My 03 Disco has a strange symptom, after coasting on a downhill or simply letting off the accelerator, when I accelerate again it feels and sounds as if the rear diff is engaging very roughly, with a fairly noticeable clank.

has anyone had this problem or have any ideas?

 

Sounds like what mine does if I'm rough with the accelerator or my wife drives it.

Sometimes happens when it down shifts from braking hard. Into a corner maybe.

As I can control my clunk I don't do anything about it. I've been under and fiddled with drive shafts. Nothing.

Diff oil is new and full.

I was waiting to see if it develops into anything. Be interested what you find if you are forced to find the problem.

 

I would say that I am seeing the symptoms under the same conditions haha

like yourself my diff is full, shaft and u joint are greased, no play in u joints,
rotoflex appears OK (ish),

I would agree that i generaly feel the same about avoiding causing it to happen by driving reasonably. But honestly i find myself driving unreasonably from time to time and it just annoys the heck out of me. Im am determined to find the solution... somehow.

please post if you find yourself fixing it as well

 

My thread at the time it was irritating me. Might help.

https://landroverforums.com/forum/discovery-ii-18/knocking-only-my-wife-can-make-69795/

 

I'm pretty sure that is your transmission. Mine does it too, sometimes, and it feels like it is coming from the back. Maybe if I sleep I'll remember the name or function that wear out over time and fails to take up the slack when you re engage... can't think of it at the moment.

 

replacing the front diff and axle shafts, ill let you know what comes of it.

 

I've seen a lot of transfer case chains make noise like that. You should probably pinpoint the problem before replacing anything. There are lots of things that can cause noises like that.

 

Have you checked and topped off your transmission fluid?

 

I took it into a shop that in my experience has been very good at diagnosing issues in the past. and they informed me that the front diff has a considerable amount of play in it. my transmission was just serviced 5k ago and is not leaking so i really doubt that it is a fluid level issue. honestly i have no problem replacing the diff and axle shafts considering that the vehicle has 120 k on it, i figure a few grand or so a year on maintenance is a fair trade for a car payment. that being said Im going to give it a go. If in fact it is a transfer case issue i have planned on doing a swap in the relatively near future since i have an 03.

 

The Disco II is known for its driveline "clunk". It's the sum of all the backlash and play from the driveline, and it's normal. When we bought ours, a few years ago, I almost came to blows with the service manager at the Land Rover dealership about it. But after reading extensively about the clunk on the forums, and after 4 years of hearing it on the Disco and also on my 2011 VW CC 4-motion, I am now convinced it's normal and also harmless.