R380 Question

Leadvagas

Member
Getting ready to overhaul an R380 and was wondering if anyone has experience with the following. I have a J suffix R380 out of a NAS '95 Disco, so V8 application. It needs some 2nd gear work, some brainiak ran it with 90wt. I was thinking of getting a TDI input shaft and using it behind my TDI. My current R380 needs a second gear syncro at minimum. The gas R380 has a slightly better 5th gear ratio. The big advantage is I can bench it and not pull the Rover down until I am ready to change the trans.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
I bought an XD Disco once, and did what I thought was my duty in checking all the fluids before driving it. The LT230 was all clean, the bolts were new, the seal was new, the fill plug was new.... so after checking all the other items and coming to that, I just skipped it. Two weeks later the LT230 exploded because it had ZERO oil in it. The brainiak had had a "mechanic" friend of his (both of these guys were teenagers) do the filter and trans fluid change for him a while back. The idiot had opened up the LT230, thinking it was the trans, put it all back together with new hardware! but never put the oil back in. I was stupid enough to skip it, and it cost me... So I feel your pain.
 

Red90

Well-known member
Well, the gearing is crappy in a V8 box for the TDI. 1st and 5th are different. It will make taking off quite hard. If this is going in a Defender, the gearstick will be in the wrong place.
 

Leadvagas

Member
Well, the gearing is crappy in a V8 box for the TDI. 1st and 5th are different. It will make taking off quite hard. If this is going in a Defender, the gearstick will be in the wrong place.

Hmmmm, I had not noticed the 1st gear difference. No stick relocation needed, Disco/Disco. Thx!
 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
Well, the gearing is crappy in a V8 box for the TDI. 1st and 5th are different. It will make taking off quite hard. If this is going in a Defender, the gearstick will be in the wrong place.

There are differences, but I'm not convinced enough to be noticed. http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/gear_ratio.htm

The transfer case and final drive ratios (plus tire diameter) have a far larger effect on the driving experience than the gearbox.
 

Red90

Well-known member
Or you could just trust me. Beyond getting the ratios from Land Rover documents, I've had Dave Ashcroft go out and count the teeth on the gears for ones that were not completely clear. I don't just randomly post up data. It is properly researched.

On the "normal" R380s, you could mix and match, if you wanted to spend the money. i.e. have the TDI first and the V8 fifth.
 

Leadvagas

Member
So if a guy were so inclined, a gas r380 to tdi would require a new main shaft first gear and a new counter ( lay ) shaft as well?
 
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