Andrew's Defender 90 3.2i Project

[einhander]

Upset? No way! I like this more than most of the E30s up in here.

[Andrew325is]

My Mercedes A-Class electric power steering pump arrived from the UK today. They shipped it just 2 days ago!

[Andrew325is]

I tried looking for a Mercedes electrical troubleshooting manual online to find out how to wire the PS pump, but I couldn't find any for the A-Class. From a MB forum I found a link to this page: http://www.aclassinfo.co.uk/mypage.49.htm and towards the bottom there's info on the wiring. It's clever how MB set it up. Red is power and brown is ground of course, but the blue wire connects to the alternator (charge indicator wire) so the pump knows only to run when the engine is running.

[Andy.B]

I used to work for land rover. A guy I worked with had a disco 1 that he swapped a Cummins turbo diesel into. Iirc, he used a p38 steering box, like you said. He did a lot of fab work in the swap (obviously), and he may have made a spacer to move it farther out of the way.

[Andrew325is]

I used to work for land rover. A guy I worked with had a disco 1 that he swapped a Cummins turbo diesel into. Iirc, he used a p38 steering box, like you said. He did a lot of fab work in the swap (obviously), and he may have made a spacer to move it farther out of the way.

That's very cool, except a 1,000+ lb engine in a Rover would not be ideal in my opinion. I'm going to keep the original Defender steering box since I'll be using the electric PS pump. :)

[Andrew325is]

Edit: No longer applicable info in this comment.

[slammin.e28]

LMK how the steering pump works out. I've got an M52 in my RRC and have been dealing with no PS for years. Got a Mini Cooper pump, but always open to copying someone else, lol.

Did you have to move the alternator up at all to clear the steering box?

IDK how I didn't see this sooner! Kudos sir! Wish Mine had an M54 now.

Question, why the X3 engine? You're gonna want a rear sump to clear the Rover axle when it articulates.

Need any help, lemme know. It's all the same stuff, as you well know.

[Andrew325is]

LMK how the steering pump works out. I've got an M52 in my RRC and have been dealing with no PS for years. Got a Mini Cooper pump, but always open to copying someone else, lol.

Did you have to move the alternator up at all to clear the steering box?

IDK how I didn't see this sooner! Kudos sir! Wish Mine had an M54 now.

Question, why the X3 engine? You're gonna want a rear sump to clear the Rover axle when it articulates.

Need any help, lemme know. It's all the same stuff, as you well know.

Hey thanks! Hopefully the PS pump works out. :) I haven't got the engine in yet, so I don't know if I'll need to move the alternator. Did you have to move yours? I just happened to get a good deal on the X3 engine. Good to know about the sump. I'll put a rear sump pan on it then. :up:

[slammin.e28]

Hey thanks! Hopefully the PS pump works out. :) I haven't got the engine in yet, so I don't know if I'll need to move the alternator. Did you have to move yours? I just happened to get a good deal on the X3 engine. Good to know about the sump. I'll put a rear sump pan on it then. :up:

Alternator had to move up a bit. I am interested in the P38 box though. I have a D1 frame and am thinking of swapping in the strut mounts as it didn't have air suspension. My strut mounts are in front of the springs as originally my RRC was air susp. Should free up room for an outboard PS box.

I've put about 15k on the swap since I got it. Been cleaning up and improving all along the way.

Also had to use a turbo log mani to clear the custom engine mount. I wanna redo it so I can run some proper headers. There's a couple places to bolt the engine mount arm to I found out. I didn't do the swap myself, but did provide some parts and looks like I will be, somewhat, redoing it to make everything legit.

M54B30 would have been my choice to begin with, but what's done is done.

[Wschnitz]

God I love defenders, sub'd

[Andrew325is]

Alternator had to move up a bit. I am interested in the P38 box though. I have a D1 frame and am thinking of swapping in the strut mounts as it didn't have air suspension. My strut mounts are in front of the springs as originally my RRC was air susp. Should free up room for an outboard PS box.

I've put about 15k on the swap since I got it. Been cleaning up and improving all along the way.

Also had to use a turbo log mani to clear the custom engine mount. I wanna redo it so I can run some proper headers. There's a couple places to bolt the engine mount arm to I found out. I didn't do the swap myself, but did provide some parts and looks like I will be, somewhat, redoing it to make everything legit.

M54B30 would have been my choice to begin with, but what's done is done.

Hmm, I suppose I can try mounting the alternator on the other side of the engine like guys do who have turbo setups. Do you know if there's a pre-made bracket for that? I think switching to the P38 steering box would be a lot of work, but doable of course.

So you made your own engine mounts then? Hopefully a good friend of mine can help me weld some up. :)

[slammin.e28]

I'll get some pics of my convoluted mounts. Like I said, want to re-do them. Can you get pics of the mounting points for the engine to the frame of your Defender? Mine has one long mount arm on the passenger (right) side, and a short, stubby one on the driver's left).

I left the alternator on the same side simply because I didn't want it down low. If you look on the Rover V8 it's right on top. Didn't want to continually submerge the thing and shorten it's service life. Sure, you see people sinking them in windshield deep water, but if I can keep it out of water up to the fender arches, I will.

[Andrew325is]

Yeah, I'll get some pix of the mounts on my Defender probably next week when I take the V8 out.

[Andrew325is]

My clutch centering tool arrived today. :) I found it on eBay Germany. Land Rover special tool LRT 12-123.

[Andrew325is]

Edit: No longer applicable info in this comment.