Thread: Preparing a disco to travel.

Do the head gasket before you leave, if it hasn't been done before you will have plastic head dowells and they will be mush , replace with steel ones , don't panic about the gearbox oil cooler as you already have one.

Originally Posted by discorevy

don't panic about the gearbox oil cooler as you already have one.

Really? did they come on manual D2s?

yep , except Europe

I am not sure what yours or the cars history is , so I will just rattle off what I think , a lot has already been covered.
first up as a priority - Check oil pump bolt if this has not been done already ( there is endless info on this issue on this site ).

- Low coolant alarm - by the time the temp guage moves its too late so I would be fitting it sooner rather than later especially if its a daily driver.

-Its a 2001 model so should have the internals for the centre diff lock- have you got a way of activating this if its not already fitted ?

Cooling system - I would be fitting a new radiator, and hoses full coolant flush and change at the same time. 18 yr old car and you want to tow a van and travel , I wouldn't take any short cuts

Suspension . would be looking at an upgrade if you don't already have it, towing a van and fully loaded car you need good shocks/springs. Old man emu - Bilsteins , this list is endless. Also a good inspection of all the wheel bearings ,ball joints etc replace if suspect/

Tyres - A good set of A/T at the least also put some consideration into whether you need to carry and extra carcass or if a tyre repair kit will suffice. I am assuming the van will have different stud pattern and maybe tyre size to the D2.What jack are you using ? standard car jack and tyre wrench. I cant remember the D2 jack and tyre wrench but if its anything like the D3, go after market. Also a jacking plate of some sort- either wood or steel.

A couple of things I haven't seen mentioned, a check of the harmonic balancer would be worthwhile and prolly rebearing the idler pulley and the belt tensioner. Also the front Uni joint and double cardon joint worth a check on the front prop shaft.

12 volt system - a 95 ltr fridge is a big fridge, and the D2 is not flush with room for a decent dual battery. Do a search about options of what people have fitted if you don't already have one set up. Also how are you going to charge things like phones, batteries, camera etc - have a think about this

Lights - how much night driving are you really going to do? will a small light bar or a single set of spotties suffice. Maybe this money can spent elsewhere

Spares - for me keep it simple, carry tools that suit the car - 3 different socket sets - do you need them all ?? spanners the same , I find there are mainly 2 or 3 main sizes , carry a couple of spare of these sizes, plus some plyers, vice grips, cutters etc. Couple spare globes and fuses. Multi meter and even a test light , plus a set of jumper leads wouldn't go astray. A spare serpentine belt even if its the one you take off when fitting a new one before you go.
I always carry a spare alternator, seems to be 1 of the hardest parts to get at short notice. Things like wheel bearing, water pumps etc if replaced before you go then you shouldn't need to carry as spares.

Also and very important a Nanocom or similar to read and clear fault codes - should NOT travel without 1.

I know it seems like a big list and likely expensive , but check out people like Roverlord , ( Mario ) is on here, fantastic service and he price is as good as anyone. You have 12 months to work thru the car , and if you are doing the work yourself then there is plenty of info on projects and "how to's " just start searching and reading.

This is just what I think and it may help in some way or another. Sounds like a great trip and if prepared correctly the D2 will make light work of it.

Cheers Ean

Originally Posted by discorevy

yep , except Europe

Something new learnt.

Originally Posted by Hunt family

.....
4-6 spotlights
....

Originally Posted by Hunt family

...
The trip is for a minimum of 12 months, 2 dogs, 2 adults, 2 children 10 & 5 and will be predominantly free camp... Including off road, van free travels.... So the assurance is definitely worth the space.

Will replace all hoses and keep old for spares.

What's the verdict on the silicon hoses on eBay? There's a set with a metal bleeder screw and would appreciate advice..

.....

1/. as already said, ditch the 4-6 spotties. May look tough or cool or macho or whatever .. but with two kids and 2 dogs towing a big van .. how much long distance, fast night time driving do you seriously expect to do?

2/. verdict from my end on those ebay silicon hoses with the metal tube plus bleeder! .. should have been designed like that by LR!! The stupid top hose + bleeder design from LR is woeful!
I talk of experience here not from my own perspective, but in working on brothers TD5.
(note: I have plans to one day have a TD5 D2 myself .. long way off but plan is there .. will be one of the first things I'd dump, irrespective of condition/age of that silly top hose)
(note2: why LR chose to use a similar bleeder/junction type to the ebay hose on the V8 model .. but made of plastic .. but chose that mad design for the TD5 proves that those engineers do that type of carp on purpose to confound us classic car type owners).

I'd say save the space in keeping those old hoses for spares on the trip ... just get some silicon amalgamating tape and a roll or two of fibreglass 'fibrefix' type stuff, and have a few clamps of various sizes, and you'll be fine.
Belts, only one. replace serpentine belt and keep the old one as a spare at home too. Unlikely it'll break in 12 months unless you drive hamfistedly.

Things that could go wrong, like an alternator(eg. bearing) in the middle of nowhere.
What would be more useful in that sense as a spare belt, is a shorter length belt and a way to fit it bypassing the alternator!
Guess why I mention that as a contingency!
So that's something I'm slowly working on for my Tdi as a contingency plan.

As for lights and the ditching of the spotties, you'd be better off fitting led flood lights to each corner of the roof rack(if fitted) for when camping in free areas. Free areas will almost certainly be devoid of lights, and with two young kids .. lights when camping is probably going to be everything!

If you're out there and you see an old grey D1 chugging along in front of you wave as you overtake!

Originally Posted by AdamHunter

Watch your weight, you are talking about carting quite A bit there. the D2 only has a gvm of 2800ish depending on model and the tare out of the factory is 2200ish. So you have only 600ish to play with, which disappears very quickly with 4 ppl onboard and a caravan ball load.

I'm without handbook/car at the moment to check , but I've got a date with the weighbridge next week before we head off on the big lap in a few weeks.

Okay, mines in the UK, but at the weight bridge just before Christmas, it weighed 2700 kilograms, with a full tank of diesel and no occupants, never seen a Disco 2 that only weighs 2200 kgs

I am working through the list as well. I would add...
Blank off the Exhaust Gas Recirc EGR valve
Fuel cooler o rings (common cooling system leak)
Fuel pump in the fuel tank
Install a Pro vent oil separator
If pulling off the head do the VRS when you have the head off
Modify the exhaust manifold bolts when you do the head
Do the idler pulley, harmonic balancer etc. when you replace the radiator
Check power steering pump and hoses
And do brakes, pads, rotors and bleed
A copy of Rave and a Nanocom

And contact Mario (Roverlord)

But despite all this, the list will never get shorter....
And I only joined this forum and bought my D2a in June!
Welcome aboard!