benthegardener Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Hi all New to the forum, and new to land rover ownership,( have driven them before with work though). Bought a 110 hicap a month or so ago. it's an 88 with a 200tdi conversion. It has a few minor issues, which I am working my way through slowly. But I am a bit concerned about my transmission, and would like to hear any advice. Gearchange is sometimes better than others but generally not brilliant. I intend to drop the oil out and refresh this weekend, but I also seem to have a bit of a thing where, when I turn it feels like the brakes are coming on. Quite hard too. Particularly bad or more noticable maybe when towing. Is this likely to be anything to do with the dif lock? Also the dif lock, hi - lo lever doesn't feel like its doing anything and feels further over than it has on others I've driven. Any ideas what may be causing this binding feeling when cornering? Many thanks Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Welcome to the forum! The difflock is easy to check: lift one wheel (and chock other wheels), gearbox in neutral, handbrake off and try to turn the wheel. It should turn with little resistance with difflock off, and locked together with the other wheels. While at it, also check the difflock light on the dash. If the lever for the transfer box is not set-up properly, this could mean the difflock is on all the time, which would explain the turning difficulties. Normally the light on the dash should be on as well. If you take off the gearbox cover, the mechanisme is clearly visible and can easily be adjusted (often it's a bolt that has worked lose causing play). If the difflock turns out OK, you could have an aftermarket difflock (like Detroit) in the rearaxle. If that's not unlocking properly, it will also affect turning and would explain why it's more pronounced when towing a trailer. Greetz, Filip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 The difflock light is definitely not working, but the dash is a whole separate issue I need to look at again. I have a constant glowing charging light that gets brighter when the lights are on so there is more draw on the battery. Yet the battery charges fine, there's a good charge coming off the alternator. Really want to sort the difflock out first though as it strikes me it could get expensive if not cured quickly. Will have a play this weekend I think. Thanks for the reply, and the welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco-Ron Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Ben, if you're sensible, you can work out what the difflocl lever moves, and there is a nut on the little pivot on the top of the transfer box, you should be able t disengage it with the nut...... you might get a slightly better view of it by removing the plate under the drivers seat..... above the fuel tank.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Bit of a thing with the difflock lever. Took it all apart after finding the difflock was on. The vertical lever is not attached at the top, the pivot also seems to be missing entirely. So I've been driving with it on since getting it last month, but how long was the previous owner driving it with it on? Is anything likely to have been damaged? I've replaced oil in diff, will change the gearbox and transfer box oil today too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Transfer boxes are quite robust, and replacements are heap enough & fairly simple to do - I'd treat it to an oil change and see how it goes, if it doesn't make nasty noises you may have gotten away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Hope so. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Hope so. Thanks It looks like maybe not all ok at all. Just heading home, bit of a bang and the gearbox jumped out of first, as I pulled forward. Then no gears at all. A slight grind as you push the gearstick into gear but a spinning grind if that makes sense. Clutch pedal feels fine but nothing happening drivewise. Any ideas anyone? I'm guessing new gearbox time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Put the transfer box in neutral, main box in neutral, start the engine. Then run through the gears in the main box, shouldn't be any alarming noises other than the gears whirring the oil. If you get grinding then it's likely something in the main gearbox that's gone bang. If no problems through all the gears then it'll be something in the transfer box. Not a perfect test, but should point you in the right direction at least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco-Ron Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I would be surprised if the difflock being engaged has produced a main gearbox problem, it is more likely to produce centre diff or axle diff problems.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Could be completely unrelated to the difflock being engaged I guess, just happened to happen after I noticed the difflock issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Whatever the transfer box is in, L,N or H always rumbles in gear but no drive. Just thinking out loud it wouldn't be clutch though would it? I reckon it's new box time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Could be completely unrelated to the difflock being engaged I guess, just happened to happen after I noticed the difflock issue. I'd start by taking another look at the transfer box linkage, could be something came undone and now it's stuck in between gears, giving noise but no drive. Would be the easiest fix! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 You mentioned the diff-lock lever had been disconnected. Is the hi-low lever connected properly? Escape might be right that the transfer box had just jumped out of gear. If, not you need to do a proper diagnosis. Is one of the prop shafts turning in any gear? If so, it's the axle connected to the turning prop that's dead. If not, remove the PTO cover on the transfer box. If you can see the gear turning, but no props turning, then the transferbox is kablamo. If not, then it's the main box or the clutch. You'll need to drop the main box to look at the clutch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 I reckon it's new box time. Don't reckon - as Gromit says, do a proper diagnosis, it's not rocket surgery, and you could throw ££££'s at a new gearbox and discover you actually needed a £5 hub flange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Just came up with a theory: suppose the car had a problem with one of the axles (diff, halfshaft, CV, hubsplines...) causing it to lose drive. By putting it permanently in difflock, it would still be driveable and could be sold. After fixing the difflock, it might have remained locked (don't know if you tested this) for while (allthough there couldn't have been wind-up). When it finally let go, you heard the bang and lost drive... Might seem unlikely, but certainly not impossible... Some more info about the current situation (i.e. driveshafts turning or not) and the exact tests done when working on the difflock might yield some answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 When it finally let go, you heard the bang and lost drive... I know we all hear about the mortal perils of driving about with the diff locked on tarmac, but has anyone actually broken something as a direct result of having the centre diff locked and if so, what let go? All the wind up has to happen from the props outward, so if you wind up a prop or a half shaft and it subsequently breaks, you still have drive to the other axle. So there'd be a bang, but you'd still have drive because the diff is locked. A Catch 44, if you will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 12, 2011 Author Share Posted April 12, 2011 Right quick update, I'm wondering whether I should start a new thread as this is starting to wander. But anyway. I have had a look again tonight, after getting back from work. The lever on transfer box that puts the difflock on wont go all the way across towards the box now. I think this is the difflock off position? It will click into position which I think is for difflock on, (away from the gearbox) then it will click into a central position but when I try and put it right over against the gearbox it will only go so far before clicking back into the central "rest" position. Will try and jack up a wheel to see if it is actually putting the diff lock on or not. Tried it in high and low and was the same in both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 Just came up with a theory: suppose the car had a problem with one of the axles (diff, halfshaft, CV, hubsplines...) causing it to lose drive. By putting it permanently in difflock, it would still be driveable and could be sold. After fixing the difflock, it might have remained locked (don't know if you tested this) for while (allthough there couldn't have been wind-up). When it finally let go, you heard the bang and lost drive... Might seem unlikely, but certainly not impossible... Some more info about the current situation (i.e. driveshafts turning or not) and the exact tests done when working on the difflock might yield some answers. I think it was sold genuinely, the guy I bought it from didn't strike me as the sort to do that. Also the difflock was off and released I think when I did it by hand underneath, because I spun the wheels one at a time after to check that it was all released. At a bit of a loss at the mo, hoping to finish early enough to have another look tonight and check the hi lo linkage is all there. The problem is it's a work vehicle so I can't wait forever to get it back on the road, I've got a hire Td5 at the mo but only this week at the moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 I know we all hear about the mortal perils of driving about with the diff locked on tarmac, but has anyone actually broken something as a direct result of having the centre diff locked and if so, what let go? All the wind up has to happen from the props outward, so if you wind up a prop or a half shaft and it subsequently breaks, you still have drive to the other axle. So there'd be a bang, but you'd still have drive because the diff is locked. A Catch 44, if you will. I'm pretty sure my tyre spun off the rim because of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Ben, if you could spin all the wheels, the difflock should indeed be off, unless there was something broken inside an axle. But I would think you would have heard that or at least felt it wasn't turning smoothly. Do you remember if the relevant prop turned with each wheel? If so, axles should be fine and you need to look further up (starting with transferbox linkage). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 It will click into position which I think is for difflock on, (away from the gearbox) then it will click into a central position Off, unlocked, is the lever to the right. Left is diff locked. There is no neutral position for the difflock left/right movement. There is only a netural position in the Hi-Low direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poohbear Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Are you definately getting drive to the main box? Is it possible you could have ripped the centre out of the clutch plate, or stripped the splines on the mainbox output shaft. Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 My difflock lever in the cab does nothing for the difflock as half the mechanism is not there. I have used this article and copied the trick of using a bar on top of the transfer box to test what's going on. http://www.landroverexpedition.com/technical/quick-fix-defender-diff-lock-linkage/ It definitely used to make two clicks, as this article says it should, but now only one and a half without engaging the second click. so it falls back to centre. It was too dark tonight when I got back from work to do anything. Hopefully have another look tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthegardener Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 Are you definately getting drive to the main box? Is it possible you could have ripped the centre out of the clutch plate, or stripped the splines on the mainbox output shaft. Dave. I don't know. I wondered about that. There was an element of transmission clunk when pulling away before it happened so could be splines gone maybe. Need to bite the bullet and start pulling things out I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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