I bought my truck in Casper Wyoming sight unseen. Left town and hit some really long grades and was really impressed how the little V8 held speed for truck. I was expecting serious lag. Holding 70 was not a big deal. Now this wasn't I 70 heading up to the Eisenhower tunnel but was 5000' . I also was not in a hurry and pushing it, let the Disco get there on its own terms. I have had and still have various BMW's for years and hitting the rev limiter on those is normal. Nothing beats BMW inline 6 for silky smooth power up high.

 

I have had 2 disco 2s, both similarly modified, 3 inch, running 32s off-road bumpers winch etc, the 2000 had serious problems with the grades in colorado, 45 mph max in 292nd gear on anything over 6% grade, the 2004 just screams in comparison, I can accelerate up nearly any grade and it rarely sees second gear,

If I lived in flat country the 4.0 would be adequate, but going really slow up a mountain grade can be nerve racking and dangerous with every whole with a faster vehicle trying to run you off the road.

 

my experience has been the same.

my '01 with the 4.0 just feels inadequate sometimes.

the '04 with the stock 4.6 does so much better.

the '04 with the 4.6 and the Crower cam does best.

 

Reporting back after about a week or two. After replacing spark plug #5 and filling up with premium, the CEL has gone away.

I plan to do magnecore 8mm wires + plugs SOON though. haven't been driving the disco much.

thanks for the recommendations in this thread everyone.

 

I do notice better gas mileage running premium in my D1 on long trips - not sure about ethanol blend vs 100% gasoline as there are not enough stations that carry 100% gas cross-country to test well - there is a local home-base station that has it and I usually fill up with it - city driving not a real good way to compare - might have to go back to ethanol blend premium at the Sam's Club as gasoline is up nearly a $1 a gal and Sam's is best price in town