2.8L 300tdi to automatic transmission, Anyone do it?

H

HGR

0
Curious if anyone has mated a 2.8L 300tdi with an automatic transmission.
I am considering pairing this with a ZF4HP22 from Ascroft.
I have enjoyed the engine and like the upgrade in power that I feel with my R380.
My experience is when swapping to automatic trans, you lose that feeling as the truck becomes a bit more sluggish and a bit less responsive. However, to make the truck a more family driver friendly, I am considering this swap.
I would love to hear from someone who has done this combo.
An additional question would also be should I change the t case ratio from a 1.4 to a 1.2 in an attempt to upgrade the driving experience, particularly on the highway?
 
JimC

JimC

0
Staff member
There were automatic 300tdi discos from the factory, so there is a base configuration you could hunt down. I don’t find that the 1.2 is an improvement at all for a stock 300, but with a tuned or bigger motor I think the 1.2 is the best choice. Just can’t say with respect to the auto conversion though.
 
Mirrajumper

Mirrajumper

0
IMG_2780.jpeg
 
morrisdl

morrisdl

0
Im serious considering spending a some tax refund on a 2.8 upgrade. My heavy 110 has a 4HP22 mated to a 300tdi /w VNT and 1.4TC. Running 33" tires and 1.4 ATB diffs, I find the power and RPMs lacking. Shift points are under 2000rpms. 65mph on highway is around 2000rpm and not enough to maitain speed up any incline. Im going to check the IP timing and vavle clearances....

My 300tdi checking the VNT was working:
 
erover82

erover82

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morrisdl said:
Im serious considering spending a some tax refund on a 2.8 upgrade. My heavy 110 has a 4HP22 mated to a 300tdi /w VNT and 1.4TC. Running 33" tires and 1.4 ATB diffs, I find the power and RPMs lacking. Shift points are under 2000rpms. 65mph on highway is around 2000rpm and not enough to maitain speed up any incline. Im going to check the IP timing and vavle clearances....

My 300tdi checking the VNT was working:
Click to expand...

In addition to timing and valves, how much boost are you getting? They can take quite a bit more than factory setting. There really is no replacement for displacement though.
 
Mirrajumper

Mirrajumper

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Having just upgraded to a 2.8 this year….getting your baseline sorted is a critical 1st step.
Valve adjustment
Injection pump timing
Verify fuel supply and how clean your system is.
Age of injectors

I found 33’s to loose some top end and the 1.4 also brings your rmps down. I have a v8 5th which essentially accomplishes the same thing when using my 1.2 TC.

What boost psi are you running at full throttle and what egt temp? Those are critical to know before spending any money on go fast items.
A 2.8 is a great motor and removes the lag in most gears. But it ain’t the 500 HP tire melting speed that some engine swaps are getting. This Mercedes swap is the same $ as a 2.8 and twice the power.
IMG_3544.jpeg
 
morrisdl

morrisdl

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I would love an OM606, but thats a lot more complicated conversion involving: Custom motor mounts, Trans adaptor plate (Gaz Fab), rebuilding the 4HP22 with 24 internals (ashcroft), new 1.2 TC, new glowplug relays, custom heater and radiotor hoses, custom exhust down pipe, custom kickdown cable, fuel stop cable, swap fuel supply to left side, etc....when I mentially do down that road, i quickly come to conclusion to sell my defender and buy a new one with the motor I want already installed which would be a G550 :)
 
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