Pete Attryde

Mike, New box is coming Wednesday, So I am planning to take the later part of next week off to swap it over. Thanks for the offer of both your box and the use of the unit. I will leave the box as I am getting an ashcroft recon which should last longer than the rest of the vehicle, and as I have already started stripping the transmission down I will have to do the job here. Your help would be appreciated when ever you are available. Pete

Thanks Tony, I have had a further conversation with Ian Ashcroft and it would appear that the box has failed . There is a known weak point within the box which would cause the symptoms. So I have ordered a new gearbox. I have to say that I am so far hugely impressed with Ashcrofts service. Pete

Further investigation (with pointers from Ashcrofts). I removed the bell housing cover and with the engine running checked if the torque convert was spinning (it is) to help eliminate the flex plate. also checked if stub shaft was turning with the I/p gear removed (it isn't), am now waiting for a further call back. I also checked the oil level and it is correct and reasonably clean. Any one else think of anything I can check? I think this is going to hurt my wallet Pete.

Right pulled the pto cover and removed the i/p gear, pleasantly suprised to find a cross drilled gear with splines in good condition and the stub shaft splines are also in good nick. I put a spanner on the bolt in the end of the stub shaft and stuck the box in park and upon turning the stub shaft got a definate click as the park brake engaged and the stub shaft stopped turning. So looks as though it's either the gearbox or the torque converter or the flex plate then. Keep the ideas coming Pete.

Well it looks like my intial diagnosis might be right after all. I have just jacked a front and rear wheel of the ground and put difflock in and with the hand brake off but the gearbox in park I can't turn the wheels, if i take it out of diff-lock I can turn the rear wheel and the front one turns as well. with all for wheels off the ground with the engine running I can select any position on the gear selector and I get no drive . I also get no nasty noises, there might be a slight hum coming from the front of the gearbox, bell housing area but thats all. anyone got any ideas? Pete.

Right got the vehicle back and whilst un-loading from the flat-bed tried the in park and see if it rolls thing and it still rolls , so I thank Cipx for the pointer as it looks likely that the stub shaft splines have gone. Just waiting for Dave at ashcrofts to call back and i'll order a new stub shaft and a crossdrilled gear for the 1.4 transfer box I have sat in the shed and hopefully I'll be mobile soonish. Pete.

Yeah thought of that, The pipes are less than a year old and there was no sign of fluid loss so I don't think it's that. Thanks anyway. Pete.

Cheers Mike, When I get it back (hopefully before lunch) I'll investigate a bit further and will give you a call. Yes it is ZF4HP22. This may set back the re-wire plans for this weekend Pete

The thread was only put in the archive by White 90, I wrote it . To fit a four bolt flange you will need a spacer as the flange is a different length (the three bolt one is slightly longer) I cut a bit off the three bolt flange to make the spacer up when I fitted the four bolt flange. HTH Pete.

Ah ok, I'll try that when I get the vehicle back tommorow. Thanks. Pete.

Cipx Nope I didn't try that. what would this tell me? Bogmonster No noises at all actually no warning just a soft clunk and no go. Pete.

Cheers Mark, I guess it's time for a trip to spec savers as I can and did miss it when I looked earlier Thanks Ralph. Pete.

Evening all, Well it was my turn to get the big yellow taxi home tonight as my 1996 Discovery 300TDi auto lost all drive. Driving along quite normally at about 30mph just accelerating gently as I was leaving a 30 limit there was a gentle clunk and I had no drive. I pulled on to the verge and tried the following things to see if I could get any drive:- 1. put in diff-lock (to eliminate a stripped drive flange) resulted in no drive and no horrible noises. The engine rev'd freely. 2. Put it in to low ratio. Same result as 1 above. 3. put it back into high and took out difflock and selected reverse. Again resulted in no drive and no horrible noises. 4. Selected 1st rather than D. Again no drive and no noises. 5. Gave up and rang the RAC. resulted in two hour wait for the tow-truck but at least the sent a sensible sized flat bed to pick me up on the first attempt. Whilst waiting for the tow-truck I checked that there is oil in the gearbox (which there is although I can't say if it's the right amount as I was stopped on a slope and the box was warm) and then contemplated what might be wrong and I think that my Torque converter has probably failed as I would have thought that if a clutch pack in the box had failed I would still have been able to get reverse. I am not very familiar with Auto's so can one of you lot with more experience help me out. I will be calling Ashcrofts in the morning but I would like to be able to give as much info as possible. Just to put a smile on my face when the tow-truck arrived the bloke driving got out and tells me his gearbox had also failed as he could not get reverse, Still pick me up and we managed to get most of the way home with only one gear at about 20mph. He could off-load my Discovery as where I live he would have been trapped, so he took the truck and my Discovery back to the depot and I should be getting it back by lunch time tommorow. Sorry about the long post, Pete.

Go on then how do you change it after you reach 500 posts then? Pete.

Here is how I did mine taken from our tech archive Rear prop flange thread. Hope this helps Pete.

Lifted from the Ashcroft Transmissions website "I have a 4 speed ZF Auto and it sticks in first gear in the morning or when cold and is reluctant to change up from 1st gear. Once the gearbox has warmed up it shifts normally. We have noticed many customers reporting this fault starting a few days after an oil and filter change and after researching this using our experience and the expertise of others in the trade we have come to the conclusion that as ATF oil is a detergent type oil, when the oil is changed this will dislodge and stir up settled debris in the autobox which in turn jams the governor valve. In light of this although it sounds controversial it is debateable if changing the oil and filter is a good idea, some say if the box it going to fail it will fail if the oil is good or bad and their advice is leave it alone. I am still undecided but the truth is I get a lot of calls from customers thinking they are looking after the autobox by servicing it and a few days later this fault occurs." However I changed the very brown oil in mine not long after I got it and have to say that the box got a lot smoother after the oil change. HTH Pete.

You can get aftermarket door solenoids for a lot less than £96. I have a couple of the 2 wire ones from these people in mine and will soon be getting a 5 wire one as my drivers door is also playing up. They are a direct physical fit and the wireing is easy to work out. HTH Pete.

I would agree if it was a 300TDI however it's a TD5 so not the same, . Sorry can't help as I know nowt about TD5's Pete.

The diff's and transfer box will be EP90. Main box Ashcrofts recommend Dexron 2 or 3 which is ATF for the LT77, I suspect the R380 will be the same, as is the Auto box if yours is an auto. Pete.

I am about to sell my bike (due to not using it) I built it up a couple of years ago. It based on a hand-made Italian frame made by Simple bikes. It's a 16" frame so quite small. It has Hope hydraulic disc brakes front and rear. Rockshock Pike forks on the front. Drive Train is a mix of Truvativ, Shimano and SRAM. (Basically picked the good bits from the ranges to suit my pocket and requirements. It has Halo wheels which are very strong but not heavy. I'm looking for a bit more than £200 (was thinking about £350 ono). PM me if your interested. (I am coming down to Horsham the weekend of the 5th of April so could bring it down with me) HTH Pete.

Orange, if you decide to sell it I would be interested in giving it a home. I sure it is homesick for its old bumper . Pete.

The "special" clip was probably a scotch lock (usually blue and crimped with a pair of pliers) these things are IHMO the worst invention ever as they can lead to all sorts of wiring issues including fires. I would suggest not using them, ever. It is far safer and more reliable to either use a decent splice crimp or (my prefered method) to solder and then insulate with either insulation tape or heat shrink sleeve. HTH Pete. P.S. I used to wire vehicles (Fire engines, Cars, Helicopters and Airliners) for a living so do have some relevant experience.

As the tyres are the same size I can't see it being a problem as a get you home option, Especially when you consider the horrible space saver spares a lot of new cars now come with. Pete.

I'll second that. Pete.

As the esteemed Bogmonster says do a search. They won't fit straight on you will have to trim the wheel arches (camel cut) and adjust the lock stops. Pete.