Julian's Land Rover Discovery 2 TD5 - Derek

Ghettobird

As with any automotive fascination, it often gets worse before it gets better.

I have purchased a 2002 (01 Build) Land Rover Discovery 2 TD5 ES in Chawton White.

220,000 kms, dealer logbook service since new, seperate front and rear AC, ACE equipped, No SLS. or sunroofs.

Donned in tan leather, full electric heated seats and cruise control.

Im unsure if it still has the centre diff lock, I might be lucky with the build date that it may still have all the guts inside the transfer case, if not I have a few spare.

This is to be a work vehicle, long range tourer and all round comfy barge.

RWC is booked for tomorow and rego next week.

Plans are to find a pair of nice front and rear bars, dual battery system and possible a pair of extended tanks - One 150L main tank replacement and a 50L left sill tank (ACE valve occupies the RH Sill).

UHF (Find a good deal on a Uniden 9080)

Alpine Halo9 or a Joying unit.

The plan is for a group of us to head up for NT day next year and spend a few weeks kicking back.

So useful :D

Ex850R

I see the courier vans have super light fold up ramps loose in back for wheeled gear,maybe could help on this?

Ghettobird

Thats a great idea!

Ex850R

I am actually amazed every time I'm in the loading dock and a driver grabs one out and flips it like origami into a ramp!

Volvirgin

If it is '02 built - after about July '01 - you likely won't have the internals in the box.

Check for a bolt on top of the transfer case - if it is there, you are in luck. You will only need the linkages.

Alternatively, if the serials number starts with 41D or 42D, you will have the internals. If it starts with 61D, 62D, 69D or 70D, it won't have them.

Ghettobird

Very handy info!

Ill have a look this morning.

RWC'd yesterday, driest LRO product Vitali had ever seen

At 2,200 kilo, she'd a big girl on the lifts!

Volvirgin

I have some fond memories of mine.

When they are working, they are tremendously capable vehicles, a great thing to own.

Problem with mine was it didn't work all the time...

carnut222

Nice! Wayne’s brother has one and his parents had one years ago...drives like a truck compared to a Volvo but fit for purpose...not something I’d want to drive on a daily commute around town! :)

PaddlerEd

carnut222
Nice! Wayne’s brother has one and his parents had one years ago...drives like a truck compared to a Volvo but fit for purpose...not something I’d want to drive on a daily commute around town! :)

This is fun for the daily commute around town:

4spd, NA diesel, no power steering, leaf springs, drum brakes (that do lock the wheels.... I checked that the other day on a roundabout) shite mirrors and the only reason you know (roughly) where the nose is is the UHF antenna.

We did look at D2s to replace the 4Runner, and they were really quite cheap compared to a Land Cruiser, but then our Red one came along at the right time and the right price.

past_the_moon

carnut222
Nice! Wayne’s brother has one and his parents had one years ago...drives like a truck compared to a Volvo but fit for purpose...not something I’d want to drive on a daily commute around town! :)

really? not the one i had with active front sway bar it left many a hsv for dead in the corners on wet roads and dry. was hilarious!

Ghettobird

We use the discos up at the farm to their fullest capabilities almost every weekend. Apart from being a but on the agricultural side, they are truly amazing cars.

After having a proper look, It would appear that it does not have the factory fitted CDL, no shaft on top of the transfer case. Thanks @Volvirgin for the info :D

Our other D2 which is 6 months older does, so I may fit a transfer case at a later date. I will say that the factory traction control does indeed work, but is far more aggressive than the seamless power delivery of having a true locking centre diff.

Slight vibration at 95-105 that I can power through, rear rotoflex/guibo/propshaft rubber is pretty dry and nasty, Ill see if that fixes it up.

Volvirgin

It likely will.

While you're underneath, have a look at the front unis too - they tend to wear quicker. If you're unaware they're worn, the noise they can start making is... disturbing.

With the TC, I found that it encouraged mechanically sympathetic driving off road - ie going as slowly as you can to maintain momentum. That was when it felt like it would go absolutely anywhere.

Ghettobird

Ordered a Nanocom, all of 660$ with the windshield mount and express delivery ?

Had a good chat to Ben from Old Car Gearboxes about his disco while he repaired an old Getrag for me, He recommended enquiring with GJ Drivelines about having them replace the double cardon joint in my front propshaft as opposed to spending 700+ on an all new shaft from Tom Woods, as its the only part that typically fails.

I suspect the car has spat a crank sensor as it didnt start one morning and Ive left it since. A nanocom or similar quality TD5 specific scanner will make diagnosing a pinch as there are a range of issues that can cause a TD5 to shit the bed, such as:

Failed injector seals (Replaced by myself 1 month ago)

Failed fuel pump (Replaced by myself a month ago)

Oil in injector harness

Oil in ECU via inector harness

Arcing in the starter due to worn solenoid contacts lowering the voltage too much

Literally oil anywhere the harness goes because f#$k you land rover.

Took it out for NYE and a week later again to Marysville for some light offroading, hugely impressed by how capable the car is, even without a CDL.

Ive since discovered a kit from ashcroft that allows you to retrofit the CDL without actually pulling the transfer case out of the car, which prompted me to realise I could just pull said housings straight off of either 2 of my discos.

https://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/miscellaneous/disco-ii-difflock/cdl-update-kit.html

Volvirgin

You should have said something about a nanocom - I still have one from when I had mine that is sitting here doing nothing.

But they are hugely useful things that pay for themselves quickly. Especially for clearing the 3 Amigos...

Ghettobird

Awwww man

660$ hurts, but atleast its mine :'(

Ghettobird

Derek has been rather good to me in the past few months.

Ive finally worked out the injection system and fixed all of the PO's bodge fixes, chipped the ECU and daily driven it for the past few months.

This thing is an absolute weapon offroad, the factory traction control system in low range with unlocked centre (He dosnt have a CDL), unlocked front and rear diffs is unreal.

I have had a few gripes, A few weeks ago the ECU decided there was too much oil in itself and ignored all throttle input, This was remmedied by pulling the ECU out and blasting it with brake cleaner. This wouldnt have been an issue if there wasnt a torrential that day.

Ill be prepping it up to sell in the next few weeks, Ive been doing more and more pretty gnarly offroad driving in it and just feel its too good and represents too much investment at the moment for me to roll or for the gearbox to shit itself in my ownership. I have very little trust in these boxes as Ive only had bad experiences - EXCEPT with this car. The box is fantastic and Id like to sell it on in this same state and ideally double my money.

As the prospect of working and studying in Wagga has very quickly changed with the current climate I wont be needing a big long range rig anymore as the S90 fills that requirement perfectly.

With this sold, Ill be digging out my D1 Doris again and using her for my new found 4x4 adventures.

Some pics & a video from the past few months:

Ghettobird

https://youtu.be/RTyN20v1u9Q
https://youtu.be/A57-yQH_YfQ

Ghettobird

ACE in this car was brilliant, Shame engine and transmission let it down so badly

GreenGL

Ghettobird
ACE in this car was brilliant, Shame engine and transmission let it down so badly

I've heard good things about ACE. Just need to be careful to not rupture a line offroad.

What engine issues did you have with yours?

carnut1100

I had two of these.. one early one without ACE and a facelift with it.

ACE was amazing... in the old one I could still throw it into corners with all 4 squealing, but body roll was epic.

With the ACE car it sat flat as my old 242 on lowered springs... but throw it in low range and it decouples for better articulation.

I fitted centre diff lock to the early one and it became so much better off road. The facelift already had it.

I do miss mine...