Disco 2 Advice

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T

TopperJK

Member
Posts
22
Location
Northants
Hi all

Had my 7 seat, 2004, TD5 for a few months now and I'm a bit smitten. It's covered 133k miles.

It has ACE and no central diff lock (well it probably has but it's not usable as it has TC)

Now, I've started working my way through both the gremlins and the potential gremlins and would like some advice on what's best to tackle next.

So far I've replaced the XYZ switch with a new one, replaced the battery with a new one, put General Grabber boots on all around, and it's currently getting the air suspension replaced with Terrafirma 2" lift all round.

There will be a snorkel, diff guard, side steps and few other bits added during the year, but based on potential level of impending doom (or future failure) what's best for me to tackle next?

Cheers
 
Assuming you have not done all this already: do a full diagnosis including looking at the live data for any unexpected readings, change all the fluids and filters; if the diff oil is cloudy take a close look at the breathers, maybe buy a wading kit if you are adding a snorkel. Take off the aux belt and tensioner and check them. Check the viscous fan, it can sap a lot of power. Treat the chassis inside and out with a suitable rust preventative when the weather improves. Clean the MAP and MAF and if the MAP is oily, remove and clean out any oil from the intake, intercooler and connecting hoses. Check your turbo for bearing wear - take off the inlet hose and give the compressor spindle a wiggle don't replace it if it is working fine (MAF live data), but if there is significant movement or end float, start planning how you want to replace it and do so before it goes bang. Buy some handy spares - aux belt, starter rebuild kit.
Before you spend too much money on performance upgrades, remap, performance intercooler etc ask yourself if you really need a snorkel? They restrict air flow into the engine and will limit the benefit of your performance upgrades.
Similarly do you need the lift? It sounds as if you have fitted the wheels/tyres you want already, so presumably they were fine without the lift?
 
+ longer brake lines. I had also 2" lift, but just removed. The brake line were original and were really close to break during lifting the car (or when your spring really extends).
So do it only if you really need. better to focus on other preventive tasks and repairs which will surely come:)

QUOTE="MJI, post: 4467080, member: 111044"]Keep the air get lift blocks[/QUOTE]
 
Last edited:
  • check (or just change) the oil pump bolt
  • get on top of any coolant leaks ASAP - a dry head is a fried head
  • get on top of any oil leaks too - engine mounts degrade quickly if saturated with oil, not too clever for starter and alternator either
  • PAS lines can go horrifically rusty where they pass under rad - check em, replace if necessary
 
Thanks for all of the advice.

The suspension lift has been done with extended braided brake lines and extended anti roll bars

Next step is to go through the engine and replace any thing that is prone to degradation, plus I'm be swapping out the viscous fan for an electric one.
 
MJI said:
DON'T DO IT

If you do get a spare engine ready to replace the overheated one
Click to expand...
Just curious as to why ? Surely if you keep an eye on temp & fit a switch to activate the fan at a certain temp it will be fine ? I thought the TD5 engines run quite cool anyway & that you can leave the viscuous fan off for most of the year without any overheating issues ? I'm just asking as I want to know if that's right or not.
Dan
 
Royston 90 said:
Just curious as to why ? Surely if you keep an eye on temp & fit a switch to activate the fan at a certain temp it will be fine ? I thought the TD5 engines run quite cool anyway & that you can leave the viscuous fan off for most of the year without any overheating issues ? I'm just asking as I want to know if that's right or not.
Dan
Click to expand...
they dont run cool i dont know an engine that does, you can take the fan off as during normal driving theres enough air been forced through the rad, drive slow enough or stop like creeping in traffic and it will over heat, the viscous fan works why increase risks by removing it and increasing the thermal shocks as it gets near over heating and electric fan is on/off
 
jamesmartin said:
they dont run cool i dont know an engine that does, you can take the fan off as during normal driving theres enough air been forced through the rad, drive slow enough or stop like creeping in traffic and it will over heat, the viscous fan works why increase risks by removing it and increasing the thermal shocks as it gets near over heating and electric fan is on/off
Click to expand...
Just thought I remembered seeing a thread where someone was saying that due to the big rad the engine ran quite cool and for the cooler months, there was no rush to refit the fan if it wasn't working. I also saw someone that had fitted an electric rad fan, that had a sensor retrofitted in a coolant pipe to activate the fan once a certain temp was sensed. He had removed the viscous fan as he went wading quite a bit. Anyway I agree with what you stated that engines don't run cool & as LR see fit to fit the viscuous fan as standard, then that's as good a reason as any to keep it stock.

Dan.
 
Royston 90 said:
Just thought I remembered seeing a thread where someone was saying that due to the big rad the engine ran quite cool and for the cooler months, there was no rush to refit the fan if it wasn't working. I also saw someone that had fitted an electric rad fan, that had a sensor retrofitted in a coolant pipe to activate the fan once a certain temp was sensed. He had removed the viscous fan as he went wading quite a bit. Anyway I agree with what you stated that engines don't run cool & as LR see fit to fit the viscuous fan as standard, then that's as good a reason as any to keep it stock.

Dan.
Click to expand...
a vehicle thats going to be used wading regular then electric makes sense, no point in increasing risk otherwise
 
Royston 90 said:
Just curious as to why ? Surely if you keep an eye on temp & fit a switch to activate the fan at a certain temp it will be fine ? I thought the TD5 engines run quite cool anyway & that you can leave the viscuous fan off for most of the year without any overheating issues ? I'm just asking as I want to know if that's right or not.
Dan
Click to expand...

The viscous fan does an excellent job of maintaining a fairly constant engine temperature across a wide range of conditions, and will continue to cool the engine even when it fails. An electric fan is reliant on the thermostat to govern temperature and its own electric motor to do the cooling. If either fails your engine will overheat if driven and you risk a blown head gasket and warped head. Add that unneccesary dependancy to the thermal shock issue SF discusses above and IMHO a viscous fan is the way ahead.
Note that if you are planning on remapping (and why wouldn't you :)), I understand that the head can be sensitive to the higher EGTs resulting from an overly-aggressive remap. I would definately keep the viscous fan if you are remapping - and go to an experienced source such as Alive or Stormtuning.

Just noted the discussion on habitual wading and I guess that would be a situation that would favour an electric fan. However, given how easy they are to fit, I would have both, and remove and replace the viscous fan A/R.
 
Si Click said:
The viscous fan does an excellent job of maintaining a fairly constant engine temperature across a wide range of conditions, and will continue to cool the engine even when it fails. An electric fan is reliant on the thermostat to govern temperature and its own electric motor to do the cooling. If either fails your engine will overheat if driven and you risk a blown head gasket and warped head. Add that unneccesary dependancy to the thermal shock issue SF discusses above and IMHO a viscous fan is the way ahead.
Note that if you are planning on remapping (and why wouldn't you :)), I understand that the head can be sensitive to the higher EGTs resulting from an overly-aggressive remap. I would definately keep the viscous fan if you are remapping - and go to an experienced source such as Alive or Stormtuning.

Just noted the discussion on habitual wading and I guess that would be a situation that would favour an electric fan. However, given how easy they are to fit, I would have both, and remove and replace the viscous fan A/R.
Click to expand...

Sound advice. Thanks
 
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