Hello Everyone!

Some of you might remember me as having a 1996 Disco that I was fixing up. Recently I came accross a steal (1998 Disco LE for 800 bucks).

Cosmetically, it is beautiful.

Here are the mechanical issues. My intent is to document this repair so that others can learn from the fixes I have to preform while I seek advice from this community.

And here we go...

First, let's start with codes. The folloing is a list of codes and thier correlating GEMS manual descriptions:

P0130 Oxygen Sensor Circuit Malfunction (Period) Bank 1 Sensor 1
P0301 Misfire Cyl 1
P1177 Long term fuel trim too rich, banks 1&2 (FMFR)
P1179 Long term fuel trim too rich, banks 1&2 (AMFR)
P1316 Excess Emissions Misfire Fault
P1317 ABS - rough road signal line permanently at ground or open circuit
P1448 Evaporative Emission system 2 fault
P1496 Evaporative Emission system 1 fault

By the numbers... the O2 issues (P1177,P1179,P1316) I am all-too familiar with. Generally with 1177 & 79 I would start with a tune up. But with the Sensor circuit failing (P0130) I am going to go ahead and say this is a sensor problem, specifically probably a short somewhere. I would love ideas on this.

The ABS fault seems like a fairly straight forward problem.

The Evap is the most tricky. It could be a vacuum leak or less likely a purge valve. There is some corrosion in the Cruise Control vacuum line. "Some" is probably a gross understatement since the line is all but dust. I imagine that conditions that created this problem could easily have spread to the evap system. So, start with the vacuum (start, run to temp, check with starer fluid?) and then purge valve?

Okay, moving on to mechanical. The steering is horribly misaligned. I don't hear any real evident pops though. Seems like maybe tie-rod or drag link was replaced and it was never re-aligned. Tire wear seems to conform to this theory. But is there something else I can be checking? I want to repack the swivel joints, and do some routine maintenance on the steering and suspension anyway so if someone has ideas on things I should look for as I break it down, that would be super.

Lastly, it seems that the dome lights, and windows do not operate. I havn't checked the fuses yet (with everything dead I figure that's the first place to look). But where should i start with a DVOM in trouble shooting that. I figured start on the outside of the switch (between switch and window) then work toward the fuse box.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

1179 can be related to the evap/vacuum issue. I got it when I bypassed my charcoal cannister. I was hoping to vent the fuel tank directly to the manifold vacuum, not constant, but regulated by the purge for the cannister. The problem is when the vent switch opens, it throws 1179. You could be getting the same problem if the vacuum lines are leaking or the cannister is bad.

For the alignment, just use a measure tape and toe the front edge of the rims a sixteenth of an inch wider than the rear edge, loosen the TRE for the drag link and center the steering wheel.

 

Cruise control has nothing to do with engine vac, it's a stand alone system with it's own vac pump.

Purge valve are known to stick and throw codes. Check the lines and clean the valve as best you can, probably better off replacing it.

Check swivel preload and wheel bearings(just jack it up and tug at the wheel, no need to tear it apart yet). If you can find free play in the bearings or steering linkage perhaps the box or some of the steering linkage was replaced by a neanderthal? Spend the time to find where anything loose is, no sense trying to align something that moves.

The electrical issue are only as hard to repair as you make them. First check ALL the fuses in ALL the fuse boxes. Next I would check for power at the proper switches, that way you know to either trace back toward the fuse if no power or trace to the end of the circuit. If you don't already have the ETM then download the RAVE.

 

binvanna and Higgs,

Thanks for your responses. Here is an update:

I took the wheels off and inspected the swivel joints. There was a lot of play as I was jostling it around so I am thinking that the assembly should be rebuilt. A friend of mine who has a D2 called it a "trundle bearing". This confused me since I have found no reference to it online.

As far as the cruise control, I know it is a stand alone system. I was commenting on the deterioration of the lines themselves. That lends to the idea that other unrelated vacuum lines could be just as corroded.

Electrically, all fuses are fine. So, I am going to do what you suggest and start checking current at the proper switches. My DVOM took a dump so I will head down to Napa a bit later and get a replacement unit.

Lastly, have a look at the picture that I have attached. Do you see those two open lines? I tried to trace them back and they go toward the back of the vehicle over the transmission. They are a hardened plastic. I have no idea what they do, but I am nervous as to why they have been severed. Any thoughts?

 

They're not severed, they are vents for the transmission and transfer case, they have the "shepherd hook" at the top to prevent water from entering when you cross rivers.

 

Oh! Awesome. That's a load off. Thanks!