Two resources I found really helpful:
1) This timing chain write up: https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...rite-up-77138/
2) A great video explaining distributor timing where finding TDC when distributor is missing is explained:
While you're doing the timing chain change out, I'd recommend also replacing the water pump, thermostat, oil pressure sensor, and oil pump gears. FYI you'll need to drop the engine oil sump pan out as part of taking the timing cover off + it gets you easier access to the flywheel gears you'll need to jam up to take the main crank bolt off so I would go ahead and order a new sump gasket as well. Also consider ordering some new oil lines that go from the timing cover/oil pump to the radiator. Mine fell apart when removing.

A few things that were the least amount of fun:
- Taking out the fan and radiator. Would highly recommend getting a land rover classic fan removal tool. You technically don't need to take out the radiator but it really helped me visualize everything + mine was time for a driveway flush and inspection anyway.
- Getting the freaking main crank bolt off. I did not use the method recommended in the write up of turning over the engine. Seemed weird. I just a really long pipe/breaker bar and jammed a wood wedge in the flywheel gears and used all the curse words I could think of.
- Once you're sure you've found top dead center, making sure that all of the work you do on the pulleys and crank bolt don't move it out of position!

Good luck!

 

Thanks, I also found that MG youtube video, easy to understand. My main concern is throwing any timing off.

I've disassembled to the point I'm going to take the main crank bolt off. Looks like there's the pulley and behind that is a separate part (not sure what to call it but same shape and size as the pulley, mounted to the crank) that is used to mark the TDC and the rest of the timing marks. Is it a separate part on the 94-95 Disco I?

I am planning on replacing valve cover gaskets so if I mess up crank position I'll still be able to set TDC using the method the MG guy mentioned which is to visually inspect the opening and closing of the valves along with the TDC marker ( it looks like this is a part of the front cover?) If that's the case, can I just leave the oil sump pan on? Mine's grimy as can be, but hey it was added protection in the mountains of Park City, UT.

My oil pan doesn't look like it has all the horizontally mounted bolts that are part of the Disco II timing chain guide and I know there were a lot of changes for these years.

Thanks everyone so far.

 

Yeah the pulley and "harmonic balancer" I think it called both get pulled off the shaft together once you have that main crack nut off. I can't recall if they are one piece or joined by bolts. In the case where they are bolted together you don't have to mess with the bolts, the whole assembly slides off. Mine took a couple gently hits with a rubber mallet to start sliding off.

Regarding the oil pan to oil pump cover: if I remember correctly the forward two bolts in the pan (facing vertically) thread into the bottom of the oil pump cover. I dropped my pan all the way off but I remember reading you could just remove those two bolts in front and then slacken the rest of the oil pan bolts so that the oil pump cover can be maneuvered away from the block.

Good luck with that crank bolt! Let me know if you try the wild west trick of cranking the engine over with a wrench on there.

 

I ended up working on the discovery in front of my sister-in-laws house in nice neighborhood and the neighbors weren't digging me. I started taking everything apart and go to taking the oil pan and front cover off but then decided everything else was running great and just needed to get her running again. I put everything back together. Pulled the old dizy out. Aligned the harmonic balancer to TDC (finally was able to find it location. I bought a oil filter removal tool, like the one in the MG youtube video), but that didn't work well for me. I just put some gloves on and turned it by hand. Installed the distributor. Cranked it. I was a full rotation off. So I removed the new distributor. Cranked the engine (2 strokes) 360 degrees. Reinstalled new distributor. Crank the engine and it started. Did the timing with strobe gun. And everything has been good. Good luck anyone else. Hope this helps.