1996 Disco Performance Issue
 

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Hello All,
Looking for some help with my Disco. It is pretty much original, it does have a 2"lift and some larger M/S tires on it. I am in Denver and when driving up the hills here in Colorado I am lucky if I can go 30/35. I was getting a cylinder 5 misfire for awhile when it first got here from the East Coast but it is not throwing that code anymore... Any ideas?

This has probably been covered but my search has not been successful.

Thanks for any ideas!

Jim

:laugh: "Pretty much Original" :laugh:

So the power loss is just on uphill runs? It does fine on more normal roads? What size are those tires?

Wow that's a nice looking D1. I did lol at pretty much original, though. All relative I guess. LOVE the RRC headlight mod. Did you use that little foldy-template-metal thing that guy sells?

Where did you move from? If it was from somewhere super flat, you may just now be coming to realize the full extent of the D1's lack of chutzpah, I imagine the hills in CO are pretty serious...

Lack of power just from being inclined doesn't make much sense, it's likely a universal lack of power that's un-noticeable unless the engine is highly-loaded, like when it's going up a hill. I don't have any experience with this exact situation, but off the top of my head it could be:
-combustion (fuel, air, or compression)
-transmission slip

Is the engine revving high or does it bog down? Have you checked your kickdown cable? When you push the gas farther, does the transmission downshift?

It seems to just fine around town, .....255-85-16 M/T's

ok so other than the obvious it is mechanically pretty much original....... glad you guys are getting a laugh ..... The Disco came with the rack/lights on it already it was modified by the guys of NW Overland. Lack off power when loaded is correct it does kick down eventually at around 30MPH the incline is not the issue.... altitude/steepness of road more like it. it was shipped here from WV can't say much about the combustion issue seems to run fine around town... definitely no tranny issues

Were the gears changed or are they stock?

stock

Odds are the motor may be a bit down on power. It does have a lot of things working against it. Lots of tire, not re-geared, extra weight, elevation and hills. When I ran 255/85 on my RRC it definitely had a adverse effect when I went into the mountains.

Have you checked to see if it has any pending codes stored? When was your last tune up, fuel filter etc

I second that.

That truck was AbnMike's truck. Search the threads here and on discoweb to examine the issues he dealt with and how he solved the problems.

I'm not entirely sure about this, but an ECU re-set might get you going in the right direction. The altitude is obviously different and the adaptive values can get a 'fresh start' in the new environment.

RobertF has built a tool to re-set the ECUs but I'm not sure if it will work on a '96 w/o OBDII.

That's a sweet truck, I remember it years ago.

My stock, and I mean completely stock Disco struggles with hills in Colorado, I can imagine it would be a lot worse with 33s and all that weight plus an old tired motor.
I would say reset the ECU and it might help a little and check for codes.

a name brand (Matco etc..) Compression gauge can be had pretty cheap on ebay.
Great looking rig - love the Round headlights

It will work, a 96 is GEMS and OBDII. I agree with a reset of the adaptives and altitude difference. I would absolutely think about upping the thirds ratio and possibly going 4.6 crank and rods. I can't believe it's still misfiring, we went around and around trying to figure out why on this forum, the motor has been well sorted out. I'll find the thread and post it up. Now we know who paid the five digits.......

The motor was rebuilt, it's the least tired of any I know of. Mike pulled a trailer with toys. Any Rover motor/trans struggles, especially with 3.54's in the pigs. That's a grocery getter ratio.

Thanks for the info fellas ... I will work on some of these ideas and let you know.... I am going to try and run codes tomorrow// see if i get anything....... talked to a disco shop here in town and they suggested throwing in a new chevy motor... sigh

I agree with every one else that it's not a hot rod. I live at 2500ft and drive up to 8k feet at times and its not a powerful motor. I rebuilt mine too just about a thousand miles ago and while it does have "more" power it's still a slow lane crawl up some of the grades I have to go up and that's on stock tire sizes. If you got no codes, its not overheating and your rocking those big tires then ya sounds like everything works fine to me.
And I have used robertf's program to reset my adaptive values, its easy to use and works.

New LS, I like that shop already and suggest you become very friendly with them......... take the owner out for drinks.

sorry but I am seeing a big missing part here. Unless I missed it we never got it confirmed that the engine is revving freely. You say 30-35 if your lucky? at what rpms and what gear?
I have pulled a 5000 lb trailer up a big hill outside of town and it did it fine as long as I used 3rd or even 2nd. (short hill and maxed at about 50 mph)

My money is on a fuel pump in a slow death spiral. Or a filter... cause remember, these are old but free revving (British) race car engines.
anyone else?

The engine does rev fine and is not overheating.... no codes last week but now I am getting an evaporative system code P0441 evaporative emission system incorrect purge flow.... What the hell does that mean?

if you are revving it up to 3 or 4 k or more in 3rd or 2nd and all you are getting is 35mph it must be a really steep hill. Or you have other issues.
If you have a ultragauge to stick on it you may want to track the fuel trims to see if you are running way too rich and loading it up causing issues ... or I may be stretching a bit..