First off, I'm not a 4x4 newbie. I had a Jeep YJ on one tons and 42s. If anyone gives a F, they can look at it here. (http://www.texasblake.com/gallery/main.php) I sold it about a year ago because fuel for the tow rig was too expensive to tow the YJ halfway across the state, so the non street legal YJ just sat in the garage 50 weeks out of the year. I sold it and bought a Porsche 944 Turbo for my play toy


Well, now I have the 4x4 bug again. I was looking at going something cheap, so I was looking at Samurais. But then I remember how cheap Discos were. They appealed to me because they were cheap, it is something that I could drive to the trails (maybe) and I could drive it around town if I really wanted. I know I'm not going to do the same stuff I did in my YJ, but I think I'd just be happy with another 4x4.

The girlfriend is also interested (holy cow amazing, she normally doesn't give a F about 4x4s). She has a Toyota MR2, so she would like something that she could actually, function with. You know, get groceries, pick people up at the airport, get her dry cleaning, throw her bicycle in so she can go cycling, and whatever else bullshit women do. I figured that we could just share it, she can use it for what she wants, and I'll use it for what I want :D

So, I've done some research, but I'm still gathering information. So far, all I'm working with is Wikipedia, and the general things I remember hearing/reading about on 4x4 trips and randomly seeing on PBB over the past few years (I never really frequented this section of the forum unless there was something really cool). I think I want a Disco series 1. They're cheaper, and I think I'd like a pre ODBII vehicle for ease of fixing things. Is that the consensus? Is stuff like the ABS/Airbags a bitch? My YJ didn't have those and I bought a 1986 Porsche 944 just to stay away from air bags and ABS.

Also, I hear tons of people talking shit about Land Rovers. But honestly, how bad are they? I mean as long as parts are available and literature to fix it is available, I don't see it being so bad. People said the same thing about my Porsche, and I have no problems fixing it. I mean I can rebuild transfer cases, do ring and pinions, build engines, suspension fab, not to mention having to work on the Porsche.

Are there any sites that have general FAQs that tell what to look for, what commonly fails, what is good/crappy about them? So far the only info I can find seems to be that they have weak ass axles (I've seen the pics, they look like Samurai axles in size and are 10 spline??????). What are the things that commonly fail? Not just with the type of abuse that us 4x4 guys give it, but just in general. Every vehicle I've delt with has its share of "xxxx will fail" so I know these will have their share. What is the consensus with manual vs. auto tranny? My YJ had an auto and I don't have any crawling experience with a manual. However, both the girlfriend and I drive manual transmission (in her Toyota, my Porsche, and two of my three previous DD vehicles).

Anyway, just looking for information. Google searches seem to just pull up crap. I have the holidays to do nothing but research, which I am good at, as long as I have someplace to start.

THANKS!

www.discoweb.org

you're on the right track. you won't have a problem fixing a DI

Also, I hear tons of people talking shit about Land Rovers. But honestly, how bad are they? I mean as long as parts are available and literature to fix it is available, I don't see it being so bad. People said the same thing about my Porsche, and I have no problems fixing it. I mean I can rebuild transfer cases, do ring and pinions, build engines, suspension fab, not to mention having to work on the Porsche.


THANKS!

Like Mike said your on the right track.

The Land Rover is not bad at all those that talk shit usually don't know the shit:D. All joking aside you seem to be very worthy of knowing how to repair vehicles. So In response to that the Discovery should provide with many years of good service if you take care of it which seems to me you will.

happy shopping!

What's up with the special scan tool to bleed the brakes? I just called a mechanic friend of mine and he said they are the biggest piles of shit he's ever worked on in his life. He said someone brought one in for a master cylinder, and they couldn't bleed the brakes because you need a $350 tool so they towed it to the dealership. This is the kind of crap I'm talking about.

Also, I found a cheap on on Craigslist for $1200 with a blown headgasket. What is chance the aluminum engine/heads are warped?

That's on a DII (2000 up). The earlier ones are a lot simpler. The 10 spline axles were on Range Rovers, 24 spline is stock on Discos, and can be upgraded without spending retarded money. If you're looking at a truck with blown gaskets plan for an engine change, they sometimes drop cylinder liners. Discoweb is probably your best bet.

Get a Gen 2 Toyota minitruck and have fun.

Disco's are not meant to wheel unless you wanna cut them up and pull a "darkstar"....:smokin:



Sorry PT....:flipoff2:

I registered in discoweb, waiting to get approved by the admin/mods. Will post up the same question there. THX

I found one for $1600 OBO that has a blown head gasket. On the reading I've done, it seems like blown headgaskets is very common, so doesn't seem like that big of deal.

However, the guy says that it will turn over, but won't start. Should I be alarmed at this. Seems like all the cars I'm used to with blown headgaskets can at least start and run.

1600 is too much for a blown head gasket. i paid too much for my running 96. with a blown head gasket, even if the rest is spotless, it's probably only worth 800-1000.

I looked at it during lunch. $1600 would have been okay if it were cherry, but that thing was ragged to hell! Whoever owned it DID NOT care for it. It looked like a homeless person's house.

Try here http://www.texasrovers.org/ for some locals.

Buy the one that is worn out and put away wet.

Remember "Texas Blake would hit it!"

Offer 500. We all have parts to help you bring it back to life.

Don't overlook RRC's :D

Oh ya, look at replacement parts prices. :shaking: And upgrade parts.

Disco's are not meant to wheel unless you wanna cut them up.





That's not true:shaking:. Discoveries are meant for offroad it's just that most owners use them as Daily Drivers/weekend wheelers and are not willing to risk major Damage to them. :D

Blake:
Welcome to the cult, hit it two times!

As much as I love the Lucas engines, unless you're really ready to work on a truck where it might intentionally withhold information from you, get a '96-'99 Disco (a hint as to how much others don't like to work on them, any time a truck with a distributor shows up at my "local" dealership, they call me and ship it to me). The OBD-II capability can make working on the trucks much easier. IF and it's a big if, you're really, really comfortable using very basic troubleshooting techniques, you'll probably do alright. If you'd prefer a hint as to what's wrong, you'll want the post '96 trucks. Scan tools for the pre-OBD rigs are few and expensive for what little insight they give you.

I don't understand why folks find these trucks so hard to work on. FWIW, I've done many brake fluid flushes, caliper replacements, etc and even though I have three Rover-specific diagnostic computers, I haven't needed to use the computer to bleed the DIIs.

Parts can be expensive, but don't really need to be if you're open-minded. There are several good boneyards whose owners hang out on Dweb. Will Tillery and Drillbit (Marty Powell) are both great guys who will take care of your parts needs.

Get a Gen 2 Toyota minitruck and have fun.

Disco's are not meant to wheel unless you wanna cut them up and pull a "darkstar"....:smokin:



Sorry PT....:flipoff2:

LOL, I've only been trying to get you to come over to the Dark Side for how long now, four, almost five years! Someday, I'll get a rig going again and maybe we can wheel together! You should see Gary's rig, it's coming along well, but we need to have business slow down so we can work on our rigs and not everybody else's broken truck. Sadly, we're seeing more and more of the new generation of trucks, so glad I bought the new computer!

LRRForums.com -

If you ever sit on the toilet, pinch yourself real hard and yell, "No mommy, no!", you're ready for a Land Rover.

That's not true:shaking:. Discoveries are meant for offroad it's just that most owners use them as Daily Drivers/weekend wheelers and are not willing to risk major Damage to them. :D
Hi, this is my first post to this forum but I just had to add that we don't seem to have the same problem over here in the UK :)

http://www.noots.org.uk/misc/DSCN4541_1000.jpg

Hi, this is my first post to this forum but I just had to add that we don't seem to have the same problem over here in the UK :)

I didn't know grass could do that kind of damage.

I didn't know grass could do that kind of damage.
LOL Our trails (we call them lanes) tend to be tight - that's why you don't see many big lifts over here.
http://www.noots.org.uk/misc/DSCN4499_1000.jpg

I didn't know grass could do that kind of damage.

it is a landrover after all.....:shaking:

Wandering off topic, UK Green Lanes are not quite the same as trails in the states, the general "tread lightly" rule is that if you need anything more than mud tyres to drive it, you probably shouldn't be driving it - although there are a few well-known exceptions.

Discos make good off-road toys provided you're not going to be going mental - as has been said the axles aren't really up to big tyres or lots of abuse. Mind you, toy axles seem to go on quite well. You may as well look at Range Rovers too - they're the same car with a different body so you just need to choose which level of luxury electrical faults you want :flipoff2:

Just to fuck with you, both of these are Discovery TDi's:
http://fuddymuckers.co.uk/gallery/resize.php?s=500&path=slab_07//Jen_IMG_1273.jpg
http://www.shirelrc.com/members/gallery/archive/2007/7sisters/files/page8-1061-full.jpg
Which goes to show the body rusting away is not necessarily a bad thing.

Hi, this is my first post to this forum but I just had to add that we don't seem to have the same problem over here in the UK :)

http://www.noots.org.uk/misc/DSCN4541_1000.jpg

Must have been an awful tall grocery cart that did that damage. Careless shoppers.

No mommy No!

Get a Gen 2 Toyota minitruck and have fun.

Disco's are not meant to wheel unless you wanna cut them up and pull a "darkstar"....:smokin:


Not Buggylicious, but this Disco seems to do OK (when it runs...)
But, I admit when the trails get rough, I usually take the Mog...:flipoff2:

I didn't know grass could do that kind of damage.

Breaking traction and rolling down that bloody hill will do it...

obd1 trucks are much more waterproof in my rover experience

if you go to many of the parks in Texas in a lifted disco plan on touching every tree limb out there with the roof. range rover classic might be a better platform if you can live with the ugly eurotrash dashboard or find a rare 95

auto is the way to go, but to be fair my 5 speed truck has wimpy street tires. point and shoot is much more fun, you won't spill your starbucks as often.

if you plan on driving it home after wheeling you must get better steering linkage and rear lower control arms. the stock stuff is crap

obd1 trucks are much more waterproof in my rover experience

You have got to be kidding?

Get a stock Rover distributor wet and fully expect to be pulled out of the obstacle and be patient as it decides to dry out-or not.

x2. In the old days I drowned my GEMS disco more times than I can count, and I have powerwashed under the hood every time I have washed it (which admitedly is not very often). Not so much as an electrical hickup at any time.

You have got to be kidding?

Get a stock Rover distributor wet and fully expect to be pulled out of the obstacle and be patient as it decides to dry out-or not.

maybe msd has something to do with that, but the 96 and 97 fear the carwash

but the 96 and 97 fear the carwash

Every car wash in town has my card in the cashier's booth!

Dielectric grease is your friend, do it now before the pins rot away completely, the ECU is in a STUPID place!

Funny, I've soaked my truck repeatedly and never had a problem with moisture in the engine. I think the Bosch is sealed better then the GEMS.
The ecu is also less exposed.

I don't understand why folks find these trucks so hard to work on. FWIW, I've done many brake fluid flushes, caliper replacements, etc and even though I have three Rover-specific diagnostic computers, I haven't needed to use the computer to bleed the DIIs.

Parts can be expensive, but don't really need to be if you're open-minded. There are several good boneyards whose owners hang out on Dweb. Will Tillery and Drillbit (Marty Powell) are both great guys who will take care of your parts needs.2x
I can't imagine anyone complaining about working on a Rover.

They are one of the few vehicles that truly are engineered to be repaired.
IOW, easy to work on.
I've worked on everything from '69 Roadrunners to '98 Lincoln MK VIIIs and my '97 & '03 Discos are, by far, the easiest vehicles to work on I've ever owned.
High cost of OEM parts is easily offset by availability of used.
Added bonus for offroading: Every, I mean every, body panel is replaceable.

If you've worked on Jeeps and Porches, a LR will be a dream come true.

They are one of the few vehicles that truly are engineered to be repaired.



I think that is a bit of a stretch. I think they are engineered to need repairs.

I think that is a bit of a stretch. I think they are engineered to need repairs.I stand by my original words.
They're designed to be fixed in the middle of the Sahara with a screwdriver, vicegrips, wire and duct tape. :D

Texas Blake? Where'd you go? Hey, come back buddy!
Oh great guys! All our weirdness chased another one away!
Nice going freako's!

I've got a 1995 Disco. FIRST let me say I DO like the car and it is fun to drive. That being said- here is what I experienced with my 1st Disco purchase.......... High maintenance in my oppinion and over-engineered or complicated vs. a US made car of the same time period. Let me explain/justify with a couple examples I ran into in the less than 5k miles I drove mine:

High maintenance: Lots of "little", but time consuming problems. For example: Sun roof comes off track (common Disco I problem), window roller assembly broke (common problem), heater core leaked- (This is like a 10-15 hour job to replace if you do it the way the manual explains. I had to remove the ENTIRE dash.) Lots of other leaks- still tracking them down. Now it overheats. (I think it is either the radiator needs to be replaced/rodded out or the fan clutch.) Headlight switch won't stay on. (Alot of issues for how little I use the car.)

Complicated: Fan Clutch- It uses a viscous coupler/joint that is fed by actual engine coolant that runs through it. What is wrong with a spring like most US cars?
Vehicle computers: There are computers all over in the car. One that runs the motor, window rolling & locking, door locks, anti-theft, air bags, etc. They are all over in this car. Makes chasing an electrical problem much more difficult. I downloaded the wiring diagrams online and they are way more involved than any other car I have worked on for this/1995 time/year period.
Heater Core: It was very difficult to replace this! With a few small changes, replacement would be easy. It is like $1k in labor to have the dealer do it. I did it myself without the shortcut "bending tubes" way and would not want to do it again.

I could go on a bit, but you get the idea. Good car, just expect to put alot of time & money into "little" problems.

94-95 Disco is your best bet in my opinion. Get one with manual seats if you can. No sunroofs is also a bonus, less electronic shit to break! I sold a fairly clean (some light rust on the body) 94 for 2100 bucks a few months ago... they are out there. Everything else has been covered... the diffs/axles are the weakest link. Gordo

Ole TB scares easy. He claims to be the ladies man that is not very picky. But you hear stories about how maybe he is becoming more discriminating. My guess is LR is not going to be his cup of tea.



Texas Blake? Where'd you go? Hey, come back buddy!
Oh great guys! All our weirdness chased another one away!
Nice going freako's!

Ole TB scares easy. He claims to be the ladies man that is not very picky. But you hear stories about how maybe he is becoming more discriminating. My guess is LR is not going to be his cup of tea.

Sounds like he bought a Suzuki. I didn't know he was gay.:flipoff2:

I am interested in getting a Discovery II as well. I really like toyotas but I am tired of looking at the millions of 4 runners floating around my neighborhood. I want a LR for towing fact, the room, luxary factor and for the most part they were ment to be taken off road.
I would want a mild lift for cheap. some say use toyota axles some dont. Whats the verdict?
Reliable? Not nearly as much as a toyota I take it, but i go through cars faster then I use a tube of toothpaste sometimes so F it.
What should I take into consideration when shopping for a series II. I am not going to buy one with more then 100k miles or any mechanical problems for that matter.

when shopping for a series II. I am not going to buy one with more then 100k miles or any mechanical problems for that matter.Then I guess you're not going to buy one. :shaking:

I love the way they look but everyone that has owned one said they were hella money to maintain but they loved it and everyone that still has a running one thinks they are the baddest thing going. There is a guy in my town that owns a custom rover building shop. I might see what his thoughts are...hes probably on PB somewhere

I just realized you're probably referring to a D2, as in Discovery II.
Much different than a Series II.

ya...rough morning im at work trying to act busy so I am not quite all there yet lol.



Im looking for something like this
http://images.craigslist.org/3md3pa3o21fd1g5141911251402787c18117c.jpg
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc114/tutupuky/IMG_1696.jpg