After the huge job of drilling, tapping and installing 20 thread inserts, arp stud kit,hg and having heads freshened up I finally got my $500 03 disco2 on the road and have put 3k miles on it to date. The ONLY real mechanical issue I've had is at highway speed, after 15+/- min of driving my t-case in nuetral warning buzzer/ding goes off. When I pull it back towards me it stops, if I keep my hand on hi-lo shifter after this starts while maintaining 70-80mph I can fell the shifter start creeping forward until warning light goes off again, if I let off gas while keeping pressure towards me,4-hi direction, all the tension and forward pressure making it creep forward goes away and it seats in it's normal position-- for about 1 min, then the whole process starts over again. She has 130k, only tranny work I've done is fluid/filter which cured reverse lag prob. I have a brand new front shaft but haven't isntalled yet. Hopefully this weekend, think it could be from shaft going? Tranny,t-case mounts,something entirely different?? Completely open to suggestions. Also 95% of my driving is around the city below 70mph and problem never presents itself then. Only hwy speed for 20+ min

 

Don't think that the shaft need replaced is the reason behind that at all. I can't remember if 03 had the cable shifter or linkage style I would check to make sure it's clean lubed and adjusted properly.

 

Shaft is on my short list of preventive maintenance and is going to be swapped regardless and will update. It's the weirdest driveline issue I've had in any vehicle. After it starts happening, if your hand is resting on the t-case selector you can feel it being pulled toward the neutral position from 25% throttle and up, let off the gas and that forward pressure goes away. I've also pulled over on the highway and shifted into 4lo, neutral then slammed it back into 4 high to make sure it's seated properly. It's almost like something is out of alignment or causing vibration that resonates up through the high low selector making it move towards neutral. I'll do some research on cable or linkage and try to take a look. I don't remember from the last time I was under her if it's easily visible or accessible but we'll check

 

Make sure the cable is lubed properly. The hi-low shifter should have a positive feel when it goes all the way back...almost a locking/detent feeling. The little clevest that connects the cable to the shifter mechanism and transfer case actuator get very rusty and cause binding, not allowing free movement...which in turn doesn't allow the shifter to move full range of movement. Hit each end with WD40 and let it soak for a while, then start working it back and forth. The transfer case end of the cable can be difficult to see, but if you look up between the transmission and front tail shaft...you will see it.

Also, pull the hi-low shifter boot on console and see if there is any obstruction there, not allowing full range of movement. While boot is off, lube with WD40. This will not help the cable ends, but will lube shifter mechanism.

​​​​​​​ Brian.

 

After work today I had to make a 60 mi trip, decided to try to beat rush hour and not wait for my fiance to get home and take her RAV4, mistake, 20 miles in the disco started in w the usual nuetral warning light, let off gas, reseat in 4high, after 20 more minutes of driving (17 miles from destination) , engine revved to 5k no power to tires. Coasted off exit, and took a quick look. F+r prop shafts + joints intact, ujoints good, something smells burnt but not the punget a-hole puckering smell of cooked tranny fluid. Vehicle rolls in park while being pushed by 1 person and sounds like a handful of nuts and bolts in the dryer. The plan this weekend is to pull props and start working my way up driveline until I find something broken. T case looks cheaper than tranny to replace, hopefully not output shaft of tranny shattered and pieces bouncing around. Truck starts no prob, tranny goes in gear, can shift hi-lo if I remember correctly but nothing past that. Didn't check to see if tranny shifts gears. I know there's no other option except teardown til I find the broken link but figured I'd bounce it off y'all while it's still raining and dark outside. :-)