Check eBay. I had this exact same issue – ordered a number of different cheap keys before finally realizing none of them were actually going to work. I ended up buying a used chip (advertised as such) that was shown to have the correct code and known to work. And it did. It seemed like finding one that was called out as used was the key element.

 

Ah Disco life. So I went to do the front CVs today. I was all happy and glad as everything came out easy peasy and all was well- except the hub came out with the half shaft. Meh. I’ll get some good pullers…



5 tons of anger management. Well after an extraordinary about of violence and such, this is as far as I got:



I’m not really angry inasmuch as I’m disappointed. I don’t mind having to replace some of this stuff as I think it might resolve the P0501 code, but cost is starting to add up on a machine that we already paid a premium for. Oh well. Now the POS gets to sit for another week or 2 like this until more parts come…



I will say this, it probably would have been a lot worse if all that stuff had been corroded. I’m taking a shower and having a beverage. Maybe I’ll get to drive it by this time next year.

For certain when I put the new hubs in with the half shafts and CVs I’ll be putting some anti-seize in there.

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand it looks like it will be yet another couple weeks before I finish. Ah, life in the mountains…

It started in earnest yesterday:



And here we are this morning, with it supposed to snow hard this afternoon and throughout the night.



For reference, it was 89F when I left the office on Thursday…

 

OK, I paid the man and got a new key fob. Just like the video, easy peasy. Except as always, a slight hitch: the driver’s door lock actuator is done. I think I’ll remove it and do the new little motor deal before finding a used one.

New hubs came today as well and I’m trying to decide if I want to do those today or wait till tomorrow.

 

The key fob search is such a bummer. I went through numerous attempts before finally finding a working one that was just the used chip. Looking back, the new AB one doesn't sound so bad anymore.

Which hubs did you go with? I'm due for a couple of fronts, and have been trying to figure out whether the higher prices actually amount to better quality.

 

Lucky 8 was cheaper for the key, but AB matched the price, so, meh. With how easy it was to do, kinda a suck it up deal.

I also did OEM hubs and again AB matched a price. One thing I was a little bummed about was that it seems the WSS wire is a couple inches shorter? I only did the driver side and got it back together this evening, but it’s plenty smooth and now that I have both the half shaft and hub, I should be able to get it all done in a couple hours, so no rush- especially since it’s smooth as glass now.

I’m of course back in love and realized how much I missed it. I am truly a pathetic loser. But I have to say, using good tools like the Nanocom, and good parts like OEM in many cases, and it makes things so much easier.



So for the long weekend I’ll be doing a bunch of other little stuff. We’ll see if I have the energy to deal with doing the tranny service.

Oh yeah, no more P0501 either. Hopefully it doesn’t come back.

 

So this is where Disco life always has ups and downs…

I had a bit of time today, so I decided to do the passenger side CV and hub. Now that there is no separation of the hub from the half shaft, the repair should be stupid simple- and actually was! I got the R&R done in an honest 30 minutes or so. However, as I was putting it back together, I had an interesting experience…

So I’m famous for pushing the OEM WSS repair that actually has a new one wire through the firewall and up close to the SLABS controller. Weeeeeellllll, since I got the OEM hubs, they came with a WSS installed, so I figured meh, I’ll use that one. Well, of course after I buttoned everything at the business end up, I went to feed it up into the engine bay and of course there was an empty plug. I figured, GREAT! I know someone has been in there and done this before.

Oh yeah, the best part? I’ve not solved the vibration and am now to the diff being bad or the front driveshaft. I did a detailed look at the front driveshaft and only the front U Joint has a zerk fitting- so I’m going to replace it. So technically I actually didn’t fix anything and made it worse.

Ah, the ambition and ignorance of thinking things could be easy…. I now have the amigos…. Also, P0501 came back immediately. So I’m thinking at least now I know that was the issue before causing the P0501, but now I’m not sure what to do. I think I’m going to end up ordering another WSS with a long lead and running it into cab again, unless, I can do some tracing and confirmation.

Too funny.

 

So I had a few more minutes and did some tracing. The repair on the WSS was REALLY clean- they didn’t solder in the new wire, they actually pulled out the connectors and did new ones. I need to find where the original wires are and see if I can make those work again. If I can’t or that is too much of a PITA, I guess I’ll just order a new WSS of the same variety and see about getting it to work.

Has anyone seen a WSS failure of this nature before?

All annoying, but part of the game I guess.

 

I know I’m making a lot of posts really quick, but I’m thinking this is what I could do to save a few bucks and maybe have a really good solution:

I’ll take the brand new WSS and clip the plug off it and then clip the existing WSS (that is wired all the way into the dash) right there in the engine bay, and solder in the connection that way.

Or, I could clip the original OEM plug off the original harness, clip the current WSS sensor harness right there, solder in the original OEM plug to the existing harness, and then plug the brand new WSS unmodified just like I would the very original.

Frankly I don’t see how either wouldn’t work with one exception: as near as I know, the reason new WSSs are wired all the way into the dash is due to resistance values found across the circuit (basically the plug was deemed to cause the issue) and if I do not only a solder connection and the plug, I may introduce just that.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

I need a win. So the subwoofers came in. I go to install them. The right one won’t fit unless it is clearances.

I am back to hating my Disco. But such is Disco life.