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@MasonJ When I said anything else is pointless worse case you get towed out, any significant transmission,cv joint, transfer case,or engine issue is a tow out. You are in a pretty small place in the grand scheme of things. But really the biggest thing is do not be an idiot on the trails drive slow and smart, do regular maintenance and do not put stuff off. My disco has 1000's of miles off road, save for failed alternator it has always gotten me home.
For perspective an average solo day trip for me is about 50 to 60 miles off road, my land rover group regularly covers 100 to 200 miles largely off road with zero cell service. They towed a Defender with a hydrolocked engine off the Whipsaw trail here in BC, it was a good 4 hours to the highway. You are not fixing a dead engine on the trail, so have a plan to get to where AAA can tow you home.
this is where metal bumpers front and back come in handy
Consider a spare plug wire or two (long ones), ignition coil. Check all your axle breather tubes and transmission/transfer case tubes. Most of the electrical connectors are pretty water tight. You can check your bumper taillight gaskets if you like but that is not critical. Ticking only above 2250 is unusual, have you done the shop vac exhaust leak test? Tested oil pressure? Maybe check your door seals. As far as the junkyard disco's - go get everything you can. Gutter rails, a pillar, c pillar, rear bumper trim finishers, windw motors, door lock motors, sunroof motors, fuel pump, front DS, window switches, interior fuse box, ECM, BCM, IC, MAF, IACV, brake booster, Cruise module.
@MasonJ The shop vac exhaust test is simple, flip teh hose so it is blowing air instead of sucking. Stuff the hose into the tailpipe, add some duct tape to seal it up and turn it on. Run your hand around the all the exhaust joints and feel for leaks.
I'm not a wading expert but have had my own experience with it, and it nearly ended in disaster. See picture below. My advice.
Respect the recommended depth (I think 21") + wake. Read up on how to wade properly and don't push it.
Adding a snorkel is wise if you think rivers are in your future. The stock intake inlet is on the left fender behind the plastic fender well liner. This area is not low but also not waterproof. I will add that the stock airbox is not waterproof, so even with a snorkel water can still make it in unless that is waterproofed. I did a dunk test and water easily made it in from the bottom drain hole, around the air filter seal and tube connection between the box and fender. It could be that mine is old and warped, but I think the design is not intended to be waterproof, or if it was it failed that requirement.
Beyond the above, I think the D2 is pretty resistant to water if the guidelines are followed. In my excursion below I got lucky. Water entered the airbox but only enough to kill the MAF. I was still able to get home on it but it ran rich. The other lesson I learned is always check the ENTIRE depth of the crossing or mud hole before entering. I only checked the right wheel track, the left track was more than twice as deep.
Seems to me that everyone has overlooked the #1 prep item.
A functional human brain.
Don't be stupid.
Don't get yourself into situations you are not equipped to get yourself out of on your own.
Leave your testosterone at home.
Ummmmmm…….. the entire point of this thread is me saying I plan to use the truck hard and would like to know what common failures are. Aside from replacing the engine or something extremely difficult to get to in the engine bay I’m confident I could fix anything else. It’s not about testosterone? It’s about being prepared.
Air compressor, ratchet set, wrenches, driveshafts (depending on the trip), tire patch kit, fluids, jump pack, recovery gear. All I carry (spare plugs and a wire or two not a bad idea) and I need to remount my hi-lift jack somewhere as a spare tire is useless if you can't jack the car up. Axles on these aren't so simple to change out unfortunately. I can swap axles on a classic/d1/defender fast enough I'd carry spares depending on tire size. My wheeling rigs are on MT and locked in the rear with locking t-cases with armor, bumpers and winches so good maintenance will go further than carrying spare parts. I've never been stranded on a wheeling trip. Only times I've need a tow is idler pulley exploded (avoidable), dead alternator (harder to catch prior, happened on two different rigs), and water pump gave up the ghost (hard to anticipate).
you can make these pretty wade ready with a snorkel and sealing up the airbox/extending all the breather tubes to the top of the snorkel. that said better hope all your door seals are really good as soaking the inside of one of these is far from ideal.
Just about every single system in these things has a major design flaw or several, I’d advise you learn all of them before you go out so that you understand the risks.
Systems I’m aware of with significant flaws from the factory (some I’ve fixed, some are planned):
Steering system
Brake system
Sunroofs
Cowl
Evap
Gas cap (sniff for gasoline, incorrectly designed from the factory)
AC
Intake
Cooling (catastrophic consequences)
Front drive shaft (catastrophic consequences)
Frame and floor rust
Oil leaks (engine, both diffs, transfer case)
Front Differential and Transmission breathers
Throttle body cables
PCV valve
ALL plastics
Engine
CPS
Last edited by CharminULTRA; 08-01-2024 at 07:13 PM.
@CharminULTRA Your list is a list of failure points on every vehicle ever made, none of which are significant flaws on a Disco or even failure points if maintained. I would suggest you buy something else and hate it instead of a Disco.
@CharminULTRA Your list is a list of failure points on every vehicle ever made, none of which are significant flaws on a Disco or even failure points if maintained. I would suggest you buy something else and hate it instead of a Disco.
I don’t hate my Disco. These are known as high maintenance vehicles and I just listed the systems with high failure rates. High failure rate parts are design flaws by default in my mind. Am I saying something that is new information?
Last edited by CharminULTRA; 08-01-2024 at 07:49 PM.
08-01-2024 | 08:48 AM
