Thread: What happened to your Discovery 2 today?

Originally Posted by discorevy

Do they morph the TD5 and V8 converters so you can still use the 3 bolt flex plate Rick?

As Kaaiju said, they do but it's a bit more exxy now than his mate paid.
Works out the same as the landed price from Ashcrofts atm.
I've had an HD flex plate sitting on the shelf for 18 months now and as the car is at 150,000km I don't think the stock flex plate will last much longer, hence I may as well do this as a preventative, and the t/case is coming out in the next 2 months anyway, so they'll all get done together.

Oops, forgot to mention I did a wheel alignment today on the old girl.
Setup a stringline and off I went. haven't done one myself I reckon in close to 20 years!
Reset it to 2mm toe-out.

Originally Posted by rick130

As Kaaiju said, they do but it's a bit more exxy now than his mate paid.
Works out the same as the landed price from Ashcrofts atm.
I've had an HD flex plate sitting on the shelf for 18 months now and as the car is at 150,000km I don't think the stock flex plate will last much longer, hence I may as well do this as a preventative, and the t/case is coming out in the next 2 months anyway, so they'll all get done together.

I had my ashcroft flex plate kit sitting around for a long while too.

It was $206 (edit - sorry 206 pounds) landed and cost me $100 for a used torque converter.

I got it (box/transfer case and rear mounts) all bolted up friday late at night and had a rest day saturday then finished off late sunday night (starter, cooler lines, prop shafts and cross members).

I've done about 15km since then and as yet noticed no issues re 'bogging down' and definitely do not need a tune, but I am driving sedately not spiritedly, however if you already have a tune I think you will love the extra 'liveliness/push' coming on a bit sooner.

Later today when I get my lazy self moving, I will be fetching a trailer load of sand/metal mix for some concreting so get a better idea of difference under towing load.

Going up our railway overpass on a quick spin around the block sunday night just after assembly I was happy to see the revs under 2k while pulling up the slope at 60km/h.

I actually did an epic write up about 2am monday of my trials and tribulations and successes too and the lappy froze , I was too tired and disappointed to redo it .

I tried to video how to put the torque converter bolts in using just the ratchet spanner (no extra hole in box, I only used pliers for bolts 1 and 2, then clicked how to do it without the pliers) but the phone and my face and obstructed sight line didn't cut it.

Basically I fitted the bolt onto the ratchet end of the spanner then gingerly squeezed in between flywheel and flex plate at 90 degrees (ie bolt parallel to flex plate) then a slow turn placing the bolt into the hole. The bolt is nicely flanged so then applying pressure on the spanner with an extended finger created enough friction for the bolt to sit in place and not turn lefty loosy,allowing the ratchet to ratchet and grab the thread.

It helps to check that the transfer case is actually engaged b4 you (meaning me) assume the torque converter is a dud and have a mini meltdown when you go to move off the ramps!!!

Anyway while I had it up in the air for a few weeks I did absolutely none of the jobs on the todo list, the whole exercise was to get the torque converter in and make it more palatable to drive, as I have never been a fan of slippery converters for daily use and have had an absolute gutfull of the way it came out of the factory, and wasn't prepared to put more time and money in catching up with all the neglect unless it stopped revving and going nowhere while those injectors clatter away maddeningly.

So now much happier and I would suggest to those contemplating this mod to just do it and not be apprehensive of loading the motor down or needing a tune. In fact the only 'loading down' I have noticed is simply the revs are not being silly so it sounds different because the donk is under load and actually using its torque to move the vehicle.

I am not waxing lyrical over the improvement but it is more than substantial enough (in my never humble opinion) to justify the cost even if you are not good on the tools and have to pay your local indy to do it

Originally Posted by rick130

As Kaaiju said, they do but it's a bit more exxy now than his mate paid.
Works out the same as the landed price from Ashcrofts atm.
I've had an HD flex plate sitting on the shelf for 18 months now and as the car is at 150,000km I don't think the stock flex plate will last much longer, hence I may as well do this as a preventative, and the t/case is coming out in the next 2 months anyway, so they'll all get done together.

150,000km is, relatively speaking, a new D2, when Pulling boxes that have over 400,000km on them to do an overhaul I still haven't seen a cracked flex plate, boxes that have been out before and had the converter bolts torqued by a rattle gun however...

I'd think you'd be safe to leave it for now, or maybe sell the HD one you have and get the Ashcroft kit and a V8 converter if the morph job is too exxy ( V8 converter overhaul including clutch and replacing thrust bush with a bearing should cost around $500, Ashcroft kit I think is around $420 landed and around $100 for a used V8 converter to give an Idea of cost)

As John said, It really is worth it if you're going pull the box out. I'm not waxing lyrical either

Originally Posted by johnp38

I had my ashcroft flex plate kit sitting around for a long while too.

It was $206 landed and cost me $100 for a used torque converter.

I got it (box/transfer case and rear mounts) all bolted up friday late at night and had a rest day saturday then finished off late sunday night (starter, cooler lines, prop shafts and cross members).

I've done about 15km since then and as yet noticed no issues re 'bogging down' and definitely do not need a tune, but I am driving sedately not spiritedly, however if you already have a tune I think you will love the extra 'liveliness/push' coming on a bit sooner.

Later today when I get my lazy self moving, I will be fetching a trailer load of sand/metal mix for some concreting so get a better idea of difference under towing load.

Going up our railway overpass on a quick spin around the block sunday night just after assembly I was happy to see the revs under 2k while pulling up the slope at 60km/h.

I actually did an epic write up about 2am monday of my trials and tribulations and successes too and the lappy froze , I was too tired and disappointed to redo it .

I tried to video how to put the torque converter bolts in using just the ratchet spanner (no extra hole in box, I only used pliers for bolts 1 and 2, then clicked how to do it without the pliers) but the phone and my face and obstructed sight line didn't cut it.

Basically I fitted the bolt onto the ratchet end of the spanner then gingerly squeezed in between flywheel and flex plate at 90 degrees (ie bolt parallel to flex plate) then a slow turn placing the bolt into the hole. The bolt is nicely flanged so then applying pressure on the spanner with an extended finger created enough friction for the bolt to sit in place and not turn lefty loosy,allowing the ratchet to ratchet and grab the thread.

It helps to check that the transfer case is actually engaged b4 you (meaning me) assume the torque converter is a dud and have a mini meltdown when you go to move off the ramps!!!

Anyway while I had it up in the air for a few weeks I did absolutely none of the jobs on the todo list, the whole exercise was to get the torque converter in and make it more palatable to drive, as I have never been a fan of slippery converters for daily use and have had an absolute gutfull of the way it came out of the factory, and wasn't prepared to put more time and money in catching up with all the neglect unless it stopped revving and going nowhere while those injectors clatter away maddeningly.

So now much happier and I would suggest to those contemplating this mod to just do it and not be apprehensive of loading the motor down or needing a tune. In fact the only 'loading down' I have noticed is simply the revs are not being silly so it sounds different because the donk is under load and actually using its torque to move the vehicle.

I am not waxing lyrical over the improvement but it is more than substantial enough (in my never humble opinion) to justify the cost even if you are not good on the tools and have to pay your local indy to do it

Good write up.
The roundabouts here would test the patience with a laggy stock tune and V8 converter.
Out of curiosity How many RPM on a stall test of your 2nd hand V8 converter John?

Good to hear people’s thoughts on the v8 Tc and Ashcroft 4 bolt flex plate as I bought them both and just getting the v8 tc done at TCT then back in the car and hopefully it holds onto 480nm worth of torque haha

Originally Posted by discorevy

150,000km is, relatively speaking, a new D2, when Pulling boxes that have over 400,000km on them to do an overhaul I still haven't seen a cracked flex plate, boxes that have been out before and had the converter bolts torqued by a rattle gun however...

I'd think you'd be safe to leave it for now, or maybe sell the HD one you have and get the Ashcroft kit and a V8 converter if the morph job is too exxy ( V8 converter overhaul including clutch and replacing thrust bush with a bearing should cost around $500, Ashcroft kit I think is around $420 landed and around $100 for a used V8 converter to give an Idea of cost)

As John said, It really is worth it if you're going pull the box out. I'm not waxing lyrical either




Good write up.
The roundabouts here would test the patience with a laggy stock tune and V8 converter.
Out of curiosity How many RPM on a stall test of your 2nd hand V8 converter John?

The roundabouts here are everywhere and a couple double lane dive in as you see fit ones too.

I have 460000 on the box so not keen on a stall test, I didn't have the funds nor the desire to replace clutch packs while it was out, just wanted to make the vehicle a better drive to justify persevering with it.

I just got back from the garden supply place with 840kg on the back and now I actually AM getting close to waxing lyrical about the upgrade, and it IS an upgrade from the stock slippery POS they put in at the factory as far as I am concerned. In fact I would go so far as to say that if I had the funds to put in a decent VNT, coupled with a retune to suit the turbo, an even lower stall of 1300-1500 would be ideal. Just like all my V8 holdens with low down torque had.

Anyway it was an even more positive experience towing the trailer than just the initial unladen improvement .

Initially I noticed putting the vehicle in gear and taking foot off the brake (no accelerator) it moved off the line crisply (if I can describe it like that) compared to the original TC. This was even more evident at the garden suppliers after I had been loaded up and took foot off brake and idled to the exit.

Pulling on to the road if anything it seemed to pull away better, definately not 'bogging down'.

And this was confirmed, when I got to the T junction that I do a right turn that always has a steady flow of traffic both ways, I dived in to a normal sort of gap that I would wait for (with the old TC), so I could pull out without slowing other cars in the left lane down (coming up my backside after I turn right) and it was a very different experience as it moved quicker off the mark loaded down than ever before.

I am now quite comfortable in keeping the stock tune, (and I can play with tuning as I see fit so would bump it up if I thought it needed it) and going back to playing with td5 and V8 transmission controller swapouts to see if the V8 Torque Converter loading affects the V8 transmission controller behaviour (I don't really think so but ya never know if ya don't give it a go eh?)

So for me this mod is a resounding success, until the next **** up takes the shine off and I start swearing at landrovers again

Anyway now I just want the concrete to automagically mix and pour itself

Originally Posted by discorevy

150,000km is, relatively speaking, a new D2, when Pulling boxes that have over 400,000km on them to do an overhaul I still haven't seen a cracked flex plate, boxes that have been out before and had the converter bolts torqued by a rattle gun however...

I'd think you'd be safe to leave it for now, or maybe sell the HD one you have and get the Ashcroft kit and a V8 converter if the morph job is too exxy ( V8 converter overhaul including clutch and replacing thrust bush with a bearing should cost around $500, Ashcroft kit I think is around $420 landed and around $100 for a used V8 converter to give an Idea of cost)

As John said, It really is worth it if you're going pull the box out. I'm not waxing lyrical either


[snip]

Interesting, I know of a few that have cracked in the 170-180,000km range, V8Ian's HSE being one.
I'm doing the t/case anyway, I have an '03 model 'case here to pinch the CDL locking mechanism from, plus an ATB and rebuild kit, so if the t/case is coming out...

Oh I know re the mileage. It had only 103,000km when I picked it up in Alice Springs 6 years ago.
Put 8000km on it on the way home (and 2 tilt tray trips and one repair in the SuperCheap carpark at Raymond Terrace )

I would expect the V8 TC will also drop the ATF temps by a fair bit which will be excellent for transmission life.