Hello All,

I just bought my first Land Rover Discovery. It is a 1997 that has lived the majority of it's life in AZ. There are some cosmetic items that need to be addressed on the interior but the exterior and mechanicals are in good shape for now.

The first exposure I had to this forum was to help diagnose a front-end vibration that only appeared when accelerating. The majority of the threads said to check the drive-shafts however in the end the problem was that the transfer case was low on fluid. I'm stumped on how it got so low as since it was topped off there are no leaks. (Aliens? )

Anyway, I'm looking forward to checking out the forum in greater detail and getting some great technical advice.

Chuck D1

 

Transfer case oil is also in the axles - see RAVE manual for parts breakdown, you could have a leaky seal that is not right at the diff case itself. There is an axle breather tube that comes out of a banjo bolt, remove bolt and clear out, if caked with mud the diff oil fumes and force oil out of seals, maybe worse on rear than front.

But the main thing is that you're here now, so enjoy the download of the shop manual, called the RAVE, don't trust the temp gauge above 9:00, and post in the other parts of the forum. Welcome. Send photo from where you climbed the Meteor Crater, just don't let the NPS catch you....

 

Great thoughts, and ironic that you mentioned the axles. The front passenger wheel bearing was leaking out the hub cap so I rebuilt the bearing, seal, and replaced with new fluid. I took off the breather hose and cleaned it before reassembly. I took it for a test drive and it was still vibrating under load. Uggh.

After reading the forum for a bit I took off the drive shafts and checked the u-joints. Luckily both were upgraded with serviceable fittings. I topped off the grease and re-installed. Took it for a test drive and it was still vibrating under load. Uggh.

As an almost last resort I checked the transfer case and discovered it was very low on fluid. I drained/replaced with new fluid and checked the mounts. Took it for a test drive and it was purring like a kitten.

It's been about 2 weeks and I haven't noticed any leaks from the wheel bearings, diff, or transfer case. I'm stumped as to how all were low on fluid but it is remedied now.

Thanks for the tip on the temp gauge - I'll keep a close eye on it during the summer. It is supposed to be 111 on Tuesday so I'll know real soon if there is a weak spot in the system.

 

Good luck. I love my 97 even though I really hate it sometimes.

 

What part of AZ are you in?

 

I'm starting to know the feeling! I've been into BMW's for years so I'm no stranger to turning a wrench but I've only owned it for a few weeks and I've already been knee deep in the drive train. At least it is fun to drive!

 

Central Phoenix - and it is going to be miserable this week. Looks like only one day under 110.

 

i just bought the exact same rig.my very first LR.welcome fellow newby!