Recently I posted about a curbside spotting of a Spanish Land Rover Santana, in short wheelbase form. Just a few weeks later I found another Defender, a rare (in the US) 110” wheelbase wagon. This one’s definitely a British Defender, but like the Santana, this, too had an eye-catching badge on the rear.
But what’s R2.8 mean? Could it be an Isuzu Duramax swap? It sounds like a good conversion for the original 4.0 gasoline V8, as the diesel Rover engines typically fitted to Defenders were never offered here in the US. But the “R” preceding the 2.8 should have been a clue. This is an official R-for-repower with a Cummins 2.8 crate motor.
Actually, the R supposedly stands for “refined”. It’s mostly made in China, with final assembly in the US. This configuration of the engine was launched by Cummins a few years ago as an emissions-legal (with caveats) near-turnkey kit for repowering older trucks. According to Cummins’ website, the Cummins R2.8 Turbo Diesel has demonstrated (in a representative vehicle with a manual transmission) through the testing procedures prescribed in 40 CFR Part 86, to meet EPA’s Tier 1 LDT2, LDT3, and LDT4 end of useful life emissions standards. The same vehicle also demonstrates Tier 0 LDT1/LDV end of useful life emissions standards. This means that the R2.8 generally is suitable for Model Year 1999 or earlier light duty trucks and Model Year 1993 or earlier passenger cars.
Of course, there are some additional details. The engine is not available in Texas or West Virginia, and it’s not California-certified. Still, for much of the US this is a great offering. The kit includes the engine, a complete front accessory drive (alternator, power steering pump, fan hub, serpentine belt), vacuum pump, fuel filter/water separator, oil filter, mass airflow sensor, Bosch fuel injection with wiring harnesses and control module; flywheel, and starter. Even a drive-by-wire throttle pedal and a CAN (controller area network) display module.
And here it is from the front. I’m not experienced with serpentine belts, but it looks complex to me.
Four cylinders, 2.8 liters, 161 horsepower and 310 lb·ft of torque (120 kW and 420 N·m). Slightly undersquare, it weighs 503 lb (228 kg). While the Cummins kit seems like a great start for a talented do-it-yourselfer, a Land Rover install is especially easy.
That’s because a company called QuickDraw offers a complete kit with the engine and a Tremec 4050 5-speed transmission, adapter for the stock Rover transfer case, and all necessary brackets, for USD $14,450 (oil not included). Given the price of used Defenders in the US now, that’s quite a good price, I think.
I spent a few minutes checking out this truck, but its owner didn’t appear, and I had to get going, so I didn’t get more information or hear it run—but I bet it’s a nice setup.
Great find! And the price of the engine and swap kit seems like a smokin deal. Yeah, I bet that is one sweet ride. Too bad you didn’t get to talk with the owner; he or she might have even given you a ride in it!
This engine seems like it would perfect in a old Wagoneer, and of course just about any older truck for that matter. For someone who wants a classic daily driver, this is a very logical alternative to the various gas crate motors.
The CC Effect: On our overlanding trip, one of the participants was talking up this engine, and how he was wanting to replace the thirsty gas V6 in his older Tacoma, as its range is a bit limited. I was not aware of this engine, but I can see the appeal, although it’s not exactly cheap.
Very nice, a factory Defender never went beyond 2.5 liter diesel-displacement. As an aside, its Santana-clone also had a 2.8 liter 4-cylinder turbodiesel, supplied by Iveco.
An inline-4 diesel engine with that kind of displacement is commonplace in many European and Japanese light commercial vehicles, the working type of SUVs included (like a Toyota Prado).
Regarding Cummins, recently they teamed up with Daimler Truck AG. Cummins will take care of the future medium-duty engines, while Daimler itself will concentrate on the Big Boys and the development of zero-emission drivetrains.
https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/Daimler-Truck-AG-and-Cummins-Inc-announce-global-plan-for-medium-duty-commercial-vehicle-engines.xhtml?oid=49037902
Interesting, and the pastel green paint makes it look a bit like a Defender Heritage model.
If I was repowering a Defender I’d be inclined to stay closer to stock with the Brazilian Ford 2.8 TGV which was a slightly enlarged version of Landrover’s own 300TDI with a variable nozzle turbo. These were a result of Ford buying LR in 99 right after the introduction of the TD5 and I recall they were popular in the oughts and can be easily made to look like the original 300 TDI. Of course Ford subsequently replaced the TD5 with a modified 2.4 L diesel from the Transit, before selling everything to Tata.
Love this Defender. Looks like the owner spent a lot of dough for that engine a full LED conversion and I’m sure a bunch of other cool stuff to modernize it. Otherwise I wouldn’t touch one of these even if I had the dough.
I really don’t see a $15k benefit in this. A not particularly impressive 4 cylinder diesel and a 5 speed in a car which left the factory with a 5 speed? Am I missing something?
I saw a company in England was putting BMW V8s and automatics in them. That I understand.