Engine swap

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williambkoenigjr

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Has anyone considered the 3.0 v6 diesel that dodge had been putting in ram 1500 and grand Cherokee as a engine swap. I recently bought the ram and I'm loving the torque and gas mileage I'm getting 20 in the city and 27 highway. Makes me think I want one in my disco 2.

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BeemerNut

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This article sent to me by a now "ex Dodge truck owner who found issues with the V6 engine;https://carbuzz.com/news/why-new-ecodiesel-owners-need-to-beware-of-engine-failure.

Weight of V6 must be heavier than the aluminum V8 to also consider.

Sad a manual transmission is not available as that would be great swap combination.

Higher torque numbers are great to have but thinking LR's automatic trans and driveline failures on out to ending the wheel hubs.

Does your state require smog testing and what's their laws ALLOWING ENGINE SWAPS?

I'm in Kalifornia the top of the heap of **** smog laws a PITA even with a ****** LR.
Example, one local smog station, my 95 D1 5 spd being told he fails 96% of LR's and questioned his smog machine giving it the calibration test gas then sniffed the exhaust a second time. I "run too clean" with hidden mods he not able to fail me.

Why not go the Chubbie 350 route like everyone else instead? This swap i've followed with them having broken drivetrain issues by two LR owners, on a D1 other a D2.

Performance increase or just looking to pinch every mpg with a project vehicle?

Unless mpg is your main goal i'd rather build a 4.9 stroker shortblock after installing Top Hat liners, cam and computer chip.

Next engine upgrade a 4.9 crank vs the 4.6 in the 95 D1 5 spd, it's a keeper, 21 years and counting.

Port matching intake to heads with milding porting including the cast iron exhaust manifolds being LR's having the worst of any engine known to man requiring attention, This an easy DIY correction only requiring 8-10 hrs of proper corrections.

Looking 100% stock the thing as smog checks can be an issue in Kalifornia and forget being sent to the referee station which is like showing the IRS how you cheated on your taxes.

Post updates with your V6 swap adventure it still sounds interesting......~~=o&o>......
 

DirtyHal

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I've got a D2 in my shop that I bought without a motor. I had intended to put a R2.8 Cummins motor paired with an 8 speed transmission in it as there are a couple of them running around but the cost/complexity is making it so I wouldn't be able to tackle the project anytime soon.

I've switched gears and started saving my Pennies for an LS Swap. There is a company that is selling kits that make it a bolt in situation with the stock transmission and LS motors are readily available so it's a much shorter path to getting my rig out of the shop! This kit even works with all of the electronics so you don't lose the traction control or have any annoying dash lights.

https://www.alternativeconversion.com/product-page/copy-of-discovery-2-ls-swap-standard-kit
 

BeemerNut

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DirtyHal, there smog checks in your state plus they allow different engine brand swaps with different displacement increase still able to be plated in your state?
Had to ask as Kalifornia one of the worst smog **** states with Connecticut just as strict. Kalifornia. One other state rounding rounding out the group of three worst states in the
Forgot what the third state was.

Past memory I recall the 4.8 & 5.3 engines developed max Tq around 4,000 rpm's which isn't that desirable when being used off road you want an engine with low rpm torque. Just saying as the 4.0 & 4.6 LR engines were rated max Tq at 3,100 rpm's.
More importantly low end Tq really shines with a 5 spd tranny. This is why I milled out a 1 1/2" thick aluminum intake extension spacer lowering max Tq to 2,715 rpm's. This made a huge diference in low end Tq still able to pull to 5,400 rpm's. No reason past 5,200. Ran all the engine build numbers and specs from ram cold air intake to exhaust (Borla) on back to tip including top of ram tube bell lengths to valves as they have different length runners as well did each volume in cc's. Engine specs then run through a NASCAR engine program ending up with the above 2,715 rpm's numbers.
Going with a 4.9 stroker crank, larger valves with mild porting and larger throttle butterfly returning 250 Hp with 340 Tq looking factory stock passing the smog visual and sniff test being plated in Kalifornia.

Hell Rimmer Brothers or RPI LR engines. Example, RPI's 5.0 311 Tq @1,800, 311 Tq @3,400 w/265 Hp @5,300. RPI's 5.3 300 Tq @1,800 380 Tq @3,500 w/305 Hp @ 4,600.
From mild to wild keeping the LR engine having good low rpm off road Tq manners with good overall running being a flexible.
Weight of LR engine 375 lbs, aluminum LS engine 460 lbs. Pump up the LS and start breaking parts.

Whatever works best for your application, I prefer waking up the LR engines vs going the LS direction JMO.

Reading about "motors" always has me thinking electric motors vs engines that require gasoline or diesel to generate power.......~~=o&o>......
 
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DirtyHal

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DirtyHal, there smog checks in your state plus they allow different engine brand swaps with different displacement increase still able to be plated in your state?
Had to ask as Kalifornia one of the worst smog **** states with Connecticut just as strict. Kalifornia. One other state rounding rounding out the group of three worst states in the
Forgot what the third state was.

Past memory I recall the 4.8 & 5.3 engines developed max Tq around 4,000 rpm's which isn't that desirable when being used off road you want an engine with low rpm torque. Just saying as the 4.0 & 4.6 LR engines were rated max Tq at 3,100 rpm's.
More importantly low end Tq really shines with a 5 spd tranny. This is why I milled out a 1 1/2" thick aluminum intake extension spacer lowering max Tq to 2,715 rpm's. This made a huge diference in low end Tq still able to pull to 5,400 rpm's. No reason past 5,200. Ran all the engine build numbers and specs from ram cold air intake to exhaust (Borla) on back to tip including top of ram tube bell lengths to valves as they have different length runners as well did each volume in cc's. Engine specs then run through a NASCAR engine program ending up with the above 2,715 rpm's numbers.
Going with a 4.9 stroker crank, larger valves with mild porting and larger throttle butterfly returning 250 Hp with 340 Tq looking factory stock passing the smog visual and sniff test being plated in Kalifornia.

Hell Rimmer Brothers or RPI LR engines. Example, RPI's 5.0 311 Tq @1,800, 311 Tq @3,400 w/265 Hp @5,300. RPI's 5.3 300 Tq @1,800 380 Tq @3,500 w/305 Hp @ 4,600.
From mild to wild keeping the LR engine having good low rpm off road Tq manners with good overall running being a flexible.
Weight of LR engine 375 lbs, aluminum LS engine 460 lbs. Pump up the LS and start breaking parts.

Whatever works best for your application, I prefer waking up the LR engines vs going the LS direction JMO.

Reading about "motors" always has me thinking electric motors vs engines that require gasoline or diesel to generate power.......~~=o&o>......


Washington State got rid of smog Testing as of Jan 1st 2020, apparently the air is cleaner now than when they started testing in 1982. Good news for us car guys!

I'm not too concerned about torque, if I go offroad it's mostly down service roads or snow covered roads that haven't been plowed yet. I also just think swapping the LS motor in would be a fun project :)
 

BeemerNut

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I went this direction on the 4.6 engine and had results way better than expected.....~~=o&o>.......
image.png.fd08178e5666fb9fbced28a95d09df68.png
 

Adamic

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I know its been a few years since someone posted on this subject. It irritates me when people make comments and have no experience about what they are talking about. I have a 2004 discovery 2. I swapped in the 5.3 over a year ago. I put a 3” lift and 1” body lift. That made it possible to put 37” tires on it. The wheels are + 30 offset allowing for the tires to go up into the wheel wells just clearing at full compression. Ashcroft front and rear lockers with 4.75 gears. It moves down the highway very comfortably. It was the best decision I made with this project. It has more than enough power for anything its put up against. The biggest plus is that gm parts are available everywhere. So if I breakdown somewhere in the middle of nowhere I can get parts.
 

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