URI:
   DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Old Leafsprung Land Rovers
  HTML https://ollr.createaforum.com
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       *****************************************************
   DIR Return to: Technical tips & Questions
       *****************************************************
       #Post#: 70069--------------------------------------------------
       What engine for an 88" S3?
   DIR By: andypark
       Date: August 8, 2013, 2:04 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Need some advice.
       I currently have:
       1x series 3 88" with no engine in state of partial completeness.
       1x set of axles from a 109" (Salisbury).
       Access to a v8 sherpa with 5 speed box.
       I don't know what to do with the above, I want to put the v8 in
       my S3?
       Does the sherpa v8 bolt straight onto the the S3 gearbox (I also
       have a S2 box lying around, if that a better fit).
       Is it possible to use the 5 speed box from the sherpa with the
       S3 transfer box? I think its an LT77 box, but I expect this to
       require more skill than I have.
       Do I need to use the old 2.25 flywheel housing on the v8, or is
       the sherpa bell housing the same?
       Is this all just a silly idea, and I should concentrate my
       efforts into a TDi?
       I am really not bothered about cutting bulkheads and welding
       engine mounts, as the S3 is at that stage of build.
       Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.
       #Post#: 70073--------------------------------------------------
       Re: What engine for an 88" S3?
   DIR By: divie
       Date: August 8, 2013, 2:27 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       You may be better off going 200 tdi route I believe you need to
       move engine forward around 4" to get LT77 box in. No doubt
       someone will know otherwise as I am not sure if V8 is the same.
       #Post#: 70081--------------------------------------------------
       Re: What engine for an 88" S3?
   DIR By: andypark
       Date: August 8, 2013, 2:43 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Thanks, I think I can tolerate moving forward 4" - does that
       mean a flat front on the S3, like a Defender?
       What I need to know is how compatible the V8s flywheel housing
       is with the S3 box and/or the LT77 gearbox with the series
       transfer box. the last thing I want to do is get a v8 cheap, and
       then spend hundreds of pounds on engineering to make it fit.
       Especially when I am told the 200&300TDi would slot right in.
       #Post#: 70112--------------------------------------------------
       Re: What engine for an 88" S3?
   DIR By: Doug_T
       Date: August 8, 2013, 11:44 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       You need an adaptor to go between the LT77 and the series xfer
       box, and they are not cheap. But moving the V8 forward would
       mean you may not have to cut the bulkhead and give you better
       access round the back - you'd then maybe run into space issues
       up front though, especially if the Sherpa box has a long
       bellhousing.
       Tdi would be an easier fit, but everyone does that these days.
       I'd have the V8 plus 5 speed box for the grin factor alone.
       #Post#: 70124--------------------------------------------------
       Re: What engine for an 88" S3?
   DIR By: NoelC
       Date: August 9, 2013, 4:28 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: andypark link ---
       >
       > does that mean a flat front on the S3, like a Defender?
       --- End Quote ---
       Wash your mouth out. wagfinger Nothing ever means a flat front
       like a Gaybender. Stage one, fair enough. But never Gaybender on
       a series. For what it's worth, I had a one ton that some animal
       had stuck a V8 in and my mate has, ironically, the same in
       another one ton. Doug is on the money, the usual way this
       happens in a series makes the back of the engine a complete cunt
       to get to plus the bulkhead needs butchering. Moving it forward
       with a stage one front would be the best solution in my book,
       however bits aren't the easiest to source for stage ones.
       #Post#: 70139--------------------------------------------------
       Re: What engine for an 88" S3?
   DIR By: andypark
       Date: August 9, 2013, 8:10 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Point taken................. In my defence, I am retaining a
       split screen, sliding windows and obviously leaf springs - so a
       Stage 1 is a better comparison.
       If I do this, do i need to move the front crossmember? It's
       fairly rotten anyhow so not a big deal - but will taking it out
       completely mean I need to do something with the steering relay?
       #Post#: 70173--------------------------------------------------
       Re: What engine for an 88" S3?
   DIR By: ronsealdeath
       Date: August 9, 2013, 1:09 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       The LT77 is far more work than mating a v8 to a series box and
       tranny case.
       The simple, but far from ideal (due to the series box being
       weak) is to mount the v8 using custom mounts (available on ebay
       or from a specialist like Steve Parker) and a bellhousing
       adaptor.  But, you'll also need spigot bush (custom), remote or
       re-orientated oil filter adaptor, facet type fuel pump, custom
       exhaust, flywheel from an SD1 or from a RRC but drilled and
       tapped to accept a 9.5" series clutch pressure plate.  Doing it
       this way you'll have to mount the V8 back in the bay hence the
       bulkhead cutting (not necessarily butchering  :smile1).  But you
       retain you g.box setup plus props and so on.  But anything over
       a mild low compression Rover will risk layshaft failure and so
       on.  Kindly, the weakness of series h.shafts acts as a bit of a
       safety decive to prevent the box from going.  Fitting 3.54 diffs
       is the best overall mitigation for g.box failure with a V8 on
       the series box and tranny case.
       Rebuild your series box with genuine parts, sell the LT77 and
       put the V8 in with a kit from a specialist or ebay etc...
       Forgot you will also need a defender throttle or a bodge with
       the rod setup from the series.  Plus leccy fans and ideally a
       new 4 core rad or more.
       After all that, you still may end of nuking the box first time
       you put it in low and attack something meaty.
       Worth the risk tho eh  :thumbs:
       #Post#: 70206--------------------------------------------------
       Re: What engine for an 88" S3?
   DIR By: Lucy
       Date: August 10, 2013, 3:29 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I think the  Sherpa lt77 has a very short bell housing on it.
       The biggest issue would be converting from a 2wd box to a 4wd
       box so you can put the transfer box on. Apparently it involves a
       lot of stripping to change the output.
       #Post#: 70207--------------------------------------------------
       Re: What engine for an 88" S3?
   DIR By: mr.scruff
       Date: August 10, 2013, 3:42 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I drove my V8 2a for years and years with a high comp V8 doing
       everything from towing mini diggers to trialling and off road
       monging. Never nuked anything.
       #Post#: 70218--------------------------------------------------
       Re: What engine for an 88" S3?
   DIR By: estwdjhn
       Date: August 10, 2013, 11:56 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: Lucy link ---
       >
       > I think the  Sherpa lt77 has a very short bell housing on it.
       The biggest issue would be converting from a 2wd box to a 4wd
       box so you can put the transfer box on. Apparently it involves a
       lot of stripping to change the output.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       The big question is what sort of LT77 a Sherpa LT77 is, and how
       much you like getting to know the inside of gearboxes.
       FWIW, if this was my problem I would want to fit a LT77 box,
       this probably would also be the cheapest (but not necessarily
       easiest) option.
       I would probably attempt operations like this:
       Obtain engine +  sherpa LT77.
       Find a matching type Landrover LT77 and suitable ratio LT230.
       Build up a LT spec LT77 with the sherpa bellhousing and input
       shaft. To make this fit, it's important that the LR box you pick
       matches - there are several different breeds of "LT77" out
       there, and the input shaft gear teeth (which are part of the
       main input shaft), are one of the main things that change
       between variants.
       I'd then Mod the LT230 to go selectable 2wd (you could skip this
       step, depends how much you want to go drifting it round
       corners). Fit a 90/110/Defender handbrake backplate to whatever
       breed of LT230 had produced suitable ratios.
       With this pile of bits, I'd then stuff it in the vehicle,
       putting the gearbox in about the right place for the gearlever
       to emerge somewhere useful, then making everything else fit
       round that. You will need a shorter rear propshaft, and a longer
       front propshaft (cut down a 200tdi disco rear), some custom
       engine and gearbox mounts (I'd make the gearbox sit on the
       original chassis mounts), and that should be close to enough
       stuff to make it work.
       *****************************************************
       Page 1 of 1