Okay, so my 2003 Disco II had trouble starting the other night. Fortunately I was home. Battery was low from all the short trips I've taken. Gave the pretty new 800 CCA Interstate Battery (sticker on it says 2/16) a 36 hour slow 2 amp trickle charge. Re-installed the battery and the car started right up immediately.

Now here's the bonus. Ever since I got the car 4 months ago, I would clunk into reverse on a cold start. Guess what? The clunk is now completely gone. Smooth shifts all the way around. Pretty cool for a simple full battery re-charge. Just thought I would pass the tip around.

So far, I'm more than pleased with my $2,300 Disco II with 85k. It's a pleasure to drive and just found out it came with a pretty new battery too.

 

Glad you're sorted but the clunking into reverse is totally unconnected to recharging the battery more to do with the resting point of the drivetrain when the truck is finally stopped and engine switched off. It's more to do with backlash in the drivetrain which is pretty common on D2's.

 

It's a pretty serious "clunk" on the D2. One of the ECU re-mapping companies states that with their programming the clunk is almost eliminated. Maybe one of these days I will send mine off. I usually get anxious when I have to shift from P to R but I have recently found that if I shift into Reverse immediately after the engine starts then the "clunk" is much lighter/softer..by a LOT.

 

To reduce the clunk try putting it in neutral first and then reverse.

The clunk is worse in the colder months of the year as the ATF thickens up. Re-programming won't eliminate the transmission backlash in the system only new components can do that ................ if you're lucky

 

I have tried going from Neutral and still harsh enough to make me flinch. You could be wrong about that. There is no "backlash" that I'm aware of. The fuel isn't being cut at the shift so eventually the splines wear down on the coupling of tranny output to transfer input. If the fuel is cut the engagement would be much softer and then the splines wouldn't be wearing down at the coupling. that's what I think about it, anyway. I'm sure that's what they do on the ECU...program the engine to cut fuel on the shift from Park to Reverse, right?

 

Chubbs, if it works go for it but make them prove it to you first, i.e the no cure no pay routine.

 

No clunk on my D2. Is it broken?
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Sounds like you overfilled your Trans fluid. I'd slowly drain a little till you feel a harsh "clunk" while shifting from P to R

 

Trans level OK. Probably just not enough power to make the clunk using 87 octane fuel.
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