Was on my way to cross the border today and pick up my Terrafirma 2" MD lift for my 95 Disco and had to turn back..it started squealing as I pushed on the gas and eventually I couldn't go any faster than 60Kmh (on the flat, dont even ask about uphill).

After pulling over a couple of times and checking the coolant, oil and tranny levels as well as the belts I couldn't see anything that visually tipped me off to an issue, the engine bay was hot but my temperature gauge was holding steady in the middle.

Ended up driving a little further (hazards on) and pulling into a local mechanic shop. The owner took a quick look, at this point I had also developed a new sound from the middle of the exhaust system - his initial guess, a damaged catalytic converter that had likely busted up and pushed broken parts through the exhaust causing a blockage. This would make sense given the rattling I have been hearing the last couple of times I drove the Disco.

Here is where it gets interesting - just got a call from the mechanic, looks like the y-pipe is blocked with crap, they're going to pull it all out and just weld a straight pipe on there for now (something I was planning on doing anyway now that the BC Aircare program is set to expire). He said, it looked like the 02 sensors had been disconnected and the wires were just hanging? Would that explain my ****ty gas mileage and idle hunting? That caught me by surprise, wouldn't I see a check engine light? Should I be worried that some of the warning bulbs have been removed from the dash? I pulled the main ABS fuse and didn't get a light either??

I got the truck for a steal, I expected to find some hidden surprises but this one caught me off guard. And so it begins..

 

An update for those that are interested - got the Disco back...$200 worth of labor at a local mechanic and she's running good again, do I recommend doing a straight pipe exhaust if you have no muffler though?..Not if you want to keep the neighbors happy, she's loud!

Any recommendations as far as dash lights? Should I even worry about it at this point?

 

And here's a link to see how she sounds..