I have a 1996 D1, and have owned it for less than 6 months. Around 3 months ago, I left the country for 2 months, and returned to find a horrible drivetrain rattle.

Well, a quick peek under the car showed a destroyed rotoflex. When I pulled it off, I learned that the centering bushing HAD BEEN INSTALLED BACKWARD, and my rear 3rd member was leaking from the pinion shaft.

So now, today I just finished the repair of the rear third member, the vibration still exists, and I cannot even see to spot where else things may be broken due to the vehicle leaking fluids from every possible orifice.

So here is how far I have come:
-Replaced rotoflex (was destroyed)
-Replaced centering bushing (likely the culprit of the whole mess, also mangled)
-Replaced rear third member (the pinion was starting to PULL OUT of the rear third member) and oil (was black with 'sparklies' in it)

Here is why I cannot go farther:
-Antifreeze leak, from both hoses where they interface with the metal hoses from radiator
-Oil leak, likely from the bell looking thing on top of the engine
-Leaking some type of fluid from 4 of the 8 spark plugs
-Coolant leak, from the vertical hose leaving the small reservoir mounted to the right of the radiator

When I originally looked under the car, the tranny, center diff, and engine oil pan all appeared to be leaking fluids of some description (I thought the driveline was trashed!), but now I cannot be sure since the thing is leaking everything anyway. The only thing I can confirm ISN'T totally falling apart is the front third member.

I can't really toss in the towel, so can I fix this? Thank you guys in advance.

 

First, take deep a breath and accept that your Disco is 16 years old and lived through much wear and tear. Many parts are nearing their lifespan. The cure is maintenance, but to bring your disco up to date is going to require a lot of work.

First, clean your truck well. I know first hand how underbody cleanliness dramatically influences the difficulty of maintenance. I suggest applying engine cleaner, hot pressure washing, followed by WD-40. It may take a lot of work to get it clean but will make the rest of your work much more enjoyable.

Start with one area and follow it through to completion. Then move on. In time you'll be on top and it will feel like a solid vehicle again.

 

are all of the leaks new? or did this all happen overnight (unlikely)

this sounds like a basket case though, id probably cut my losses and move on...

 

I am all over this, I can't see a thing under there (ask me about 'finding' a 3rd member drain plug buried in a 1/4" layer of crud). I am already trying to make arrangements for a pressure washer, but for now I just have rags and Dawn (ran out of solvents finishing the last job).

The leaks are surely not new, it looks like there are ages worth of encrusted fluids running down these tubes.

In the process of fixing things, I am looking for any future problems (kinda tough as a new owner). For example: the propshaft was already rebuilt, so everything got a good load of grease. I am now finding random vaccum hoses that go nowhere and I am wondering how in the world this vehicle is (was) still running.

I am getting on the cleaning, but can anyone suggest what might be causing driveline vibration after all the culprits were replaced? The only other thread I can find anywhere on the web about a case this bad was a guy who had his two triple-flanges bolted together with the rotoflex in the middle as a spacer (and that thread died).

 

The vacuum hoses you're finding are likely the cruise circuit..That cheap hose just falls apart...
The vacuum on these is pretty simple... Look on the underside of the front of the hood for the engine vacuum circuits.. Just PCV and Fuel Pressure Regulator and brakes...

Just take one system at a time.. I suggest you start with the power steering...Mine was Yuck !.. My engine doesn't leak much at all...

I'm down to fuel pump now.. Mine is running pretty well...Mostly.. A bit...

John

 

If those vac hoses have a shepherd's crook in the end of them and are near the firewall they are breathers for the diff and transfer case, another near the TC for the rear diff. Coin op car wash is a cheap pressure washer.

 

I also know what it's like to have 1/4 in, sometimes nearly 3/4 in, of crud covering everything. That's how my disco came when I bought it and if I could go back and do one thing before rebuilding nearly the entire truck, it'd be to deep clean it.

Check to see if your local DIY car wash has a hot wax setting on their pressure washers. I've found the combination of heat and pressure to be very effective and I bet the wax discourages rust.

I've also found that once you get down to thin layers of grime, WD40/Liquid Wrench penetrates and allows the thick grime to be wiped away much more easily while at the same time protecting from rust.

Don't forget to be careful around electronics and rubber seals or you'll make more work for yourself

Finally, I've found degreasers and towels to be a frustrating exercise in futility against the thick stuff.

 

AWESOME!! Just took a look at the schematics, this looks easy! Getting the Vac hoses straightened out will just be one less thing. Right now, the system needing focus is the drivetrain, but believe me, this thing will be tip-top before I am through with it.

I have a DIY car wash that I frequent for these projects not 15 miles from me, but I can't drive the vehicle more than 20mph before the drivetrain vibration gets uncomfortably strong (as in, it feels like it is going to fall apart).

I am all over the cleaning, believe me. I just need to know how else a drivetrain might vibrate if not the rotoflex/centering bushing/rear 3rd member. (If I can get the drivetrain worked out, I can get everything else sorted)


I have pics for that weird bit in all of us that is drawn to others' carnage. Red arrows show areas either soaked in vital fluids or culprits soaking the areas to begin with.

 

You can remove the problem shaft, or shaft connected to the problem area. And drive as 2 wheel drive with CDL locked. Until repairs can be done.

 

I don't know why you're having vibrations now, but if it were me I'd junk the rotoflex shaft and get a standard u-joint shaft. I think LR switch to U-joint shafts in 96 or 97. You could find one used at a junk yard, or one of our popular parts vendors (Will, Paul, Lincoln, etc), and rebuild it with good U-joints.