Diff Problems ! 2008 Defender

[Pete1]

Hi every one !
Just got some bad news !
There has been a slight clicking noise coming from the rear diff area in my 2008 defender for a little while and I took it into the dealer ( also a Nissan agent ) .
Of course they said nothing happening back there. I wasnt convinced so I had an indepth look around and it WAS coming from the diff.
Went back and after another inspection by dealer the rear diff is WAY out of spec and is to be completely replaced ! It has done 17 000 km.
Good that it is being replaced .
Thought I should let you all know , should you have a similar noise.

[Scouse]

I know some of the early 2007 MY Defenders had a diff issue but I haven't heard of a 2008 having a problem. Let's hope yours is a one off.

[TimNZ]

Unfortunatley not Scouse, I'm on my 3rd.......

Tim

[Pete1]

Did it start as a small clicking noise ? Or something else?

[TimNZ]

No, they just whined badly on over-run and caused a transmission clunk, (more so than usual). Both times they started making noises within the first few hundred kilometers. I've done about 20k on the current diff without any problems.

Cheers,

Tim

[BilboBoggles]

Ditto my 2009 MY.. I'm on my second diff , and this one has clunked like crazy and hummed since I drove it home, so it will be back for a 3rd. Interestingly my TD5 Defender had three diffs in the first 10,000k's too. Same diff. It must cost them crap loads in repairs. I wonder if they jsut recycle them, ie clean themy up and send them out again in the hope that it works again.

[Pete1]

Why didnt they leave well alone and leave the old salsbury diff in them !

[TimNZ]

I'm going to get flamed for this, but the 4 pinion Rover Diff isn't that bad.

I believe the problem lies with LR's, (under Ford), lack of quality control. The diffs aren't failing within a few hundred k's from being weak, it's because they wern't put together properly.

Tim

[Pete1]

So what year did this particular diff come into being on Landrovers ?
Iam trying to remember what my 1996 300tdi Discovery had in it ?
Had 400 000km on that vehicle , never changed a universal ( except rubber donut) or had diff issues .

[BilboBoggles]

The 4 pin P38a type diff was switched in to the Defenders at the MY02 model - the Extreme facelift model. I don't think they ever used them on the Discovery D1's, but perhaps they did on the D2's? I've been told they used the same diff in the Wolf Defenders, so I think they are pretty strong - certainly once I got the TD5 over a few months it's lasted well.

As was said a little earlier - I think these issues are due to crap workmanship.