auto in discovery

[yajreklaw]

just like your thoughts on an automatic gear box in a 95 to 00 discovery

[Phoenix]

Never heard of any particular problems with them. They seem to work pretty well and be reasonably strong.

[Red Baron]

I've got a '97 Tdi and the auto works great with the diesel engine....Cheers Chris.

[Scouse]

The ZF 4 speed is a nice unit. As said, no real issues with them.

[Quiggers]

The ZF is a very neat tranny and is used in many other cars. It's not an issue...

GQ

[hybrid disco]

Well I hate to say it but my auto box on my 94 disco
needs replacing.

Lost a lot of oil from rear seal/ into trans box before
noticing leak, yes was full before going on trip,(90km)
now have to make up my mind to either replace box or
get rid of it.

seashells.

[Blknight.aus]

The ZF 4 speed is a nice unit. As said, no real issues with them.

I beg to differ... They are automatic gearboxes... that in itself is an issue..... :p

Thats just a personal thing tho... bloody grey boxes of evil...

but on a semi serious note IMHO so far the ZF 4 speed is the pick of the bunch, Just dont force it up hills with a full load on board in top cog. (that means a trailer more than a vehicle full of people)

[dm0011]

Mine is a 01 td5 auto and its great no problems at all,is this different to the 95 ,,,00 is it? As you can maybe tell i am a bit of a dope when it comes to it, that said I am learning fast oh and is mine a ZF auto anyone know?

[mcrover]

As long as your kickdown cable stays well adjusted and doesnt break and cause a loss in line pressure then they last fine.

I have noticed on here that more people seem to have problems with their manual boxes but even with that said, it is a crap load cheaper to repair a manual box than the auto.

I have punished mine from time to time and the only problem has been the kick down cable which has caused a couple of clutch problems as well as the sprag slips when it's hot but it has nearly done 300,000kms which is a pretty good lifespan for any driveline componant.

[DiscoDave]

'98, Diesel, Auto, 210,000Kms, no complaints about the auto whatsoever.;)

[Pedro_The_Swift]

electronic ZF, works fine,,(wonderful on sand)
just doesnt kick down fast enough,,:angel:

[Blknight.aus]

electronic ZF, works fine,,(wonderful on sand)
just doesnt kick down fast enough,,:angel:

I know someone who can fix that......

[DiscoDan]

97 TDi Auto, requires rebuild lowest quote $2400 highest $4000

When under load on steep hills eg low range-drive 4wding working, tend to spit oil out of dipstick tube.

Also had over heating issues in Vic High country, mind you was towing camper up Hearn Spur and Collingwood spur.

Saying all that still driving it and touch wood still going, sometimes in cold doesn't want to change up.

Best box for rock hopping, autos are the choice of rock crawlers

[jsp]

Have to put my 2 bob in - not exactly the same box but basically same internal components 95 P38 Rangie - major clutch disintegration at 140,000K's. Relatively cheap as a replace with low k wreck rather than rebuild as not too many of my type fail so spares are cheapish at the wreckers.

Mind you I had done 20,000K's of HEAVY towing with that car up and down the Adelaide hills and have done some since.

[rovercare]

97 TDi Auto, requires rebuild lowest quote $2400 highest $4000

When under load on steep hills eg low range-drive 4wding working, tend to spit oil out of dipstick tube.

Also had over heating issues in Vic High country, mind you was towing camper up Hearn Spur and Collingwood spur.

Saying all that still driving it and touch wood still going, sometimes in cold doesn't want to change up.

Best box for rock hopping, autos are the choice of rock crawlers

Wow, towing a camper up hearns and collingwood spur, your keen:eek: I wouldn't do it for the reasons you just stated:(

[p38arover]

d is mine a ZF auto anyone know?

Yes. They have been ZF 4-speeds in most full-size LR from 1986 until the D3. I think the D3/RRS use a ZF with more gears. Not sure about the L322 RR.

Ron

[Treads]

I don't want to hijack the thread but I need some info on 95-99 series 1 discos. I'm finally ready to buy and want to spend about $10k (give or take $2k I guess) + fit accessories.

My primary reason for getting a 300Tdi is for long distance touring/4wding (eventually Cape York next winter), however a close secondary reason is to tow our 750kg float with either 1 or 2 big warmbloods (when this EI thing lets us move them :mad: ).

So 2 questions:
1) Auto or manual for the towing? and what sort of difference in fuel consumption between them?
2) Are those auto boxes decent for crawling downhill in 1st low, or do you have to ride the brakes the whole way?

I've done an average amount of 4wd work in both large 4x4's and 13t isuzu firetrucks, but never in an auto. I'm not into rock crawling or anything like that but would be doing fairly serious off road work in our beautiful backyard: the New England Tablelands :cool:

Thanks

[Blknight.aus]

I'll pick the manual...

they arent as easy to do it with as the autos but..

they engine brake better, stay in the gear you put them in, dont require faffing with or overrunning the brakes to do controled descents, dont get stroppy when the oil gets old or a little low, dont eat flex plates, generally dont over heat and best of all


If for some reason you damage something external to the box and it makes it dump all the oil you stay in gear with a manual and dont wind up free wheeling when you dont want to...


they are also cheaper to repair/rebuiild and almost anyone can do a manual rebuild, Autos are a dark art.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

having said all of the above,,
on any decent hill a manual diesel may not budge it off the line,,:angel:

[mittadisco]

I don't want to hijack the thread but I need some info on 95-99 series 1 discos. I'm finally ready to buy and want to spend about $10k (give or take $2k I guess) + fit accessories.

My primary reason for getting a 300Tdi is for long distance touring/4wding (eventually Cape York next winter), however a close secondary reason is to tow our 750kg float with either 1 or 2 big warmbloods (when this EI thing lets us move them :mad: ).

So 2 questions:
1) Auto or manual for the towing? and what sort of difference in fuel consumption between them?
2) Are those auto boxes decent for crawling downhill in 1st low, or do you have to ride the brakes the whole way?

I've done an average amount of 4wd work in both large 4x4's and 13t isuzu firetrucks, but never in an auto. I'm not into rock crawling or anything like that but would be doing fairly serious off road work in our beautiful backyard: the New England Tablelands :cool:

Thanks

Why not spend a bit extra and get a get a td5?? But then again the old saying is "poverty is owning a horse". You may have nothing left after the horses, but then again you'll have nothing left after owning a LR.

[JohnE]

It is a pleasant change to drive an auto , remember it is the vehicle for the royals
As the spanner twirler said on steep hills up and down just lock it in a gear so it doesn;t 'hunt' for one'.
And for repairs, in any event L/R's aren;t cheap repairs, so it makes no difference whether you drive an auto or a manual. ( my opinion)
Should have done a poll on this, so far everyone has been positive, except the spanner man.

Treads, for what its worth, I would definately go a manual for towing a couple of nags, around you way with the odd hill, even heading up to glenn the auto box may not like it,
as a suggestion why not a defender, they are really agricultural looking and look like they should tow a horse maybe a lot better than a suit wearing disco owner!

there is a 2 door trayback at Trevan Ford Ballina, for 10,950, 240k on clock local owner ( I put the details in the marketplace a few weeks ago.it was still there last week)


john

[Treads]

It is a pleasant change to drive an auto , remember it is the vehicle for the royals
As the spanner twirler said on steep hills up and down just lock it in a gear so it doesn;t 'hunt' for one'.
And for repairs, in any event L/R's aren;t cheap repairs, so it makes no difference whether you drive an auto or a manual. ( my opinion)
Should have done a poll on this, so far everyone has been positive, except the spanner man.

Treads, for what its worth, I would definately go a manual for towing a couple of nags, around you way with the odd hill, even heading up to glenn the auto box may not like it,
as a suggestion why not a defender, they are really agricultural looking and look like they should tow a horse maybe a lot better than a suit wearing disco owner!

there is a 2 door trayback at Trevan Ford Ballina, for 10,950, 240k on clock local owner ( I put the details in the marketplace a few weeks ago.it was still there last week)
john

Thanks for the replies

JohnE, I have thought about a defender. I've driven a mates' wagon towing a big boat and didn't have any issues; and I've taken a single cab RFS striker in some pretty extreme places. I loved both but would have to choose a wagon for kids.

After driving a disco though, it's hard to justify the sparse cabin, seats, etc. in a fender especially when the GF has been in both :wasntme:

So back to my questions:
1) diference in fuel consumption figures between the two? anyone got average figures for touring and towing with each?
2) does the auto box 'run away' even locked in 1st low?

I really appreciate your veiws and time in discussing this, it will definitely form the basis of my decision

[Scouse]

97 TDi Auto, requires rebuild lowest quote $2400 highest $4000

ZF themselves do a changeover gearbox for a lot less than $4000, closer to the $2400 actually. It might be worth contacting them if you can.

[p38arover]

I'll pick the manual...

they arent as easy to do it with as the autos but..
.

Having done a fair bit of towing with auto 300Tdi Discos and V8 Rangies - and a little towing with manual diesel LRs, I'd take the auto any day.

The manual can be a mongrel to get going on a slope unless you slip the clutch a fair bit or, alternatively, engage low range and learn how to change from low to high on the move. :(

Add to that the much nicer driving experience of an auto in traffic. :)

[Treads]

So if I spend $13-15k it looks like I can get a Td5. I just keep hearing horror stories of them blowing up and costing half that again to fix :eek:
I'm guessing though that the auto box is well and truly sorted?
What year models are able to have the CDL kit installed?
Is fuel consumption much different to the 300Tdi?

Cheers

[loanrangie]

So if I spend $13-15k it looks like I can get a Td5. I just keep hearing horror stories of them blowing up and costing half that again to fix :eek:
I'm guessing though that the auto box is well and truly sorted?
What year models are able to have the CDL kit installed?
Is fuel consumption much different to the 300Tdi?

Cheers

Any td5 had for 13-15k must be knackered a good 300tdi will cost 13k or there abouts.

[rovercare]

Any td5 had for 13-15k must be knackered a good 300tdi will cost 13k or there abouts.

Seen quite afew priced around there with reasonable kays, aside from being a TD5 there is no reason they'll be any more knackered than the rest

[Blknight.aus]

So back to my questions:
1) diference in fuel consumption figures between the two? anyone got average figures for touring and towing with each?
2) does the auto box 'run away' even locked in 1st low?

I really appreciate your veiws and time in discussing this, it will definitely form the basis of my decision


Ok. Fuel consumption is a wierdo one so speaking from a pure mechanical point of view and temporarily negating my bias

A perfectly driven manual will get better economy over the auto due to pumping losses and the TC... However in reality the auto is in a better position to be in the correct gear at the correct time allwoing to keep the engine in the sweet spot and maintain economy so in the city and for hill work your infront with the auto unless you REALLY REALLY know you rig. On the open highway tho as the manual doesnt have the pump to run it will have a marginal advantage there under most circumstances.

actual figures that you get from both camps are going to be all over the shop. Mine occasionally seem absurdly low but then I strive for economy when i can I sit on 80 on main highways, drive during the morning and evening when its cooler, leave the aircon off, no roof racks the works Ive even been known to camp and wait for the head wind to die out. other blokes are more interested in whats there than whats on the way so they're happier to keep it nailed and pull 2t vans up slopes at 110 and let the fuel pump firehose their dieso into the donk and out the tailpipe.

as to the running away thing... thats yes and no....

If you give it the opotrunity to it will run away on you.. theres 3 techniques I know of that prevent that from happening and they all come down to driver experience and skill.

the short versions...

1. notching the handbrake on a bit
2. left footing the brakes and running the engine up to the TC'd fluid coupling point then balancing both pedals to maintain your descent.
3. inching the wheels just past the point of no return, stopping selecting reverse (or f1st if your coming down backwards) and then using the loud pedal to work the engine via the TC against the transmission which will be trying to wind the engine over the wrong way.

each has its place in the repitiour of the auto drivers offroading book of tricks for various reasons but what you use when is the dark art of offroading autos down big hills.

hope some of that helps.