Thread: Disco 1 300Tdi simple questions

Originally Posted by mns488

hi kids,

Ok, i have a couple of probably simple questions (simple - for some of you guys ) about a 1997 disco 1 300Tdi.


1 - I noticed last night while the car was running I could hear the fuel pump buzzing (standing outside drivers side rear tyre). I haven't noticed it before. Should I hear it - its the original pump?

2 - I had the car serviced last week or so and noticed it was leaking oil (my car does not usually leak any oil as I dispise oil leaks and fix them as soon as they occur). Anyhow it is from the transfer case, the drain plug to be specific. So i thought easy, I can fix this. Got under car to tighten the drain plug and notice it just spins... . I didn't want to wreck the thread any further so left it as it only leaks oil when its hot... I'm taking it back to the mech later this week.

Is threading on transfer case an easy fix? Whats involved? Any advice?

3 - I had the radiator rodded and flushed also at service and think i still have an air pocket. I have a Low Coolant Alarm (sensor in top rad hose) and it now beeps until the engine warms up and thermostat opens (which can be quite a while in melb coming into winter)...

Whats the best way to get that air out?

Thanks for the repsonses in advance .

1. FAIK 300TDi Discos don't have any electrical fuel pump at the back. It must be something else. Maybe door actuator or something ?

2. You have a LR and you hate oil leaks ? That sounds like asking for frustration to me Sounds like they have stripped the thread. It will be interesting to see how they fix it. Do you take it to a specialist LR place ?

3. Remove the plug on top of radiator ( with engine cold of course ) - top up with coolant. then rmeove the plug on thermstat housing - top up with coolant. Run engine for a minute or so. Repeat. That should get rid of air locks. If you haven;t already replace the plastic plugs with brass ones at the same time..

Good luck !

Originally Posted by waynep

3. Remove the plug on top of radiator ( with engine cold of course ) - top up with coolant. then rmeove the plug on thermstat housing - top up with coolant. Run engine for a minute or so. Repeat. That should get rid of air locks. If you haven;t already replace the plastic plugs with brass ones at the same time..

Good luck !

Thanks Wayne,

Um, another simple question... the expansion tank is higher than the radiator and has coolant to the correct level in it, if i undo the raditor plug will it overflow?

Originally Posted by mns488

hi kids,

Ok, i have a couple of probably simple questions (simple - for some of you guys ) about a 1997 disco 1 300Tdi.


1 - I noticed last night while the car was running I could hear the fuel pump buzzing (standing outside drivers side rear tyre). I haven't noticed it before. Should I hear it - its the original pump?

No knowledge on this one - so I'll leave it to someone who has.

2 - I had the car serviced last week or so and noticed it was leaking oil (my car does not usually leak any oil as I dispise oil leaks and fix them as soon as they occur). Anyhow it is from the transfer case, the drain plug to be specific. So i thought easy, I can fix this. Got under car to tighten the drain plug and notice it just spins... . I didn't want to wreck the thread any further so left it as it only leaks oil when its hot... I'm taking it back to the mech later this week.

If the transfer case oil was changed during the service, my guess is that they have stripped the drain plug thread when replacing the plug. I am not sure if you can 'heli-coil' that thread - but I guess it could be done, or it may need tapping out to the next thread size up and have a larger 'bolt' replace the plug. ........but I would certainly be pointing out to the mechanic that it didn't leak before (mind you it could have been held in with loctite or something before he got at it.

Is threading on transfer case an easy fix? Whats involved? Any advice?

3 - I had the radiator rodded and flushed also at service and think i still have an air pocket. I have a Low Coolant Alarm (sensor in top rad hose) and it now beeps until the engine warms up and thermostat opens (which can be quite a while in melb coming into winter)...

Whats the best way to get that air out?

Again if it's only happened since the work was done, I would get them to fix it. ...........however on the TDi you are best removing the plug on top of the radiator and the thermostat housing plug.

Fill with coolant until the expansion tank is full and fluid can be seen through the radiator plug hole, refit radiator plug and continue to fill until coolant appears in the thermostat housing.

Whilst filling also squeeze the hoses as this helps removing air.

Then run the engine for 5 mins (with expansion cap off) leave to cool, check / top up fluid level, repeat as required.

..............the key here I think is the use of removing the plug in the stat housing.

It does say in the manual that the re-fill procedure is slow.

Thanks for the repsonses in advance .

Hope this helps

Ladas

Originally Posted by mns488

Thanks Wayne,

Um, another simple question... the expansion tank is higher than the radiator and has coolant to the correct level in it, if i undo the raditor plug will it overflow?

May do if it does than do it back up again . If it does not, fill it up.
Also turn the heater onto full hot when you run the engine after filling with water. This is somthimes the area where the airlock is . So run it for about 2-5 mins and check the level again

Everynow and then i see one that cracks me up.
a TDI that doesn't leak because you fix everything, you must be made of money. nobody has that much to spend to fix all the oil leaks.

Seriously though, did you go to dodgy brothers, sounds to me like they did stuff to it, that is now having ask questions, no noisy fuel pump, a buzzing sound, is the tank vent blocked and sucking in, or is it coming from the separator in front of the tank, was the noise there before dodgy bothers touched it?
the radiator as everyone has said is easy.
How in the h-ee.ll did they strip the thread on the drain plug, at the best of times they usually go in straight,
best of luck


john

Ok, well, after taking the car back to the mechanics for the above mentioned problems (i also got him to change the rear rubber donut as it had cracks) i got the car back on tuesday night.

Drove away all things felt and sounded good... and not 3 k/ms away from Mech on way home i heard and felt a grumbling/vibration noise...

Initially i thought it was an imbalance in the rear tailshaft so I pulled over to have a look. I saw the mechnics markings on the tailshaft and it all looked lined up. I was also wondering why the vibration happened after 3 k/ms.

Called mech and he was sure he put the tailshaft back on properly and bring it back tomorrow (public holiday and all) and he will have a look.

I was left wondering do i drive it home, then back the next day or straight back to mechs... I decided on flat bed straight back to mech.

Reason for vibration/grumbling: 1 gear in trasfer case lost a tooth

Result: My mech is claiming on his insurance because it was a result of something he did.

As annoyed as i am, at least he accepted fault without so much me saying anything - nor paying anything. And he went out of his way to look at it on a public holiday.

1 rebuilt transfer case cost to me: having to catch 2 trains to and from work

Did they fix the other problems -

leaking drain plug

Air lock/low coolant

Originally Posted by ladas

Did they fix the other problems -

leaking drain plug

Air lock/low coolant

Yes & Yes

The "fix" of the drain plug was the cause of the transfer case gears munching themselves - ok just one tooth.