Hi All,
After owning a Discovery I for a long time, I am trying to get used to the
Discovery II.

When I am sitting at a stop light, I can hear a low whine all the time.
I can't hear any whine in the engine compartment...

Thinking it may be the transmission pump? Are these noisy?

Another question may be:

When sitting at a stop light in a Discovery I
and sitting in a stop light in a Discovery II

Different noises?

I know it is not the "howling monkey" as that is only on for a minute upon first starting in the morning.

My noise will increase with RPM and after about 3 to 5 miles an hour it is gone.

Actually, upon thinking about this - first gear is LOUD in the Discovery II.
You can really hear the slow shift from 1st to 2nd and then it is gone.
I bet this is the transmission whirring.

Wondering if I am low on fluid.
Too bad there is no easy way to check it.

 

Your howling monkey is a failed SAI pump, which can also have an exhaust leak burble or "low growl" sound which makes the engine sound noisier when going slow enough to hear it... Though you would hear that in the engine compartment passenger side usually.

Year? Miles? Codes?

 

I'm not sure if it's the same thing or not, but my 99 Disco II has a whine when I'm stopped with the car in drive. I thought it might be the power steering pump and I've been keeping an eye on fluid levels, etc. (had it flushed and serviced about a month ago), but with SB's comments, I'm starting to wonder if it might be something else.

I looked through the D2 Workshop Manual and I can't see where it's possible to check transmission or transfer case fluid levels. Is there a way to do that?

 

The Mark1 Eyeball and index finger. In shop manual look under maintenance. For the tranny, see attached:

 

Hmm, I think my eyeball is only a Mark 0.

Thanks for the reference. I noticed that most of the transmission service kits sold by places like AB and Rovers North include the pan gasket. Is it recommended to completely drop the pan when replacing the transmission oil/filter?

 

The filter is most difficult to extract via the drain hole, but if you build ships in bottles blindfolded I suppose it could be done.. lol

 

Thank for all the replies guys.
I like that dry humour.

Well,
Drove the truck around at lunch.
And, yes, that whine.
May be the transmission pump or torque convertor?

Did notice it is a gentle whine.
And, goes directly with RPM.

I can also hear 1st gear very well, the shift to 2nd gear.
And, I can hear 2nd gear too.
When it goes into third - completely quiet.

Did notice there may be a slight shudder in 1st gear.
Not good.
Maybe time for Lukas Transmission fix - that red stuff. I used it in a BMW
with a 22HP transmission which had a 2nd gear slip with good results.

I did put a can of it into our Discovery I which has a 2nd gear shudder at times.
I'll need to remove the transmission inspection/fill cap as Savannah pointed out in his fine PDF and report what I find.

The Girl I bought the Discovery from LIKES HORSES she told me.
I hope she was not pulling horse trailers with this DISCO II.

 

Guys,
I spent the weekend trying to figure out the growl, whine at idle on my 2001 DII.
First, I drained the transmission pan and found some slightly burnt fluid and some "silver dust".
Yet, my transmission shifts perfectly.

I spent 1/2 hour trying to remove the d***n fan again.
Had to wedge a large crescent onto the nut. And then wedge a screw driver between
the crescent wrench and the pully nuts.
5 pound Sears hammer whacked the crescent wrench to the left and the fan was finally off again.
Painful bugger that fan is.

Used a 15mm socket and a breaker bar to relax the tension on the serpentine belt.
Removed the belt from the driveshaft.

Started the Discovery II.
Closed the doors, roofs, windows.
No NOISE now.

Shifted the transmission around - no noise.

Meaning noise is -
Water pump, idler pulleys A/C or power steering.

Got a long extension.
Put on end on ear.
Other end onto a bolt holding a rotating part.

I was able to hear the evil noise from the power steering pump.

I can turn the steering left and right lock to lock.
Noise does not change.

I did remove some fluid from the PS fluid tank and - yes, as it got low - the NOISE INCREASED!!
So, when the pump was cavitation (ing) the noise got louder.

Tried NAPA power steering fluid - complete flush - no luck. Still noise.

Tried this fancy power steering fluid for Honda's and everything else - did not quiet it down.

Now - I have left the fan off.
I have ordered a new pump for $320.
All to stop a stupid noise.

Yet, you can't tell if a worse noise is on the way - if you have a power steering pump noise.
So, probably NOT your transmission.

Replace the PS pump.

Fix the noise and make it gone.
As if you have problems in the future, you want a noise to be fixed right away.
If your transmission makes a little noise and the PS pump a lot of noise - you'll NEVER hear
your transmission slowly dying.

So, I voted with the wallet - sadly to replace the pump.
Allmakes pump for $320 from British pacific in CA.

 

Before you throw the new pump in, you might want to throw some of the Lucas power steering fix in, and check or change the o ring on the pressure line. Mine would leak a bit and whine when it was cold out. I had to put a new line in, and the new o ring alone stopped the minor leak and air getting into the system and making it whine. You will need a new one when you put the pump in anyway.

 

Hi Snafu,
Yeah, tried that stuff. No change...

Went ahead and bought a pump.

Here is a video I made for you all.
You can check out the noise the pump makes.
then, I get a breaker bar and un tension the belt so that
the pump hardly spins.
Noise pretty much stops..
So, not the transmission.
Not the oil pump..

Here is the link:

Land Rover Discovery II 2 Power Steering Pump Noise test - YouTube

Pump in on the way.
I'll try to wrestle it in and see how it goes.

I'll report back..