My Dodgy Disco, an update and a plea for advice....

Thanks guys! :O)

Jazza - I will be reading that stuff for days! lol But I will read it all though. Thanks for that.

Disco - I may take it to AMV - someone on here reccomended them. For $130 they will do a pre purchase inspection. they say they go over the whole car from head to tail and make a list of anything which needs doing, and wehat it would cost per item, and if it is an RWC concern etc. They should read any ECU fault logs too - I will specifically ask them to. That way I will get a list of jobs I need to do without having to pay for a new RWC test. There is no commitment to have them do the work, they are being payed anyway to do the testing. What do you think?

I have the day off tomorrow, will spend some more time under the bonnet, then maybe take it for a thrashing!

other things I did today were:

Tried to fix the low/high range lever, but once I popped the leather surround off there was a mound of foam, tried to pull it asside but under it was a rubber cover which I could not get to. So it is still stuck, may have to take out the centre console....

Tested the battery - it is 100%

Thanks again chaps! :D

what is wrong with the lever?

You need the strength of 20 wild horses to shift it between low and high, and back again. It can be done, but it is really hard work. It won't go into difflock at all - Well, I say that, I am just too scared to hit it with a hammer in case I break it, but it is beyond my physical ability to move it over in either low or high range.

I'll tell you the meaning of ****ed off lol; flying from Rocky to Sydney to buy Range Rover and drive back. 400km in the trip I see the low coolant alarm start to flicker now and then. 20km later stayed flashing. Topped up with coolant from servo. Looked at all the receipts over the years the guy had kept, and that night in motel room. My heart skipped when I saw the words " Engine has slipped cylinder sleeve, flushed radiator and performed chemiweld" I was so ****ed. made it back home and used 6 litres of coolant for the 1600km trip, and then having to try and tell my wife. She was so proud when she saw me and was so excited and wanted to drive it. meanwhile with a fake smile for a few days till I built up the courage to tell her. I tell you, I felt like driving it all the back to Sydney and driving it in to his house lol. I've since forgiven him for his low action about not telling me about 3/4 of all the faults, with the main one being the stuffed engine. But..... I enjoy working on it, and there is great satisfaction in fixing it. There is so much info on the net about everything and this forum is great. So there is always someone worse off lol, but take it as a "project" and a hobby and you'll be fine ;) atleast that's what I keep telling myself.

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Idle speed is just under 750 rpm. The guy I got it from was adjusting the hex nut by the accelerator cable on the air intake with an alan key to set the revs. Not sure this was the right thing to do as the haynes manual says this should be left for a workshop with test gear? Do you reccon it will be OK?

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This is the base or kerb idle setting. The IAC sets the normal idle automatically as the ECU will aim for a 750 idle in neutral and the IAC is manipulated by the ECU to achieve that.
To set the kerb idle you plug the hose from the manifold to the IAC and of course the stub at theThrottle body. You then set the idle with the allen key to about 550-600 RPM. I find 600 a bit better as it reduces stall on hot start. Since the PO has been setting the idle with the hex screw it raises the question whether the IAC is working as this could cause poor starting , as the IAC "puts its foot on the accelerator" on cold start. Doe sit fast idle after cold start ie idle at about 1200RPM then stage down?

I am a bit puzzled by the poor start as they usually start perfectly. It may be that you injectors are just worn out and dribbling . This is not all that expensive these days as you can buy Bosch/Ford "yellow" injectors from the USA second hand for $100, and they fit perfectly.

The question of whether you should dob the guy to the Government is a bit tricky. ABS problems MAY be the most expensive part of fixing the car.

However my experience has been that the Government departments that are there to help you rarely do that and you end up entanged in red tape with no resolution. Perhaps go to the seller and confront him and demand that he pay to fix it or you will go to the law. that is the problem with private sales. I hope you did a revs check, on teh track record of the seller so far.
Regards Philip A

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Originally Posted by milld

I'll tell you the meaning of ****ed off lol; flying from Rocky to Sydney to buy Range Rover and drive back. 400km in the trip I see the low coolant alarm start to flicker now and then. 20km later stayed flashing. Topped up with coolant from servo. Looked at all the receipts over the years the guy had kept, and that night in motel room. My heart skipped when I saw the words " Engine has slipped cylinder sleeve, flushed radiator and performed chemiweld" I was so ****ed. made it back home and used 6 litres of coolant for the 1600km trip, and then having to try and tell my wife. She was so proud when she saw me and was so excited and wanted to drive it. meanwhile with a fake smile for a few days till I built up the courage to tell her. I tell you, I felt like driving it all the back to Sydney and driving it in to his house lol. I've since forgiven him for his low action about not telling me about 3/4 of all the faults, with the main one being the stuffed engine. But..... I enjoy working on it, and there is great satisfaction in fixing it. There is so much info on the net about everything and this forum is great. So there is always someone worse off lol, but take it as a "project" and a hobby and you'll be fine ;) atleast that's what I keep telling myself.

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That sucks.:mad:
Good attitude though mate. Keep it up.;)

OK - I love my new Disco! :D

Lets look on the bright side, the following is tru:

The car has brand new braked and disks from Bendicks, including pistons
Brand new springs from Landrover
Brand new Shocks from Bilstien
Brand new wheel bearings
Brand new dizzy cap and leads
Dual battery syystem
4 tone winch (I need to wire up the controll box)
New oil in the Diffs and engine
Top quality Driving lights (they go for MILES!!)
Set of 8 inch wheel rims (In the garage waiting for tires)
A box of spares, including New oil filter, air filter, a small flat rectangular metal filter of some sort??? new fuel filter, new dizzy cap, 4 replacement servos for the central locking (2 don't work on the car)

All this work was done about 2000K before I purchased her. And this is why I purchaased it - it has had a lot of work done on it.

So, he didn't fix the engine problems, I can do that with your help. Then she will be awsome!

Thanks you everyone for helping me stay possative, and encourageing me to get stuck in to the car. This will be fun once I loose the anger! lol

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Originally Posted by PhilipA

This is the base or kerb idle setting. The IAC sets the normal idle automatically as the ECU will aim for a 750 idle in neutral and the IAC is manipulated by the ECU to achieve that.

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Just had anther go at cleaning the IAC. Umm my bad, I broke the gasket! I have put it back in two peices, but think I aught to buy a new one, where do I go for that?

I also unscrewed the actual valve from the housing to reveal the spring and the dome shaped end, gave them a jolly good squirt with the carby cleaner, they look like new now.

I noticed there is a rubber tube going from the IAC housing to a circular hat shaped thing which in attached to the fuel rail. Could this be at fault? I don't know what it is......? Another tube goes to a 3 way connector screwed to the bulkhead, any point looking at that?

I have filled her up with premium 95 ron fuel. Will take her out shortly for a good run, see if that helps.

Not sure how much different the auto is to the manual but to get to the linkage for the high/low range and the centre diff lock the centre console definitely has to come out. Its easy to do, i can pull my console out in a few minutes now.

Not sure if it differs on the auto or not but in the manual the thick rubber foam lifts out once the console is out. Then under the foam there is a rubber boot type thing that anything that needs to enter the car pokes up through but doesnt allow water through. This should be pop rivetted to the vehicles body. You will need to drill the rivets out to remove this and then get some self tapping screws to screw it back down once you put it back together.

Once this rubber boot is off you will be able to see the top of the box and the transfer case. Check that all the linkages are done up tight so there isnt any play, you may have to take the centre diff lock lever off the top of the transfer case and lube it up inside, you'll see what i mean when you get to it. But there is a small box on top of the transfer case that the high/low range lever works off, you can unbolt this, its got a shaft that moves from left to right. This might be all gummed up, take it off, clean it out and give it a nice liberal covering of grease.

Then as you put it back together make sure all your linkages are tight and firm so there isnt any play. Be careful when you remove the linkage for the centre diff lock it has a little plastic space that goes over the pin, easier to explain when its in front of you, but you'll get the idea, dont loose the plastic spacer, engaging the CLD is harder without as that little bit of play takes just enough movement out of the lever and makes it harder.

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Originally Posted by Mattskii

Just had anther go at cleaning the IAC. Umm my bad, I broke the gasket! I have put it back in two peices, but think I aught to buy a new one, where do I go for that?

I also unscrewed the actual valve from the housing to reveal the spring and the dome shaped end, gave them a jolly good squirt with the carby cleaner, they look like new now.

I noticed there is a rubber tube going from the IAC housing to a circular hat shaped thing which in attached to the fuel rail. Could this be at fault? I don't know what it is......? Another tube goes to a 3 way connector screwed to the bulkhead, any point looking at that?

I have filled her up with premium 95 ron fuel. Will take her out shortly for a good run, see if that helps.

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There are a few Land Rover parts places in Melbourne, I use British 4wd in Hobart, order it over the phone it should be at your door the next morning, Alan is very helpful and knows his stuff.