richardnorfolk Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Hi, Have recently bought a 1985 Land Rover 90 CSW, and today I have tried to use the Low Ratio gears. Followed the handbook as this is all new to me, but I can't seem to select anything but High Ratio??? The smaller gear stick that should allow me to select seems very sloppy indeed, and although I can select Diff Lock (well the light comes on?!!) there seems to be nothing on the right hand side? Could the transfer box be stuck in High Ratio??? Vehicle seems to go alright on the road (2.5D NA) and she will sit at 70 mph on the motorway. If it was stuck in Low, then I am guessing that I would not achieve such speeds? Any ideas??? Thanks, and great site! Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrfarmer Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 hi sounds a bit like the linkage as come adriffed some were on you high low linkage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardnorfolk Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 hisounds a bit like the linkage as come adriffed some were on you high low linkage Thanks for that advice. I will have a look in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco tony Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 if your diff lock light comes on your pretty much guaranteed diff lock is engaged. Dont use difflock unless the wheels have the ability to slip, ie, soft ground or loose gravel, as the axles can wind up. (incase you didn't know) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat_J Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Are you running the engine when you're trying to change it? I found in an old defender you had to be running the engine to get it to engage. Also can you push it into neutral on the trasnfer box? If so push it into neutral with the clutch down, lift the clutch up again, then depress the clutch again and try to push it into low. I was lucky with mine as it just goes straight in but on some of the older ones you need to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 engine running, foot on brake, clutch in, in a gear. push the lever fwd to neutral, if it wont then go all the way fwd to Low lift the clutch slowly until you feel it engage Low, depress clutch again. Use brake to stop the vehicle moving. You are only lifting the clutch enough to allow the engagement of low rather than to drive it! If that doesnt work then check the linkage Its def in high if it does 70mph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
101sean Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 If none of the above work, your linkage needs looking at so take the gearbox tunnel off and all will be revealed! The hi/low mechanism is splined on the end of the lever cross shaft, check there is no slop here. Take the 4 bolts out holding the lever and cross shaft turret on and look inside. When I couldn't select gears on mine, the small spring clip holding the lever in the cross shaft had broken allowing it to move around. When you reassemble it, most of the external pivot points should have pairs of nylon top hat bushes that are easily lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newclear Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 You get 70 on the motorway with a 2.5na?! Mine could get 70, but it was certainly not comfortable and would barely "sit" there. Hence why it's now got/getting a 300tdi fitted My Transfer Box selector was really stiff when I got my truck (due to lack of use I'd guess), I couldn't get it into anything at one point, stuck in Neutral . I took off the Rubber gaitor and then the secondary rubber gaitor on the Transfer Selector, liberally lubricated the internal linkage and linkage shaft, which were dry and also covered the external part of the linkage in WD40. Be careful if you use WD40 for the internal linkage part as you'll be sraying into a hole, watch out for blowback. After some "negotiations" from me it started to free up, worked flawlessly ever since Cheers Matt2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardnorfolk Posted April 12, 2008 Author Share Posted April 12, 2008 Wow!!! - what a quick response?!! This forum really works! Thanks for all of the advice, and off to get the spanners out now and have a play! Will let you all know what I find??? Sun shining in Norfolk, and a good day to get my hands dirty!!! Cheers y"all Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil00001 Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 Hi Richard, I had the same problem on my Disco, If you look at the attached pic....The grub screw connecting #19 and #4 had come loose...... If it is that dont forget to add a smear of locktight. Cheers, Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madcowz Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 have a look at it might help. I had problems with my difflock as the pin joinign the lever to the selector was missing: /mad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardnorfolk Posted April 12, 2008 Author Share Posted April 12, 2008 Madcowz, Thanks for the reply to my post, but I do not understand the picture??? Where is it taken from? Can I access this area by removing the cover under my front middle seat?? Also, what is the picture showing me? Do I need to remove the cover next to the Breather? Thanks Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newclear Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Is that small black cable under the Breather Tube the connection for the Diff Lock warning light? If so I'd be interested as to where that picture was taken from too... Cheers Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 picture is the top of an LT230 transfer box looking down on the selector. the front prop joins just fwd right of the picture The bit you need to get to is under the drivers floor plate, about under the handbrake some pics to try and help: Look at the two pictures showing the selector then compare that to the side view with the G box fitted and you should see/be able to work out the location of the bits! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newclear Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Ahh yes, can see it now, quite obvious now I think... bored at work, brain not working . Do you know if that is the Diff Lock warning light? Trying to find out why my light doesn't come on... Cheers Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Ahh yes, can see it now, quite obvious now I think... bored at work, brain not working .Do you know if that is the Diff Lock warning light? Trying to find out why my light doesn't come on... Cheers Matt In the first photo above the difflock light switch is tucked in the corner just follow the wires, 1 goes to earth at the high/low selector casing with a ring terminal under 1 of the bolts & the other wire should connect to it's mate that sits on top of the right chassis rail, look for a bullet connector. if your light isn't working it'll be a dead bulb or broken wire/connection or a stuck dead switch, it should only light up when the centre diff is fully engaged, not when you just move the lever to select. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardnorfolk Posted April 19, 2008 Author Share Posted April 19, 2008 Right chaps!!! Have managed to get in there today, and have a good look at the linkages etc. Have just taken off the housing on top of the Transfer Box (where the breather tube goes to) and sure enough, as suggested, the grub screw is missing from the selector shaft??!!! - carp!!! Right, dilemma time..... do I just get a replacement grub screw and hope for the best?..... or can I recover it???? Any ideas? How far down will the sucker have gone, and could I reach it if I say dropped out the sump plug?? Does anyone have a drawing of the transfer box internals or a cross-section drawing of the box that would give me some idea where it might be hiding??!!! Any advice would be appreciated!!!!!! Thanks! Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardnorfolk Posted April 20, 2008 Author Share Posted April 20, 2008 Hello again! Have now had a chance to dig a little deeper into this problem, and discovered yesterday that not only is the linkage doing nothing when I try to select Low Ratio, but when I took off the cover on top of the transfer box where the selector lives, the grub screw that attaches the selector arm to the shaft is totally missing??!!!! - Not good! So, I have a dilemma?? I have had a look for the grub screw, and fished around with a magnetic screwdriver, but no luck!! Do I just replace it with a new one, or will the missing item be at the bottom of the gearbox??? Would it cause any damage??? Is it able to fall all the way into the gearbox?? Any ideas? Thanks. Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 The grub screw is likely to be sitting in the bottom of the Transfer Case. There's a bit of room in the lower section, so it'll probably sit there forever. You can take the sump off to retrieve it - just drain the oil, remove the sump cover, and replace. Of course- you may find other scary bits of metal in there, so it might be better for your mental health if you just got another screw Gearboxes/transfer boxes work perfectly fine - even when there's a large portion of bits in the sump. The problem arises when you discover these bits and start to worry. The transmission senses this and immediately starts to play up/break/etc. Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardnorfolk Posted April 20, 2008 Author Share Posted April 20, 2008 Les, Many thanks for taking the time to reply, and I will take your advice and just replace the grub-screw I think!!!!! I always like the easy option!! Just hoping that my local dealer can get the part that I need? We shall see in the morning. Thanks again. Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardnorfolk Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 Les, Grub screw replaced today (48p was the cost!!!) and all is well. I am now able to select H/N/L with ease. Cheers for your advice. Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardnorfolk Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 Les, Almost forgot..... used Loctite to secure it this time!!!! Thanks again. Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardnorfolk Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 All, Thanks for the fantastic response, and I have now sorted this problem. The grub screw that secures the transfer box selector arm wasn't just loose....... it was bloody not there?!!!! Unable to find it, so have bought a replacement (48p!!) and fitted it with some Loctite thread-lock. All seems to be working well now, and I can select H/N/L easily. I am a bit concerned that the missing grub screw is now in the gearbox somewhere, but plan to drop the oil tommorrow and fingers crossed, it might just drop out of the bottom??!! My theory is that any damage to the box has already been done (if any?) and it all seems to work fine so best to leave it alone now! Thanks again for the advice, and although I can't understand why LR employed such a carp system that was bound to fail, the fix was very simple! Cheers, Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 if the screw has found it's way to the bottom of the transfer box, when you drian the oil, hopefully the grub screw will be attached to the magnetic part of the drain plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williambrea Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 picture is the top of an LT230 transfer box looking down on the selector. the front prop joins just fwd right of the picture The bit you need to get to is under the drivers floor plate, about under the handbrake some pics to try and help: Look at the two pictures showing the selector then compare that to the side view with the G box fitted and you should see/be able to work out the location of the bits! Hey I have been lurking and I think my grub screw is all crazy and my selector keeps popping out of High but it will stay engaged in 4lo-difflock. Could you maybe circle the area where this grub screw is so I can troubleshoot it easier? Im afraid that I might just have to replace the whole shift unit. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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