Silverbake

Diff lock has seized solid a couple of times on my 3.9 V8. After trying all the forward/reverse tricks I ended-up stripping out all the centre console in the cab to expose the top of the selector box, then simply forcing the lever back into place. Second time I had to use a gentle tap with the sledge hammer: the end of the horizontal selector pin (sorry - not very technical) had siezed in the left hand side of the box. Having done it all once and thought it was sorted for ever, the second time I drowned the whole shebang in transmission fluid before reassembly. Now I make a point of engaging and disengaging whilst driving at least once a week (making sure I'm on a straight bit of road) to keep it all free and happy. So far so good.

V8 Disc 1 with auto box. When I engage diff lock, the dash light comes on as expected and seems fine. However, individual wheels can still spin. Is the diff simly not locking, or could there be another reason? Any advice gratefully received. Silverbake.

So there I was, half a mile from the nearest road and deep in the woods. I was happily paying-out my winch cable to fix to tree that needed to be pulled down, when the winch began to labour. Not under load, just unwinding. I started the engine to give the battery a boost, and kept going. All of a sudden, the winch stopped, the engine stalled, and the doors locked themselves! (Key in the ignition, spare 40 miles away on the kitchen wall). All windows and doors properly shut. BoLL**Ks! After ten minutes reluctantly considering smashing the rear quarterlight, a mate who was with me took a strand from a nearby barbed-wire fence and somehow managed to feed it over the top of the door and down to the lock button, where the curved tip of the wire pushed against the tiny dimples and CLICK, all open again. He says he's a retired chemist, but I have my doubts. Whatever, a lesson learnt: make sure there's a window open before using the winch from outside the car. But: why did the doors lock? I'd love to know.

You're going to love this...........NOT! I've had precisely the same thing happen several times on my '97 V8. Just occasionally, I turn the key and its simply dead. All lights, etc work fine, but no starter motor at all. Tried all sorts to no avail. Then suddenly, it just works again for no apparent reason. There's many reasons why a starter motor might pack-up, but in my case, I'm pretty sure the answer lies not in why it won't start, but in why it suddenly starts to work again when the only thing I've done is to go away and leave it for some deep thought. I reckon I've got it sorted now: Its all to do with the immobiliser and the key remote. Some strange and random combination of opening and unlocking doors seems to throw it into a sort of "anti-theft" mode. The answer? Just open the driver's door, use the remote to lock and unlock with the door open (you may get an odd electronic tweet from under the bonnet) then back in the ignition and away you go. The last three times its happened to me, this has worked straight away. Try it for yourself and see. If it works for you too, I'd love to know, because somewhere in the deep dark places at the back of my mind, there's a little knot of doubt that it can be such a simple fix. Silverbake.

Hi. The strength depends on the spec of the sheet (alloy, temper, etc). I wouldn't recommend 1mm, as even the hardest spec would deform between the supports if you walked around on it. I buy ally sheet for my fabrication business. I've got some old stock on the shelf in 2mm 3103 H14 which will probably be fine for strength, BUT its in 2500mm x 1250mm sheets, so won't fit the width in one shot. If you don't mind an overlapped joint, I can do what you need from two lengths @ say 2050 x 700mm, giving you a 50mm overlap. These would weigh a total of 15.56Kg and I would be happy to supply and cut a couple for a £35 cash donation to our local children's hospice (Acorns). Alternatively, how about leaving a 50mm gap down each side and using a single 2050 x 1250 piece? That would weigh just under 14 Kilos. Our factory is in central Birmingham, and if you could collect, it would make life easy. If that's a problem, I could get it sent down to Chippenham (where my supplier has a branch). Let me know what you think. Silverbake.

I've had similar ideas about a camper conversion, with the added thought of having the floor extendable out to raech as far as the edge of the open door, then forming a tent around it all. However, I went down to the Peterborough Show a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed by the roof tents on show.... until I saw the prices! Just as I was about to leave, I saw a small, private outfit selling a few tents they'd shipped-in direct from the Chinese manufacturer and at about half the price of the competition. A quick inspection impressed me enough to part with a deposit and last weekend I got the tent. Fitted it yesterday onto a set of new heavy duty roof bars, and took it to the woods. It's very impressive both in design and build quality: Sadly, they'd run out of the extra skirt bit to enclose the ladder, but say they be bringing some more in soon. If you're interested, I'd be happy to give you their details. Silverbake.

My 3.9 V8 idles at nearer 850 rpm on petrol, and holds the same when I switch to LPG. As this seemed high, I tried reducing the rpm on petrol, but found the same problems you've had. Back up to 850 and all seems fine, if a little thirsty! Silverbake

Hi Roland I've had my V8/LPG for just over a year. I also commute daily - a run of about 8 miles - and get almost exactly the same figures as you. I'm not 20 though, and haven't been for a long, long time! What is clear, is that the V8 is a great engine, but NOT suited to slow-moving, stop-and-start traffic. Earlier this year I took mine to Frankfurt, fully loaded (and I mean FULLY) with an adult passenger and a load of gear (we even had to remove the back seats to fit it all in). On the Autobahns, cruising for hours at 70 - 80 mph we managed a record of about 17mpg. With the price of Autogas in Germany, that was the equivalent of almost 40mpg on petrol. Great. If you want to go to Germany! I've tried to reduce consumption by removing the roofrack, but it made no difference. And neither does the amount of weight I'm carrying (see above). Bottom line? It's Bl**dy thirst, great fun, and with the Induction filter that came with the gas conversion, when you DO floor the accelerator, it makes the most wonderful noise! I've pondered changing to a 300TDi, but I love the set-up of this one: 2in lift with polybushes and Old Man Emu shocks. The ride, both on and off-road is excellent. Whoever did it knew what he was doing and I just can't bear to part with it. V8? Enjoy! Silverbake.

I'm only a Newbie, but I think you might find its called a "WHEEL". There are others dotted about here and there. Don't know what they're for though.

Thanks Ashtray. After my previous post, things got worse with 3 bangs within 5 miles. The diff-lock selector lever began to gently rumble and vibrate, so I pulled into a long lay-by and tried selecting/deselecting high/low, lock/unlock in forward and reverse whilst crawling backwards and forwards. Stupidly, I didn't have my jack on board, so I couldn't test properly. Eventually things seemed to free-up and I crawled home. No rumbling, but the lever was gently vibrating. I can't remember whether it used to do this before the problem started, but I don't think so! Home is on a steep slope every way you turn, so no jacking possible. I loaded up the jack and found a nice, quiet spot to follow your instructions. I then tried what you suggested and everything seemed to work OK, though at first I'd left the box in "Park" and nothing would move! Did I mention the box is auto. and would this make a difference?. The wheels (I tried nearside and offside separately incase one half-shaft was bust) ran just as you said they should, though I wouldn't exactly describe the movement as "free". There's gentle but persistant resistance and no way you could spin the wheel to run freely on its own. I guess this is just due to the friction in the diff? Since then, things feel better, but I'm still on high alert. I'll post again after a few days, or any change. Due to go off-road tomorrow.................. I've been trying to educate myself about how a diff works, and found this: Brilliantly simple for a newbie to grasp! Silverbake.

The Phantom Blacksmith is back, banging away under the floor, twice this week so far. Nothing mentioned so far seems to fit the symptoms, so I'll try to be more specific: It happens: When driving on tarmac, often but not always after going round a bend. Never so far at high speeds (but then I commute into Birmingham, so that's no surprise) It sounds like: A single, hefty bang, under the cab floor, which I can feel through the pedals and is sufficiently dramatic to make any unsuspecting passenger jump. Afterwards: ...... nothing..... just keeps on driving in an orderly manner. Ideas so far: Transmission wind-up Bushes worn Springs re-seating New Thoughts: Broken half-shaft (do discos have them?) LPG leak causing minor explosion Some bas**rd leaving a banger up my exhaust A Ninja hit-man trying to shoot me from under a man-hole cover Does this seem to be getting a little over-imaginative? Well OK, so what do you think it could be? No doubt I'll find-out one sunny day just as I'm off on some essential, life-saving trip to collect a jar of organic pesto for the Iron maiden, and whatever it is finally explodes in a dramatic and terminal burst of teeth and splines and shafts. HELP!!!! Silverbake.

I run BFG 245/75/R15's AT's on my Disco 1 with a 2in lift. I do about 12k per year on road, and then a few miles (2 or 3) each weekend, pootling around on rough stone tracks or muddy clay-based woodland rides. N.B.: This is NOT recreational off-roading, but just getting me and my kit where I need to be. The tyres are VERY good on-road, with very acceptable tyre noise, great grip and seemingly endless durability. Off road, they do fine on the rough tracks and not too bad on softer, damp surfaces. However, they're NOT good in mud. There's one track I negotiate on a regular basis, with a thin layer (2-3 inches) of wet clay sitting on a firmer base, and a 50m stretch with a steepish incline. I can't give an exact pitch, but let's say about 3 in 1. As soon as the treads fill-up, I begin to lose grip, and there's no choice but to use the winch. If I persist, and try to drive up, the track just gets cut-up with ever deepening ruts. It seems that the AT's are particularly effective at digging-in in this way. One memorable wet afternoon it took me 45 minutes to get up the slope, with 5 or 6 separate winch points required (great practice, but it does get tedious after the first few pulls). And before anyone asks, yes, I was using diff-lock, and low ratio, and I don't try to tear about with spinning wheels..... just a gentle, low-rev stroll. Not only do the AT's lose straight-ahead grip, but they can also let-go on a lateral slope, sliding gracefully but alarmingly towards the nearest magnetic tree. I've been contemplating swapping to BFG ATM's, but haven't taken the plunge yet because of the cost.

Thanks for all your thoughts. It DOES happen on the road, but this seems logical to me: Off-road, the wheels can spin in mud, etc. without my noticing, and without a bang. On road, as there's more grip, the tension would be constantly building every time I stray off dead-ahead. It would then finally "let-go" when it's had too much, like after going round a tight bend. (this is based on a little bit of logic and a LOAD of ignorance). It happened more than once on some occasions after I'd used Diff Lock, but as I'm not sure whether or when it finally released (if indeed it was stuck in the first place) its difficult to be sure. I guess the logical thing to do is to wait for it to happen again (Its still been OK for the past several days), then immediately jack-up a corner to see if it's locked. I just need confirmation of the logioc I'm using here: 1/ If it is a release of wind-up, am I right to assume the diff would still be locked after a bang (i.e. the release and bang were only a temporary correction and the box is still basically in the same state/setting)? 2/ If I raise just one corner, should it always run free if Diff Lock is NOT engaged? Finally, a knowledgable mate has suggested it could be worn swing-arm bushes. I've had a good furtle about all the linkages but can't find any play. Is this a red-herring? Silverbake.

I've honestly no idea.... how can I tell? And if it is a Borg Warner, can I replace the chain with the box in-situ? Silverbake

'97 Disco 1 V8, gassed and with 2in lift. A couple of weeks ago, with the help of the forum, I got my sticky diff-lock working, or at least, so I thought. It certainly engages now, and the selector light behaves itself.... BUT, since then, I've had a few interesting, unidentified BANGS coming from down under when on the road. Usually having just turned a sharp corner. Its like a sort of uppercut with a concrete block , somewhere in the suspension/transmission. First time it happened, I pulled-over and inspected underneath, expecting to find a big lump of metal hanging down and scraping the tarmac. Nothing. After a good check all over, I drove off carefully and all seemed well except my nerves. No probs for a couple of days, then the same thing again; one big thumping bang. OK, so there's a problem. I have been doing a fair bit of off-roading, giving both the suspension and the transmission a good work-out. I gave it some uneducated thought, and came up with two possibilities: A misaligned spring re-seating itself, or transmission wind-up releasing itself. This probably demonstrates my high level of ignorance, but hey, I'm just a newbie! I tried selecting/deselecting diff-lock a few times and all went OK for a couple of days, but then.... you guessed... BANG! More waggling of selector, more off-roading and more trepidation every time I go round a tight bend, but it's been a week now without so much as a tick. Could it have been wind-up due to a stuck diff? I don't know what effect that would have, but I do know it wouldn't be good. Silverbake.

Has anyone else noticed an extra blast from the heater when cornering? Does this mean there's a low fluid level somewhere? Silverbake.

During a long days driving on Friday (a hot, sunny day) I gradually became aware that the lower shaft of the gear lever was becoming uncomfortably hot. I knew the oil level was OK and there was no sound/sign of stress, but this was HOT! Came home worrying about seizing-up / expensive repairs etc. and slept on it. Yesterday, went off to the woods to do some work but with a simple trial modification: before setting-off I lifted the plastic surround from the gear lever and removed the two halogen bulbs which illuminate the selector panel. Drove 40 mile there, puttered around the woods for a few hours and drove back home, all with a cool gear stick. Could it have been that simple, and has anyone else had a similar experience? Silverbake.

I doubt it could be the same problem as I found on mine, but you never know......... When I bought it, the brakes were poor. The previous owner explained it had vented discs which improved performance as the brakes were used and began to heat up. As the rest of the car was in very good nick and had clearly been seriously upgraded/prepped by someone with a lot of knowledge, I accepted this. However, after a few weeks the braking deteriorated further and eventually I started getting the same vibrations you describe when braking from higher speeds. Couldn't believe my eyes when I got down to the basics: Turns out the "vented discs" were just standard discs with holes drilled in them and not even precisely spaced! The raw edges of the holes had knackered the pads and the whole lot had to come off and be replaced. Drives perfectly now. I can't imagine how anyone with the kit, energy and inclination to do that would have seriously expected it to work. Or am I missing something? Silverbake.

Thanks Dave: obvious when you think about it! BUT get this everyone: I stopped off at a Main Dealer in Stourbridge this morning to ask the same question. As soon as I went in I was surrounded by sales staff who clearly had nothing to do and no customers. I told them I'd got a '97 Disco V8 and asked how to check diff lock was engaged. Their responses were barely credible: Senior salesman: "Diff lock? That's when you push the gear knob forward and then to the left isn't it?" Me: "Well yes, but you can select it in either high or low ratio..." Senior salesman (to his colleagues) "Isn't that the switch for making both axles work together?" Others look blank or shrug, but one asks "Is your car a TD5?" Me: "No, it's a 1997 V8 Automatic" General response: "Ah, we don't really know about the old models". Me, losing the will to live: "The transfer box was seized-up, but I've stripped it and free it up. I just need to be sure diff lock is engaging. The dashboard light is showing the locked symbol. Does that mean it's definitely locked?". Salesman: "Lots of them get stuck. No-one really uses that part of the transmission. If I were you I'd just try it every now and then to keep it working". Me (through clenched teeth): "Yes, but how do I know if its working?" General shrugs and shaking of heads. One younger guy suggests: "Test it?" Me: "Thanks. Well' I've got to go". And they wonder why they were standing around doing nothing, with no customers....................

Hi Steve. You're spot on. As soon as I'd driven it 20 or 30 ft, the light started to work and has done since. What I need to know now, is whether the diff is really locking. Is there a simple way to test this? I'll have a play in some mud over the weekend, but even then its not always easy to tell. Silverbake

Thanks Kevinr Looks like I'll have to go back in and drill out those rivetts again? Oh BOTOX! As I didn't bother to dismantle the housing, just lubed it all, I'm not quite sure what you mean. Are we talking about the selector lever in the cab (vertical), or the rod (horizontal) which slides laterally through the housing when the selector is engaged? That did have a collar around it (outside the housing) and looked fairly easy to adjust. If it is that one, I guess you mean to slide the rod further into the housing? Silverbake

Thanks for the responses guys. I was tempted to try James's method of slitting the boot, but not knowing at that stage what was underneath, I was reluctant to create a potential way-in for contaminants. So, I followed Curly's advice and drilled out the rivets. Why rivets? Why not just a few self tappers or bolts? Drilling them out was awkward as the fascia gets in the way of the drill and forces you to drill at an angle. Not great, but I got there. Only to find that the whole thing is open to the elements anyway from below. No matter, with a liberal spray of WD40 and a lot of yanking around, things began to ease up. I gave it all a good wipe-down, covered the whole shebang in grease and ended up with satisfyingly smooth changes, gently cushioned by the grease (sounds sexy? Must get out more). Despite my comments above, I rivetted the boot retainer back down and re-assembled the console, minus a few kilos of biscuit crumbs, fluff and grit. Result? All mechanicals working just as Lode Lane intended, but now the diff-lock warning light on the dash doesn't work. (It did before the whole thing got siezed-up). This doesn't bother me too much, as I hope I'll be awake enough to know when I've chosen to lock the diff, but I would like to get it sorted if possible. I didn't see any switches or wires under the boot that might be activating the light. Does anyone know where the switch is or how it works? If I end-up having to drill-out the rivets again, one thing's for sure: it goes back with self-tappers!

The transfer box on my '97 Disco has been stiff ever since I bought it last year, but it has always worked with a bit of brute force. Recently though, its been really difficult to get into high range, and impossible to select diff lock. I checked the transfer box oil level over the weekend, but it was fine (though see ***below). I don't think the box has been used much, so it's unlikely to be wear. Could it just be stiff from lack of use, or possibly gunged-up somewhere in the linkages with a healthy dose of nature's very own concrete (the thick, oozy Shropshire clay which I spend hours hosing off every weekend)? Could the solution be something nice and easy and accessible from inside, like a good splash of oil under the rubber gaiter in the cab? ***Going back to the oil level, the Haynes compendium of modern fairy-tales tells me to park on level ground before checking the level. Great, but after I've got the front-end on axle stands to allow my toned six-pack to fit under the car, it's no longer level. Is this slight front-to-back tilt enough to seriously affect the reading?

Western is right, you must still have good visibility or you could get pulled. Even factory fitted tint can upset the boys in blue, who apparently have some sort of meter to test light transmission. As for practicality, think about reversing; if you have pets and/or small children, be sure they are replaceable! Silverbake.

Other hobby is a 1985 Mercedes 280sl roadster....... from the sublime to the ridiculous? Infact, the two cars have a lot in common, like pedigree and build quality. Also, both are gassed, though I get almost 3 times the Mpg from the Merc. Wouldn't want to take it through the woods though.............