Just picked up my first Disco for $500. It is a 96 Disco and it seems to have a transfer case issue. Can drive in 4 hi/lo while locked but will not engage and move when it is not locked. It will just spin as if it is neutral.

Both shafts turn when driving and there seems to be noise coming front front shaft. TC is covered in gear oil. I am assuming it is low or empty of oil. Could this cause the problem of it not engaging while not locked?

Light on dash does not show that CDL is locked.

Looking forward to digging into to the truck and bringing back some life to it.

 

Try filling it up with some gear oil and see if that solves the problem. If it does, re-seal the Tcase and your good to go.

 

I would say check oil level or even drain it , if low or metal in oil IMO you need a transfer case, we have guys that part em out so tc is probly not to expensive

While out I recommend rebuilding the drive shafts ESP that noisy front before it let's loose and puts a hole in the trans, also check the rears for oil just for good measure

75w90 is cheap at Walmart and works in all 3

 

Thanks to both of you.

Since I am new to this, could the low oil be the cause of it not engaging into hi or low unlocked?

 

also, is it possible to fill tc , remove front shaft and drive in hi locked for 10-12 miles to my house?

thanks again

 

Removing front shaft to drive home in cdl lock Should work

Not sure adding oil will bring it back

 

I'd certainly check the fluid level, and see how much metal you have on the drain plug magnet.

 

Firstly Welcome and I think you will both love and sometimes curse working on it :P, but that can be said of any car :P. I have a 96 as well and just from mine sometimes its a little picky about how I shift it into the normal 4hi/low. I would go with what everyone said check fluid levels, and if you can clean off all the old oil/gunk and see if you can find any leak areas. Don't want to give possible false hope but I know my 79 Scottsdale 3/4 ton wouldn't shift right in the 4wd when the gear lube was a bit thin/low. Also if you can might want to check the linkage to ensure that nothing is bound up or gunked up badly. Oh and a little tip someone threw me, is that apparently the black reservoir coolant tanks are known to bust a seam, mine hasn't but might be worth a look into how much the clear tanks cost. Anyway hope this helps a little and if ya need any help and I can just give me a shout

 

Try this: unlock your diff in the transfer box. Engage first gear, and with the gear engaged, get out an look under. The truck wont move, just look under and look at both prop shafts. If one prop shaft is spinning, then you can assume that final drive is gone. You may have a broken differential or a broken half shaft, always on the end with a spinning prop-shaft.
If none of the two prop shafts are spinning, then you can assume your center diff ( inside the transfer box) is gone bang.

 

This , I always forget we are all wheel drive