OK, The R380 from my search is NOT the way to go in a disco, am I right? I have the choice to buy a Disco with a ZF or R380, both cheap I am in utah and use it in tough applaction in moab, body damage type trails.

The ZF4hp22 is a pretty bomb proof tranny in a rover

An L suffix R380 with oil cooler and synthetic manual transmission fluid, while arguably not as bombproof as a ZF, should not be a concern behind a rover engine.

The J suffix R380 was responsible for the bad name that R380's have, but the major design flaws were eliminated in the K suffix boxes and it was further improved with L suffix.

I think most export R380 behind v8 and TD5 engines had the oil cooler standard.

The ZF and R380 both suffer from wear of the splines unless the cross drilled input gear for the transfer case is fitted.

If the splines are worn, the ZF only requires a new spud shaft and input gear, which can be replaced without pulling the transmission. With an R380 the gearbox mainshaft must be replaced.

Edit. L suffix came out late 1999

Any R380 from, say, mid-1997 and later should have all the extra bits (cross drilled main shaft, ect). All NAS R380's in Disco's 1996 and later had oil coolers, maybe before too...

Disco + R380 = mucho-bad driveline slop (clankclankclank). Bad enough that it has been suggested one actually keep the rotoflex rear driveshaft and carry spares. The doughnut absorbs some of the jolt...

That aside, it all depends on what you like. Tough trails are easier to drive with the auto box, but (IMO) much more fun with a gearbox.