SIII Gearbox/TC Problem
1981 ex Army SIII at end of it's life but working as a utility vehicle on a sand island off Port Albert, Victoria. It's a harsh environment and all vehicles eventually rust away. The island is a game reserve run as a co-operative by volunteers.
The problem is the vehicle has been starting in gear, even though the clutch is engaged and the gearbox is in Neutral. Immediate diagnosis was that the clutch was rusted on to the flywheel as this has regularly happened before with other vehicles. The method to unstick the clutch was to start it in gear but with the clutch engaged. This usually resulted in a bit of a bang and then all was good and the car drove OK until it had to be started again. But finally it seized up and as I'm known as a bit of a Landrover nut the job was assigned to me.
I've removed the floor and seat base (yes, many rusted bolts and the captive nuts had long ago ceased to be captive), both prop shafts, and popped off the gear lever to have a look through the inspection port at the clutch. Surprisingly, it all looked OK, quite clean, and the fingers were fine and seemed to move the requisite distance. Attention was then turned to the clutch and master cylinders, but again, these seemed fine.
With the output shafts free to rotate, I reconnected the battery and started the car. All gears engage OK and High Range 2WD and 4WD work OK as does Low Range.
BUT, with the gearbox in Neutral and the clutch engaged (i.e. foot off the pedal), drive is going to the output shafts. Only when the clutch is engaged to about half an inch from it's full travel (i.e. the floor) does the drive to the output shaft cease. Yes, when the Transfer Case is put into Neutral (which is very hard to find) drive also stops as expected.
So it seems to me that somehow the Transfer Case is still being powered by the gearbox, even though the gearbox is in Neutral.
Am I missing something? Any suggestions welcome. I do have workshop manuals at home but I'm still on the island and just need to get my head around this.
2013 D4 expedition equipped
1966 Army workshop trailer
(previously SII 2.25 swb, SIII 2.25 swb & lwb, P38 Vogue, 1993 LSE 3.9V8 then HS2.8)
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