I am the new owner of a 73 series III project. I bought the truck with a 3.3 litre nissan diesel (ED33) with tranny. It is a popular swap in Australia from what I have been told but am having problems finding any info on it. I know I need to locate an adapter for the transfer case but that is the extent of my knowledge. Does anyone out there know about this engine and what it will take to make it work?


Thanks for anyones help!

C- :D

Try googling "Nissan Atlas" and keep looking for a model code.

Thanks, will give it a whirl.

Anyone else out there who may know someone who has put one in a rover?

C-

Is this for a 109 or 88?
Do you have the i-6 bulkhead?

The engine came in 1979 and 80 Scouts.
My 80 had one mated to a 727 slush box and Dana-300 t-case.

If you are putting the engine into a 109 consider getting a t-case that will work with the tranny you have and get a high angle drive shaft. I know a couple people that have put center rear output type t-cases into LWB Rovers with out any vibration.

Thanks, will give it a whirl.

Anyone else out there who may know someone who has put one in a rover?

C-

Do you mean an SD33? I have never heard of an ED33. I have seen a couple of Land Rovers with SD33 engines - one of which had a nissan 5-speed box, and an adaptor to the series T-case (made by marks adapters in OZ, who AFAIK don't make series stuff any more).

ED33 is a four banger nissan bus engine. I was privy to a 109 with one installed with the stock 5 speed from the bus hooked to the series T-case. Imported from australia. I think it is still in the area. The truck survived a trip up to the tip of australia and all the way back. My friend who owned it has documentary footage of the whole thing, which I hope he someday puts together. The trip was with a professor and two girls the prof. picked up along the way.

Anyway . . .

You need a 6 cylinder bulkhead and T-case location to make it fit and it needs to have the frame notched to clear the starter. The one in the 109 I knew of was 24v.

The motor is HUGE (think cummins with two cylinders missing) and low reving. 3.54 gears would be an ideal swap especially as the stock 5 speed has a granny 1st.

ED33 is a four banger nissan bus engine. I was privy to a 109 with one installed with the stock 5 speed from the bus hooked to the series T-case. Imported from australia. I think it is still in the area. The truck survived a trip up to the tip of australia and all the way back. My friend who owned it has documentary footage of the whole thing, which I hope he someday puts together. The trip was with a professor and two girls the prof. picked up along the way.

Anyway . . .

You need a 6 cylinder bulkhead and T-case location to make it fit and it needs to have the frame notched to clear the starter. The one in the 109 I knew of was 24v.

The motor is HUGE (think cummins with two cylinders missing) and low reving. 3.54 gears would be an ideal swap especially as the stock 5 speed has a granny 1st.

I have an 88 that it was going in. As for the bulkhead, it is for a 2.25. From what I understand the engine is the exact same dimensions as the 2.25. Thanks for everyones help, you guys rock.

Ah it is like twice the size of a 2.25 (maybe not that bad but it is large). It will not fit in an 88 that originally had a 2.25 without serious modifications. I suggest you sell the motor and find an original drivetrain or a V8 or something because that sucker is huge (and heavy).

Ah it is like twice the size of a 2.25 (maybe not that bad but it is large). It will not fit in an 88 that originally had a 2.25 without serious modifications. I suggest you sell the motor and find an original drivetrain or a V8 or something because that sucker is huge (and heavy).


Thanks for all your help. I am going to pick up the motor tomorrow and will see what I am working with. Since you are very familiar with this and are confident I am going in the wrong direction, does anyone out there want to trade this for a 2.25 in good shape?

If you are local to philadelphia I know of a couple stock 2.25s.

I am sure it could be made to work (there is a 109 with a cummins 5.9 running around near ottawa), but if you have not done this before I would be seriously concerned with fitting an ED33 into an 88in. The rear prop shaft will be very short or you are looking at trying to move it forward and then you are dealing with potential oil pan interference. Plus you will likley be breaking halfshafts in the rear and suspension mods etc etc etc.

If you are local to philadelphia I know of a couple stock 2.25s.

I am sure it could be made to work (there is a 109 with a cummins 5.9 running around near ottawa), but if you have not done this before I would be seriously concerned with fitting an ED33 into an 88in. The rear prop shaft will be very short or you are looking at trying to move it forward and then you are dealing with potential oil pan interference. Plus you will likley be breaking halfshafts in the rear and suspension mods etc etc etc.


I am located in NC. I would also entertain selling the engine alone. What do you think it is worth since you yet again are very knowledgeable.

I have no idea on value. I have only seen the one. If it is turbo it is worth something, I would guess, non-turbo, like the one in the 109 I am familar with, not too much. I would say with a complete transmission and running with a line on the adaptor to a series T-case you might be able to get $1000-1500 for a turbo and $700-1000 for non-turbo. Who knows, someone might offer your more or less. I would provide those numbers as only a guess.

Without the matching transmission it is basically worthless (unless you can figure out something that would work).

I have the complete engine and tranny which is a 5spd with overdrive. Supposedly there is only 40k on the engine, but cannot verify.

Does it have a turbo on it?

Heck, if you are ambitious why not run it. I mean it has to fit somehow, just keep hacking on the frame until it does. Or better yet set it up in a 100in coil sprung frame.

No turbo. I have a friend of mine who is a mechanic and he is going to do some research to see what he thinks. If he feels good about it, will make it a go. If he is unsure, I will be posting in the classifieds. I will keep you guys informed if we go with it to let you know how it works out. Thanks again for your input, you have been very helpful!

Chuck

My bad, I was confised with the I-6 SD-33
I know of a 109 that had one put in. The engine came out of a wrecked Scout. The Rover had the I6 bulkhead. Not sure on the tcase.

My bad, I was confised with the I-6 SD-33
I know of a 109 that had one put in. The engine came out of a wrecked Scout. The Rover had the I6 bulkhead. Not sure on the tcase.

I am staying optimistic on making this work. Does anyone know where I can get an adapter to make the transfer case mate up to the nissan tranny?

OK, I used to own a 109 with a 3.3l ED33 diesel. Was mated to a 5sp Nissan gearbox and a SIII transfer case. The gearbox/transfer case was a setup you could buy from marks (www.marks4wd.com) here in Oz

The gearing was all wrong. It revved like crazy at 100k on the highway and would idle up my steep driveway in low first no worries. Would overheat on hill climbs and long soft sand beach runs.

The front crossmember had been notched (and reinforced) to fit the engine in where the old 2.6l 6 cyl had originally been.

The ED33 puts out 71 kW at 3600rpm with only 215 Nm @ 2000 rpm.

In Oz it came in a "Cabstar" light truck.

Sold it many years ago unregistered.

Thanks for your help!

"The gearing was all wrong. It revved like crazy at 100k on the highway and would idle up my steep driveway in low first no worries. Would overheat on hill climbs and long soft sand beach runs."

This is why you need 3.54 gears.

Yes, the ED33 was in the "cabstar" or nissan buses.

In the one I am familiar with the front cross member was not notched but the frame had about a 6in piece of the inner ridge on the inside cut off and plated with a 45% plate near the starter. YMMV The motor is BIG. It also had what appeared to be AT LEAST diesel spec front springs.

Offroad the thing was an absolute beast. With 4.7 gears in first low you could litterally get out and walk quicker than it would go. On the highway it was maxing out a 65 or so at high revs on 235 85 R16s. 3.54 would make it perfect on 32s or 33s, and would be really cheap to swap in.