Can this be done on a non-facelifted D2?

 

Short answer is no. You can run facelift headlights on a 99-02 but you cut out too much of the pre facelift supports to go back. It's not hard to do but I think to do it well takes a little more work/finesse than many have the skills or patience for.

 

I have a set that I've been sitting on to build and sell. I need to come up with a price but that's another option. Would be turn key except for some wiring modification to the vehicle side lighting harness on one side to have a H4 connector to hook into the HIDs. Easy to do and reverse if desired down the road.

 

Don’t be in a hurry to sell them.

Maybe when you bring down the water pump, bring them as well so I can see what you have…. Thanks!

 

The Alveston started leaking coolant progressively worse over the last week or so. It looked to be coming from the pump, so, Flowkooler in.

Sooooooooo, ya think the water pump was done?



A couple bad things in this photo: 1- Duh, and 2- the pump obviously was replaced before, but RTV was used.

The coolant that came out was perfect thank goodness (of course I’d already done the radiator and T stat). That damn thing was bad the day I bought it. The block side looked pretty good, so I’m glad the Disco was patient with me to get this done.



I spent an hour or so cleaning all that sludge and gunk out of there. And this is funny: when I bought it, it didn’t have the serpentine belt cover on there. Well, I found one of the spacers for one just sitting in one of the crevices. Go figure.

Oh yeah, also of note- and I’m pretty pissed I didn’t catch it, but thanks to @whowa004 - he noticed the belt that was on there wasn’t even the correct width. <shaking head>

As I’ve said a million times, I don’t care how perfect one seems, it takes a good while to rectify all the ignorance/laziness/cheapskatedness of all the previous owners. It runs smoother than ever too.

One last thing, as I sat and idled for 20 minutes and revved it a bit with the heat on, it won’t get over 185. As I’ve said, it’s a good solution, but the inline T stat is not necessary. Some final bleeding to do and all set.

 

was it the wrong size or had it been cut from something being out of alignment?

 

The belt? I dunno. When you saw it, it looked a bit canted, so I couldn’t say. I checked all the pulleys and everything is tight and smooth. The new belt went in perfect and is smooth as butter.

I went for a little drive and the temp went to 190 while driving after I did one more bleed (parked it on a steep incline and left the cap loose). It burped really well and I added a good bit more coolant. I got a little bit of a waterfall while driving, so when I got back I did the incline and loose cap again. I’d say that should do it.

It FINALLY feels like I really wanted it to (and thought it would be when we bought it). The only other service oriented item is brakes and then it should be just fine for a while. At some point I’ll look- literally- into that stupid P0501 code, which I’m a bit convinced is the VSS failing, or it’s unplugged somehow.

A Pilar trim should be ordered and I’ve got the cowl, now just to schedule with an installer to get the heated windshield.

My next big project is the dash. Along those lines, I found a couple threads and did some playing with the HVAC controls, and I think I either loosened a sticky door or something, as the vents even seem to be working better.

 

Another day, another dumping of snow. We had drifts of over 3 feet around the house.



And we got a quick freeze the other night that made for an interesting little adventure getting the kids to a camp in the morning. The house is at 7400 feet, so “town” is downhill from us. 2 of the 3 main ways down were sheet ice which left a total yard sale, even closing one of the roads and leaving a healthy line of traffic. I took the more remote one down and made it ok, and then on the way back home, I was the only vehicle able to climb back up. This is a very steep 1/4 mile long hill that could be done in 2nd gear in the Disco. I just snicked the CDL in place and played slip and slide up. I was duly impressed- to the degree I think it did as well as the Jeep would have done. Granted I was sideways a good bit of it and racetrack brain definitely had to turn on to remember car control, but the Disco did darn well.

I don’t know if I mentioned, but I went ahead and got a new OEM tow harness kit and hooked it up. It’s funny, the utility trailer is all LED, and I think because there is such a small load, the trailer light on the dash doesn’t come on, but the lights all work. Thus far it has been used to haul a load of hay (21 bales of hay), and a half cord of wood for the stove. I love pics as much as anyone else, but I totally forgot to get pics of that action.

And more cool action, I have the windshield install scheduled to be done in the next couple weeks. That will finish off winter function (and with how things have been this winter, I need it). The next thing will be to wait until we get a stretch of nice weather and I’ll tackle the dash.

I’m getting excited for the nicer weather so I can do the refinish of the Comet wheels.

I have a trip in March I’m going to try to do for a dual sport deal I used to go to every year in Death Valley (actually a couple pics from taking the blue one a ways back in this thread) for which I am debating taking the Disco. If I can get some key spares, and it keeps behaving, I think I will. I’ll be towing the trailer this time and no hitch carrier as one of the goals will be to finally pick up the kids’ new dirt bikes from a buddy who has had them for around a year now waiting for me to get.

I’m once again enjoying Disco life.

 

More little stuff that I just am falling more and more for the Alveston. I FINALLY got around to changing the t case fluid. Um, yeah. It needed it. I knew that the t case was replaced prior to my purchase, but I don’t think the fluid was ever changed. It was brown and extremely thick- I suspect water got in at some point. Some minor metal on the drain plug, but nothing to get too riled up about.

I also pulled an cleaned the IACV. I don’t know if it helped at all, but goo peace of mind.

Oil change and front drive shaft lube too with some more degreasing of the undercarriage. I did a bottle of Lucas oil treatment and finally found some Rotella T6. With as cold as it’s been, it’s probably not good to be using a 15w40 oil, but I wanted to put some decent stuff in there.

And post PCV mod, I don’t think there is much if any of an oil leak any longer too.

Again, no pics, but as one of the horses is due for a baby in a month or so, we went ahead and boarded them because…. Yep, I can’t make a post without whining about the barn not being done…. Anyway, in getting the horse trailer staged, I had to pull it through a foot and a half of snow for about 30 yards. WOW! I was simply amazed that the Disco was able to pull it through that- and I got no run at it either. I needed the CDL and low range, but it made it. I’ve got the Jeep up and running again, and I was concerned for a few moments I’d have to get it and pull both out, but the Disco came through just fine.

Also, I found a fender for the Giverny and picked it up, so because I am getting so close on the Alveston, when the deep freeze ends for this year, I think I’ll gradually start in on that one, which is kind of exciting.

Sorry I’ve been slim on pics lately, but here is a funny video of me being a redneck in the pasture during the last snow storm:

https://longtallsallygs.smugmug.com/...ry/i-MXfpGfW/A

 

All right, more positive posts! I finally got the heated windshield installed. I used the same shop I’ve used for the Jeep an S4 previously and they are absolutely wonderful. Lighthouse Auto Glass for anyone in the C Springs area and I couldn’t recommend them more highly.

Anyway, I figured out the draft and probably why the cowl was cracked. Some yahoo just slathered glue and gunk in there and it even glued the windshield cowl to everything. Thankfully it didn’t matter to break up the old one, but still a bit annoying. I suspect the heat (and AC) will work better now, and it will be much quieter in the cabin too as there was a straight up gap and you could feel cold air coming in.

Programming on the Nanocom took seconds and now all is well. I’m so excited! Now I need some warmer weather so I can do the dash. It’s getting close…

Some pics:



You can see the gap there and why we got a draft. Once again, I will emphasize that half the battle with the D2 is correcting all the crap work done previously.











Programming was super easy.