Isuzu Trooper Owners Club UK™

BIGHORNS · Newbie Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 7

My 92' Lotus Bighorn 3.1TD Auto needs another lump after the wife drove it 12 miles with bust hose and no water! Pistons have melted!
There are plenty of Trooper engines about which were driving manual g'box's. I am unsure if a manual trooper engine will couple to the Bighorn auto box without any probs? Does anybody out there know and does anyone want to sell me a suitable Trooper or Bighorn 3.1TD engine? Help!

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Hard1 · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 22:56 Post subject:

Should be the same bellhousing pattern - Manual/Auto. Motor doesn't care which one it's attached to, but motor that's been on an auto will always be in better shape. Try and get a '95 or later Trooper/Bighorn/Monterey/Horizon (Honda) 3.1 lump 'cos there's more HP. Around 130 as opposed to 115 for the earlier ones
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1999 Cougar with a NICE motor..

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shinz · Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 11:52 Post subject:

The big thing will be the bolt pattern on the end of the crank shaft. I'd be very surprised if Isuzu did a different crank for manual & auto engines & so all you should have to do if you end up with a manual replacement, is to take the fly wheel off the manual engine & replace it with the flex plate from the auto. HTH, Cheers, Steve.
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95 Bighorn Fieldstar LS 3.1 TD

BIGHORNS · Newbie Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 7

Thanks for your comments. I bought a second hand engine yesterday. It was out of a 96' P manual Trooper. I will keep this thread updated with the results of the transplant into my 92' auto Jap import Bighorn!

BIGHORNS · Newbie Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 7

A good few months have passed however I can confirm a successful engine transplant! The reason for taking so long was the engine I bought (from a manual trooper) had a knackered cylinder head! Having sourced a good secondhand head she now runs like a dream. The bolt patterns on the bellhousing and end of the crank is the same for both manual and auto engines so the swap was straightforward.