Hi all,

Have a 95 Disco -5 speed manual - 161,000 miles.

When I drive it - and am accelerating - there is a real "hard shift" from gear to gear. Seems to be worse 1st - thru 3rd....4th not as bad, OD hardly at all....

When I say "hard shift" I mean as I let at the clutch, and apply gas, you can hear the gear "slam" into place.

If I am slowing down, and I down shift, letting out the clutch slowly (using compression to assist in slowing) it does not doe this.

I notice a similar feeling / sound if I am driving, have very little to no pressure applied to the gas pedal (coasting in gear,) then apply gas - it engages very hard....

Not sure if tranny fluid has ever been flushed - or if so, when the last time was....

Any suggestions on what this could be, and what I can do to fix it?

Thanks,
Muskrat

 

I dont think it is the transmission, this sounds like lash in the driveline.
Could be a bad u-joint, diff, t-case.
Start by doing a inspection of the drive shafts making sure all the u-joints are good as well as the rotoflex.

 

If you don't know when the fluid was changed, what are you waiting for to change it?

That applies to every fluid in the vehicle. Your T-Case will clunk really bad if it is low or fluid is old and nasty.

Refresh it all as soon as possible or you are inviting disaster.

 

New info - My DISCO came with a box in the glove box that had every receipt for approximately 2 years....it had a CD in this box that has pictures of the heads being redone, as well as the timing chain being done. One of the previous owners was **** about maintenance and records and left the following list (most can be verified by the receipts)

"Replaced"
- Fuel Filter
- Radiator Flush
- Motor oil flush
- light bulbs
- fuel line hoses
- h2o hoses
- thermostat
- cylinder heads redone
- gaskets - all
- h2o pump
- alternator
- window lift ecu
- window track rollers
- driver & passenger door locks
- timing chain and gear
- oil sump & pickup cleaned
- spark plugs
- plug wires
- injector cleaner - every fill
- expansion tank & cap
- wipers
- air filter
- timing belt
- lifters, push rods, injectors cleaned
- oil change - every 2k - lucas oil
- TRANSMISSION FLUSH
- Power steering hoses & flush
- gas vent cap
- head gasket and new tensile strength bolts
- exhaust flange gaskets & bolts

This is a complete list and quoted word for word....

I am curious (and a bit scared) why he sold it after all that - I have his number from receipts and plan on calling him.. (there is an oil leak in the front cover, seems like that should be covered by the shop that did the heads??)

Did he miss anything that I should be concerned with, or that would explain the hard shifts?

Thanks in advance....
Muskrat

 

Well since there is no timing belt on the truck was that a mis print and they meant serpentine belt?

They do not say anything about the u-joints.

 

Yes, misprint - sorry. He did say timing chain and gear on his list...also serpentine belt.

I will check out the u-joints....anything else "missing", or any reason I should be worried?

Thanks

 

Never worry, its a waste of energy.

Just remember to KISS.

K eep
I t
S imple
S tupid

Thats means start with the small, cheap easy stuff and work your way up from there.

 

I think you made out like a bandit, don't complain or whine. It is yours now. Enjoy it. What he had done was probably 3 to 4 times what you paid for it.

 

Hey,
So i Have a 94 disco and it is a manual as well. I know what you are talking about with the loud noises. I have not done the transmission fluid change yet but I will let you know how/if any changes appear once I complete the maint. From what I hear though the manual transmissions in these trucks are themselves very large and driving it smoothly will take you some time. I have a bit of lag in my driveline as well though. Hopefully after putting new tranny fluid in it will be smoother.

 

The R380 like Redline MTL, not the ATF as spec'd in the owners manual. Land Rover did a TSB to change to MT fluid, but for some reason it appears to have never made it to the US.
The clunk could be any number of things. Could be driveline slop, could also be suspension bushing, including the A-frame ball joint. With that sort of mileage, definitely check the bushings.