[mpescatori]

Hello all,

this is Maurizio from Rome, Italy.

I drive a very nice Tata Safari 3.0 DICOR.

I have already made her a little more "wicked" (harrharrharr) but would like to make her unique.

Everybody is crazy about HiFi kits, suspension kits and big wheel kits.

I am seriously condsidering transplanting the gearbox from another car, the problem is "which one?"

One option would be to find a nice little 6-speed, possibly close ratio, so that I may slick through the gears in my daily, 30 Km, 60 minute commute :^(

Another option would be to find a nice little 5-speed auto'box (not 4our, 5ive! or even 6IX !!!), which would really improve both road and off-road performance and comfort.

The problem is, I am not aware of the Safari being marketed with an "auto box" option anywhere, they all come as 5-speed manuals.

So, any suggestions?

[gowda79]

Hi Maurizio,

Nice to hear that you are driving the Beast, how old is the Safari and share your experience with the 3.0L Beast. Put on some pictures of the offroad done using this vehicle.

As far as i have seen the Safari is been marketted all over the world with 5+1 Gears manual and never heard about the Autobox on Safari.

By the way which which engine are you planning to change it to and what is the reason for doing the same.

[DirtyDan]

You have an ECU to contend with. You need to explore what that means and understand how dependent modern vehicles are upon it.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

You have an ECU to contend with. You need to explore what that means and understand how dependent modern vehicles are upon it.

Dan is correct. Autos have ECUs that get a feed from the Engine ECU. This is how the automatic knows when to shift gears based on parameters from the engine computer. It is easier to do a conversion to automatic if the same model has an automatic option since you can probably buy the ECU etc..

[gd1418]

Not worth it. If you at all plan to change the ECU as well along with the AT tranny then you need to contend with the harness and then the common rail as it works only with the inputs from the ECU.

[abhiram7912]

OFF TOPIC : i am having this crazy idea for the last two weeks. take a safari 4x4 swap the motor with a small block GM engine or a GM duramax diesel engine with a 5 speed autobox t400 ( not sure abt the exact name ) or something like that. i think duramax diesel v8 would be good. any toughts ???

[SirAlec]

i don't think all Autobox needs ecu to operate.

I have heard about semiauto conversion kits used in heavy duty trucks. it uses less labour work and are DIY kits. has anybody heard about these?

[gd1418]

Are you referring to the Auto Clutch system, by any chance?

Originally Posted by SirAlec

i don't think all Autobox needs ecu to operate.

I have heard about semiauto conversion kits used in heavy duty trucks. it uses less labour work and are DIY kits. has anybody heard about these?

[SirAlec]

Originally Posted by gd1418

Are you referring to the Auto Clutch system, by any chance?

I think you are right. Its semi automatic and done through some modification that makes usage of clutch less. hence autoclutch.

[canonball]

I am told autoclutch has not worked on TATA safari's, may have now sorted problems they face before so you can check it out. Another option is that the 2.2 liter Dicor engine also available in italy is identical to the Scorpio Mhawk also avalable in italy and now that the Scorpio is available with Automatic I am sure this is available there so you can buy a complete engine/auto tranny combo and drop it in. The other alternative is any Sanyong Musso auto tranny which is the same as the scorpio box and will be dirt cheap in a braker yard if I am not wrong the ratios match perfectly as this tranny was a straight fit into scorpio without ratio change not sure if the same holds for Safari despite having the same engine you will have to get detailed safari ratio comparision. To get around the ECU you can source a new 2.2 safari dicor engine with ECU and drop a 2nd hand or new scoprio tranny!

[gd1418]

Observing the several posts on this subject it seems theoritically it is possible, but the practicality is very doubtful along with the costs involved.

Retrofitting, unless done very very competently, is bereft of various problems.

[mpescatori]

Hello all,

and thank you to SysAdmin for informing me the thread had been moved.

OK, I have a few comments to your suggestions, so here goes:
1) I have never heard of a "Scorpio Mohawk"; the only Scorpio ever sold in Italy was the Ford Scorpio, a 1990's big executive saloon, so it's certainly not the same vehicle you mean in India; maybe Mahindra?
2) Although technically feasible, it is not allowed to swap engines in Italy, unless I go with another engine option from exactly the same model car; in my case, the 2006 Safari only came as 2000 (Peugeot) and 3000 DICOR (MB? who really designed the engine?), whereas the 2200 DICOR was only sold 2007. So, sorry, I can't do that (but then, I already have a 3000cc with 138bhp and 350Nm torque... who needs a 2200?)
3) Autobox from SSangyong Musso? Now THAT's good news ! Although 101% Mussos were sold with a diesel engine, it is my understanding that (at least for the european market) those diesels were actually off the Mercedes Benz production line, family car diesels; so, in theory, any auto'box off a 240 or 300 diesel in a scrapyard should do the trick [nudge nudge, wink wink...)
4) I'd rather go for an old school, hydraulic auto box with torque converter than one of those modern jobbies with more fidlly wiring than a Space Shuttle, the next thing you know halfway through a ford the box fails because the wires get wet !

Tara for now,
regards,
Maurizio from (finally) sunny Rome, Italy

[bhunu AMG]

Hi mpescatori...This is the seventh month since you have posted your thread and so i'm taking the right to assume that you might have done your job to safari!! if yes pls post the current status co or any new idea atleast in fitting an auto box in safari!!

[mpescatori]

Hello bhunu AMG, sorry, nothing in sight... sigh...

One thing I have discovered, the standards GL76-5/3,78 gearbox ni Safaris seems to be more or less the same as the 76-5/3,87 fitted to the Mercedes Benz Gelaendewagen (the boxy-looking 4x4) so I have been exploring that option.

There are 4-speed manuals (not intereste at all)
and 5-speed gearboxes (the 76-5/3,87 and the 76-5/4,9, with much lower gearing and a 1:1 5th gear)
All are with integral clutch bellhousing.

So I looked under my Safari and what do I see? The gearbox secured to the bellhousing via 6 very large bolts... just like MB 1-18 gearboxes !!!
(One being a 1-18/4,9 and watertight for fording, the other a 1-18/6,2 with granny 1st!)

So, now I am looking with increasing interest at the possibility to swap my gearbox with a 1-18/6,2... still has the 1:1 5th gear...
This means I would do away with my 0,87:1 top gear, and cruise on motorways at 85-90Km/h ... :( just like an old Land Rover Series...
BUT I would have a granny 1st (the equivalent to starting in low 2nd) and all gears more or less equivalent to 1st-4th in the current setting.

Good for overland cruising and touring around the world... not really for commuting...

Auto box? Could not find a dead Ssangyong Musso not an old autobox...
And the 5-speed autoboxes on the MB G-wagen all demand the MB ECU, so it's no-go...

I'll keep you updated.

[TorqRpm]

Hi mpescatori, any updates on your auto box conversion? If yes, please provide the details..