Just bought a 96 disco from a coworker who said it had a blown trans. To start, the car rolls when it's in park, and it was about 4 quarts low on fluid. I found a drip coming from the trans cooler, and added fluid. I put the car on jack stands and removed the wheels, now when I shift into reverse or drive, the drive shafts turn in the right directions. I give it gas, and the rotors will turn too. But, put the wheels back on, and sit it on the ground, and nothing. Put it into park and release the brake and it rolls down the driveway. Also, I'm not able to move the transfer case shifter, seems to be stuck. there are no lights lit on the dash, and no chimes or other noises. Can anyone point me in my next direction( after trying to free up the shifter) Thanks Bob

 

Transfer case is stuck in "N" position. I was able to remove the shift boot, and sneak a plastic straw from a spray can of PB Blaster down the shaft and squirt a good quantity into the works and free them up. Common for them to freeze up if not used frequently.

Here is a page from the shop manual, called the RAVE. You want to download the whole thing.

Also of course your clutches can be gone in the tranny, many Discos in junkyard are there because of blown head gaskets, tranny is really pretty stout.

 

Thanks for replying, If my transfer case was in neutral, wouldn't I not get any movement out of the drive shafts. That's the part that has me scratching my head. I thought from the get go it must be stuck in neutral, but then I was able to get the rotors to turn, in both directions, depending on if it was in "R" or "D". I just can't get it to move under load.

 

There's a certain amount of friction just from the gear oil in the transfer case. It's not unlikely that it's just the oil transfering motion. Even if it's not the case, you need that linkage working, so I'd focus on that as a first step.

 

The rolling down the driveway in park concerned me. And if turns out to just be the transfer case shifter, I would not tell your co worker.

 

still got me scratching, I got the shifter free, as far as I can tell, It seems to have full movement. I put it in all four positions, and did "D" and "R" in each. I could see the front drive shaft through the floor, it was spinning in what ever direction that matched the gear I was in. I still don't have park. Why would I not have Park, it's mechanical (right?) It does make a ratcheting sound if I put it in park right from a gear without putting it in "N" first for a second. Perhaps I do have Park, but I have a problem with my transfer case. I don't get the light on the dash when I put it in Diff Lock, and I don't get an audible warning when it's not engaged.

 

Your trans is fine, its the t-case.
The ratcheting sound is your parking prawl jumping teeth, dont do that, you're going to strip it.
Drain the t-case, remove the inspection cover and have a friend move the shifter as you watch the gears and make sure they are all moving to the correct positions.
There is a video on youtube of this.

 

Thanks. Giving that a try.

 

It's been a while, but I'm back on this project. I couldn't get the cover off to check the lock selector fork, it's too close to the trans to remove the bolts. I did remove the cover to see the high/low fork, it moves the sleeve back and forth. So, I moved to checking the fluid pressure. After having spent a day looking for a tester, then waiting for Amazon to deliver it, I then had to order a 14mm adapter and wait for that. I have 0 pressure, I hooked the gauge to the socket plug to the right (looking up at trans) I guess that is the right one to hook up to. Now I guess my question is, if I have no pressure does that affect the parking prawl. If so that would help me get a handle on this thing in my head.

 

The parking prawl is totally mechanical and no fluid pressure is needed, if it was you could only put it in park with the engine running.

I do not know the answer to your other question, sorry.