My Discovery I shuts down within few minutes and was diagnosed by the local LR dealer with broken fuel pump. Since the quoted cost is $1300, I will have to get it back home and learn to fix it myself.

I have a working Discovery II with original hitch (5000 pound rating?). Have a tongue/ball with 7500 pound rating mounted on the hitch. Can I rent a tow bar or dolly to tow the broken Discovery I with my Discovery II?

Just switch the transfer box on discovery I to neutral? Any safety concerns such as turning over or hard to brake?

Thanks

 

The fuel pump is not that hard to replace at all! A) unhook the battery, make sure you have radio code if you have the original radio! Just take up the carpet in the back, fold the padding up and unscrew the access panel that is in the floor. Once you do this take a small hammer with a crow bar and tap the metal plastic ring so it loosens up. Once it loosens up it unscrews and the pump comes right out. Pull it out, take the seal off the old pump and put it in the hole so its now sealed up, put the new pump in. The seal is the hardest part to get right. If you try to put it around the pump then put it in your going to have one heck of a time. I'm not saying you can't do it that way... I'm just saying its more difficult. As far as pulling the DI home, I would think you need to A) you can do the tow dolly but you need to take the rear drive shaft out. *I think* If you do the tow bar I think you have to take the bumper off. Make sure you put the key in it so the steering column is unlocked! The fuel pump is no where near a $1300 job. You can get them from parts people on here for less than a hundred. Or buy this one at Atlantic British: Land Rover Fuel Pump Kit Fits Range Rover Classic & Discovery Vehicles

 

Don't tow the Discovery I.
You can.
But, you'll put unneeded wear on your transmission.
oilspotLR is correct.
Pull up the carpet.
There is a little round access cover.
Take that off.
Get a shop vac and get ALL the dirt off of the cover. Or it ends up in your fuel tank.
The ring is tricky.
I did this in 2001 or so.
You need to tap it counterclockwise.
Then it all lifts out as a huge assy.
Unclip fuel lines (2) the wiring plug.

Put the new one in.
You are on your way..
There is a fuel filter on Discovery I under the right rear wheel - way up in there on the frame rail.
You may want to change that out too.

I changed the Discovery I fuel pump out at around 80,000 miles for an unrelated problem.

I ran my SAAB electric fuel pump to about 190,000 miles before it failed.

 

You could probably do it in the dealers parking lot but they might not like that at all! lmao!

 

I'm pretty sure you'll be over the rated towing capacity for a trailer with no brakes, but you can tow the disco with the transmission in park and the transfer case in neutral. This keeps the transmission from turning and you'll have no issues with wear or lubrication. The transfer case is lubricated by the gears turning in oil, so it should be fine.

 

That's what I'd do... or I'd push it somewhere on a public street, if parking is allowed.

 

LAND ROVER PARTS - FUEL PUMP/SENDING UNIT RANGE ROVER & DISCOVERY

$99.99.

 

Is this because the transfer case supplies torque to transmission hence the transmission doesn't need to be in neutral?

Both front and back axes of the Discovery I will be rotating as it is being towed. As long as Discovery I's transfer case is in neutral, these axes are rotating in oil freely without being connected to the transmission or the crankshaft? Hence the reason for no wear at all?

 

My local Napa has no LR pump. An import parts store I called said they can special order it. In any case, I have no way to attempt the repair job in LR dealer parking lot now, even if I have the skin.

I wonder if the LR dealer was able find it's a fuel pump issue within ten minutes either via some computer diagnostic tool or mechanic's experience.

If so, having already paid the hourly fee, I rather regret not telling them one electric fuse is permanently unplugged in my Disco I to prevent an electric leak that drains battery.

 

That's a great price. Do you think it can be used for my automatic 97 Discovery I with
VLR1124AYPFE - Advanced Evaporative Loss System

mentioned from

Land Rover Fuel Pump Kit Fits Range Rover Classic & Discovery Vehicles
Important Emissions System Information For The Land Rover Discovery