suitable RR or disco and bob's yer uncle, more or less.

In the one I did I had to move the engine mounts on the chassis, and lengthen the rear prop 2" - the latter 'cos I used a Rangie box with the Borg Warner t-box. Using the LT230 T-box twould get around that problem.

The engine mounts were abotu fittigna rangie V8 into what was a 4-cylinder

110.

If you're trying to get a TDi auto from a TDi manual, then you only need the box.

On or around Fri, 7 Apr 2006 22:16:46 +0100, "Badger" enlightened us thusly:

HBOL says 1986-on, so yes. My experience of a 3.5 auto is that the engine is a bit lacking in low-down grunt for good performance - helps to wind the kickdown cable up as far as it'll go, so it uses lower gears more often; although it depends what you expect it to do.

Not quite sure what you're getting at Gordon, it IS easy, all you need to do is follow the book for removal so that it DOESN'T fly apart, then change the spring for one you want, after doing a little investigative work to order the correct part. Not exactly difficult, is it? Badger.

On or around Sat, 8 Apr 2006 14:22:35 +0100, "Badger" enlightened us thusly:

not everyone is as happy with the idea of crawling underneath and unbolting bits a as you or I.

If I get "my" 110 back to use as the basis for the planned monsterbus then I might be interested in the details. Mind, when it was a 110, I wasn't that bothered by the lockup at 50 - although it does rather droip the revs - but then if it had a better engine (last one was about a V6½ by the end) it'll probably be OK.

I had a 1994 reg Tdi300 Disco, and that went solid at 48mph, I found that OK, but all my later models seem to have higher set points. So a spring from a 94 Disco might do the trick! Thanks Badger for the inform. Gordon