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NORDWERK4X4

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions

The questions we are actually asked before an order, answered from our terms, policies and product specifications. If your question is not here, ask an engineer directly — you will get a real answer, not a form letter.

The M57 and N57 engines

How much power can you get out of an M57?

In standard factory tune the M57 family was built from roughly 150 PS in the earliest 2.5 litre versions to 286 PS in the twin-turbo 3.0 litre 535d, and standard tune is the condition we supply and warrant engines in. We do not publish a tuned power ceiling for the M57, because an honest figure depends on which variant you start from, which turbo, injectors and fuelling go on it, and what the rest of the vehicle will absorb — and we will not quote a number we have not measured on your build. What we will say is that in a conversion the engine is rarely the limit. The gearbox, the transfer case, the propshafts, the cooling capacity and the brakes decide how much power the vehicle can actually use, and they are the parts that fail first when a figure is chased on a dynamometer. Tell us what you are aiming for and we will tell you what has to go behind it.

How much does it cost to M57 swap a Patrol?

Our complete Nissan Patrol conversion kits start at €6,000, and that is the parts cost — what is on the product page is what you pay us, with free shipping inside Europe. It is not the cost of the finished conversion. Budget separately for installation labour if you are not doing the work yourself, for fluids and consumables, for the exhaust from our downpipe back, for any propshaft or driveline work your particular Patrol turns out to need, and for whatever inspection, engineer report or re-registration your country requires. We will not quote you a total for a finished vehicle, because the labour rate where you live, the condition of the Patrol and the registration rules of your country are three things we cannot see from here. What we will do, before you order, is tell you exactly what is in the kit and what is not.

Which is better, the N57 or the M57?

Neither is better in the abstract, and for an engine conversion the M57 is usually the easier engine to live with. The M57 has a cast-iron block, its timing chain is at the front of the engine where it can be reached, its emissions hardware is simpler, and there are far more donor cars on the market — which is why most of the kits we publish are built around it. The N57 is the later engine: an aluminium crankcase, so it is lighter, more power from the same capacity, and a more tightly integrated electronics and emissions package. That integration is exactly what makes it harder to run outside the car it came from, and its timing chain sits at the back of the engine, so replacing it means separating the engine and the gearbox. We build kits for both, and the N57 kit is a Defender kit. If you want the simplest swap that will keep working, the M57. If you want the newer engine and you accept the extra integration work, the N57.

What are the downsides of the M57 engine?

The M57 is a strong engine with four well-documented weak points, and you should know all four before you buy a donor. The inlet-manifold swirl flaps on earlier M57 and M57TU engines can work loose and be drawn into a cylinder, which is why they are routinely removed or blanked. The EGR valve and cooler clog with soot and are a common cause of rough running and limp mode. On the later M57TU2 the timing chain and its guides are a service item that is expensive to reach. And the variable twin-turbo arrangement on the 535d is more complex than the single-turbo cars, with actuators that give trouble. For a conversion there are two more: it is a cast-iron-block straight six, so it is both heavy and long, and it will not run at all without its own engine ECU and a correctly built loom. The last point is what our kits exist to solve — the ECU, the loom, the mounts and the cooling are in the box — and we will tell you which donor variant we would start from if you ask.

Choosing the right kit

Which conversion kit fits my vehicle?

Each kit is sold for one platform and one gearbox combination, and the product page lists the exact models it fits. We publish kits for the Land Rover Defender 90, 110 and 130, the Land Rover Discovery, the Nissan Patrol, the Mitsubishi Pajero (also sold as Montero and Shogun) and the Ford Transit. Before you order, tell us the platform, the gearbox you want to run and how the vehicle is used: an engineer checks the bellhousing, transfer case, driveline and loom and confirms which kit suits your build before you spend anything.

What is the difference between the M57, N57 and OM606 kits?

They are three different donor engines, and which one we offer depends on the platform. BMW M57 kits cover the widest range — Land Rover Defender and Discovery, Nissan Patrol, Mitsubishi Pajero and Ford Transit — and are offered with the ZF 6HP and 8HP automatic transmissions as well as the Land Rover R380 manual. The BMW N57 kit is a Defender kit. The Mercedes-Benz OM606 3.0 litre inline six is our Nissan Patrol route, as a complete conversion kit or as an engine mount kit on its own. Which engine suits your project depends on the vehicle and how you use it, so ask us before you commit.

What is included in a complete conversion kit?

A complete kit is a full powertrain package on one pallet, not a bracket set. A Defender M57 8HP kit, for example, is supplied with the BMW M57 engine, the ZF 8HP transmission, the adapter kit between them, flexplate and torque converter, engine ECU and transmission control unit, complete engine and transmission wiring harnesses, an electronic throttle pedal, engine mounting brackets and heavy-duty mounts, the transmission mounting bracket and mount, the transfer case adapter kit, the gear selector assembly and its wiring, the cooling package and radiator hoses, intercooler and boost pipework, the air intake system, fuel system integration components, the exhaust downpipe, power steering integration components, a fastener and hardware kit and installation documentation. Adapters, mounts and engines bought on their own list their own contents on their product page — read that list before ordering, because kit contents vary by platform and gearbox.

Can you supply the conversion already fitted to a new chassis?

Yes — several kits can be built on a brand-new galvanised chassis for an additional charge, shown on the product pages that offer it. Because we build the powertrain anyway, we can hand over a rolling foundation with the engine, gearbox, mounts and cooling already installed and aligned, which takes the hardest part of the build out of your workshop. Ask us for a quotation for your vehicle and project.

Ordering, lead times and payment

How long will my kit take?

Stock components leave our workshop within the handling time published in our shipping policy, and built-to-order kits take weeks rather than days because they are built and tested around your platform, gearbox and ancillaries. The current estimate is shown on each product page and confirmed in writing when we accept your order. Handling time is separate from the carrier transit time and the two add together. Where your order depends on information from you — gearbox type, bellhousing pattern, photographs of the engine bay — the clock starts when we have it, and if a build is going to take materially longer than the estimate we gave you we tell you as soon as we know and you can cancel the unbuilt portion for a full refund.

How can I pay, and can I pay by bank transfer?

You can order online and pay securely by card through Stripe, or ask us for a proforma invoice and pay by bank transfer. Prices are in euro. VAT is handled for your destination, and shipping is free within Europe and a flat €50 everywhere else.

Can I cancel or return an order?

Stock components sold from the shelf in their original packaging can be returned under the EU right of withdrawal within 14 days of delivery. Built-to-order conversion kits, custom-machined or modified parts, chassis builds and engines built to a specification you have chosen are made to your specification, and Article 16(c) of the Consumer Rights Directive removes the right of withdrawal for them once we have started building. Until we have started building you can cancel a built-to-order item for a full refund, and once manufacture has begun we can normally still cancel and refund you less the work already done and materials already committed — ask us and we will tell you exactly where your build stands.

Fitting the kit

Is installation included in the price of a kit?

No — the price is for the parts, and installation is your responsibility unless you have separately contracted our workshop to do it. Our kits are designed to be fitted by a competent automotive technician with the tools, lifting equipment and workshop facilities the work requires. Some kits can also be booked as a drive-in, drive-out package fitted by us; where that is offered the product page says so and gives the price, and you book it by contacting us.

What support do I get while I am fitting the kit?

Every kit ships with a step-by-step installation video filmed on the same platform your kit is built for, printed documentation, and direct access to the engineers who built it. Send a photograph of where you have got to and the answer comes from someone who has done that exact job — there is no ticket queue. That support covers the parts we supplied and their correct installation; it is advisory, and it does not transfer responsibility for the installation or for the finished vehicle to us.

Delivery, warranty and returns

Do you ship outside the EU, and who pays the customs charges?

Shipping is free to every destination in Europe and a flat €50 to the rest of the world, and for deliveries outside the European Union — and to the EU territories named below — all import duties, import VAT, customs clearance fees and brokerage charges are yours to pay. They are not included in the price of the goods or in the shipping you pay us; they are levied by the destination country and we have no visibility of the amount. Consignments ship DAP (Delivered At Place, Incoterms 2020) unless we have agreed otherwise in writing, and we declare the full commercial value with accurate commodity codes — we will not under-declare a shipment or describe goods as a gift. Deliveries within the EU customs territory move in free circulation with no customs formalities. Some EU territories sit outside the EU VAT area even though they are inside the customs territory — the Canary Islands, Åland and the French overseas departments — so a delivery there needs a customs declaration and import VAT, though no customs duty is due. Ceuta and Melilla sit outside the customs territory as well, and a delivery there is a full export. Small parts travel by tracked courier; engines, gearboxes, complete kits and chassis go as palletised freight, which we book in with you — at no extra charge, because the rate above is the whole shipping cost.

What does the warranty cover?

Every kit carries a 12-month warranty from the date of delivery against defects in material and workmanship. It covers the machined and fabricated parts we make, the kit as a system — that the components we supplied fit together and fit the platform and gearbox the kit was sold for — our wiring looms, the cooling, intake and exhaust components we manufacture, engines and gearboxes we have built or reconditioned, and bought-in components to the extent of their own manufacturer warranty, which we administer for you. It does not cover wear and service items, cosmetic change, parts we did not supply, consequential costs such as the labour to remove and refit, or a failure caused by incorrect installation. The warranty runs from delivery, not from the day you finish the build, so tell us at the outset if your project is going to run long.

Conversion kits by platform

Every kit we publish is built for one platform and one gearbox combination. Start with the vehicle.

Read the detail

Each answer above is a summary. The policies carry the full terms.

Still not sure which kit you need?

Tell us the platform, the gearbox you want to run and how the vehicle is used. An engineer will tell you what fits — and what does not.

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