Any advice welcome. I have a 1995 Disco with 175k. Original problems that might be related: a. car would vibrate badly when going over 65 mph. i chalked this up bad tires, but it wasn't in the budget, plus almost never took the car on highway anyway. b. There was a large clunk everytime I would go into reverse, which I thougth was probably a bad U-joint wearing out. If i let the car idle down first it wasn't noticeable.

SOooo, I was pulling out of driveway going 5 mph when a horrible grating / grinding noise started, there was an immediate drag which brought the car to a slow stop. i put in nuetral and pushed into driveway. Right now it starts fine. I checked the diff lock and it is not in nuetral. The front driveshaft (?) spins, but there is vibration in the round thing that it sticks into. When I put the car into D o R there is a slight grinding noise, but no power to wheels. When I put back into P there is a higher pitched whirring then it stops. Strange thing is I notoced power steering fluid had suirted up into hood above PS tank. Also, I jacked car up and much to my surprise the tires spin freely, whereas before they didn't. Something be broke. And it might be me pretty soon.

How do i diagnose to locate problem?

I am not that experienced--changing fluids and the occasional brake line is more my style, so please keeps at the level of novice.

HHHHEEEELLLPPPP!!! My only other option would be to tow to a dealer, where I don't even think they will let me in with my old '95--thuis is Naples, FL where the dealership is combined with bently and jaguar and you get free cappuchinos while receiving the complimentary massage, breath mint and $5,000 bills.

Thank again.

 

Send me you tele number, I'll call you right back.

 

I would like to know what happened..

 

Since the front propshaft is turning odds are you have a blown differential (the round thing that it sticks into) or a broken axle. My guess is a broken axle CV joint.
A good mechanic local to you with a shop manual for it (you can get they electronic version and print the relevant pages) can fix it.
If you want to go with used parts, www.roverguy.com, one of the most widely respected rover people in the country for used parts.

 

give you 400 for it and I'll come from Texas to pick up

 

I spoke with him yesterday, no question he took out the front diff and or drive shaft. He was going to drain the oil to see what might fall out and hasn't decided if he can do this repair himself.

 

might let him know that if he put power steering fluid in the power steering, he is going to pop a hose.

 

Thanks to the patience and advice from Mike, I draind the front diff and tested the oil by running through strainer (my wife is really happy about that. Especially after the kids ate spaghetti with that "special taste.").

Good news is that oil was clean, no metal or sparkles. Odds are now on broken axle rod or CV. I will tackle this on weekend.

No go on the $400!.....YET. Wait for me to suffer a bit more than we'll see.

 

Where are you located? I know a guy with a good front end that is wanting to sell.

 

Hello gents,

Just in case anyone was following or is researching similar problem, it was the front CV axle.

The first thing I did was try and get the diff locked to see if the rear shaft and axles were OK. The lock was stuck, so afetr hours of WD40, wacking with hammer below, squirting breaker oil from above and nothing, I said screw it and popped of the little screw allowing me to just manually change the diff lock (car has to be in nuetral but can be turned off. You want to stick your hand just above where the front driveshaft U0joint is--feel arounf for a little horizontal lever connected to a vertical metal rod.).

Car drove but with horrible clanking from front. I was able to get off front left CV axle and it was dry, smashed to pieces, metal gouged out all over, bearings falling out etc. My local yard sold me the replacement for $150, although they ended up just giving me the whole hub as it was easier for them. Not for me though--I could not for the life of me get the damn steering bar unhooked, so i ended up taking out CV axle from part and rebuilding hub.

Drives fine, I actually found that one of the caliper pistons was frozen so i fixed that. Car is now in great shape, although I now have a burning desire to open up the other side and make sure it is in decent shape, repack with axle grease, etc. Maybe next weekend after the divorce.

Kent