Disco II diff lock

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Urban Panzer said:
When they face lifted the vehicle they fitted the "new" label" (which you have) to vehicles with and without a Diff lock, so all it does is confuse a LOT of people. The Label should be completely ignored on ANY later D2, If they are fitted with a differential lock, the lever will have it embosed on the transfer nob and the lever will sit to the right, not in the centre as it does with the High / Low only boxes.
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Urban Panzer

please tell me (one of the confused :)) how i can check if the diff lock works on my 04 ES Auto? it appears to have all the knobs etc, the label looks the same.

so can i jack up one side and test if the diff lock works?

i have read with intrest your detailed report on your web page and would like to get the diff lock working if its all fitted!!!

many thanks
 
If your "nob" has HIGH / LOW AND DIFFLOCK embosed on it, and sits to the right, just push it to the centre (as far left as poss) in either High or low, the light should come on the dash then. It works no different to your Disco 1.

The facelift D2 Difflock light is AMBER in colour like the Disco 1's, and yes jacking up one corner and trying to spin a wheel will tell you if its locked or not, but to be fair "if" it has a difflock, then the light will be working on the dash
 
Urban Panzer said:
If your "nob" has HIGH / LOW AND DIFFLOCK embosed on it, and sits to the right, just push it to the centre (as far left as poss) in either High or low, the light should come on the dash then. It works no different to your Disco 1.

The facelift D2 Difflock light is AMBER in colour like the Disco 1's, and yes jacking up one corner and trying to spin a wheel will tell you if its locked or not, but to be fair "if" it has a difflock, then the light will be working on the dash
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Many thanks for the quick reply:):):):):):)
 
Urban Panzer said:
If your "nob" has HIGH / LOW AND DIFFLOCK embosed on it, and sits to the right, just push it to the centre (as far left as poss) in either High or low, the light should come on the dash then. It works no different to your Disco 1.

The facelift D2 Difflock light is AMBER in colour like the Disco 1's, and yes jacking up one corner and trying to spin a wheel will tell you if its locked or not, but to be fair "if" it has a difflock, then the light will be working on the dash
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ok finally got back from work, tested the disco today and yes it goes into diff lock, the knob is embosed, the amber light comes on the dash so it appears i have diff lock:D:D:D:D:D:D saves me a shed load of money and work :D:D:D:D:Das i was considering installing the ashcroft kit

only had the bloody disco for 6 months and never knew i had diff lock:doh::doh: well my excuse was i was still building my offroad 90:):):):)
 
James R said:
Hi all,
getting a Disco II instead so I can use it off road. I do want a vehicle with a diff lock though.

James
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Diff lock had the mechanism in up till early 2001 (My cars Feb 01 and still has the mechanism in the transfer box). It was deleted completely sometime around March/April 01 then but got reinstated later.

You can connect up the linkage using Ashcrofts linkage kit (quite dear), or fit the linkage off a Disco 1. You would need *complete* lot, including the high/low cover. If you do want to go down that route tho pm me as I have all these parts, which you can have.

FWIW I'd get a Disco 1 or Defender for offroad. The Disco2 *seems* to have less ground clearance to me and is dearer to mend when you break stuff. Plus the ECU is rather badly placed, for wading (right up front!). Also lots of hydraulic pipes/ACE block etc to get tw$$$ed when going over rocks. Fuel filter looks vulnerable and even with a lift kit the rear departure angle would not be great (they have longer rear overhang than disco 1)


Regards

Bill
 
landy.man said:
Diff lock had the mechanism in up till early 2001 (My cars Feb 01 and still has the mechanism in the transfer box). It was deleted completely sometime around March/April 01 then but got reinstated later.

You can connect up the linkage using Ashcrofts linkage kit (quite dear), or fit the linkage off a Disco 1. You would need *complete* lot, including the high/low cover. If you do want to go down that route tho pm me as I have all these parts, which you can have.

FWIW I'd get a Disco 1 or Defender for offroad. The Disco2 *seems* to have less ground clearance to me and is dearer to mend when you break stuff. Plus the ECU is rather badly placed, for wading (right up front!). Also lots of hydraulic pipes/ACE block etc to get tw$$$ed when going over rocks. Fuel filter looks vulnerable and even with a lift kit the rear departure angle would not be great (they have longer rear overhang than disco 1)


Regards

Bill
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I doubt you would ever get any rocks near the ACE stuff, its well tucked up on the chassis, and it provides more articulation on the D2 than a D1 has because of the anti roll bars.

Dont have any probs wading my D2, same "factory depth" as the D1 tbh, and less rust holes for the water to pour in ;)

Fuel filter yes I agree "Looks" vunerable, but not had any issues "yet"........simply carry a spare or would be easy to fit a "Protection" plate around it.

Lift an SLS D2 and you have upto 4" on the back, more than enough for the rear overhang, and add a CDL to a D2 and with that and TC together you will go further than a D1 all day long........
 
What is SLS? I am assuming that you mean the coil spring version and not the ACE version because that can't be lifted?
 
Hang on, don't confuse things here ;-)

SLS = self levelling suspension (air suspension).
ACE = active cornering enhancement.

These are both available independently of each other - you can get coil-sprung vehicles with ACE, and SLS vehicles without ACE.

I have ACE and SLS (so I can press the lift button, and the rear end will lift) - the ACE doesn't affect that functionality.

David
 
James R said:
What is SLS? I am assuming that you mean the coil spring version and not the ACE version because that can't be lifted?
Click to expand...

As previously posted, think your getting ya wires crossed a little, but ignoring that fact ANY D2 can be lifted, with / without, ACE, SLS, Coils or a combination of any of them.
 
I am sure that my wires are completely crossed! Thanks a lot for all the advice. Very helpful indeed.
 
Urban Panzer said:
I doubt you would ever get any rocks near the ACE stuff, its well tucked up on the chassis, and it provides more articulation on the D2 than a D1 has because of the anti roll bars.
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The ACE valve block looks a bit vulnerable, I suppose it depends how rough it gets. I've got rock scars everywhere on the underneath of my D1. By the way its only the 300Tdi's which have anti-roll bars.

Urban Panzer said:
Lift an SLS D2 and you have upto 4" on the back, more than enough for the rear overhang, and add a CDL to a D2 and with that and TC together you will go further than a D1 all day long........
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Yes but then you've got to have air suspension which is even more to go wrong. I would like to have a go in one with diff lock and TC tho, on its own the TC feels like you lose a bit of momentum before the system kicks in. It would be interesting to put the two cars side by side, for sure.

Urban Panzer said:
Dont have any probs wading my D2, same "factory depth" as the D1 tbh, and less rust holes for the water to pour in ;)
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The owners manual does warn against drowning the electrics tho

I do hear what your saying but really if you saw the stuff my old D1 has been through, you'd understand where I'm coming from. The great thing about it has been whatever has broken, or worn out, or bent has always been cheap and simple to mend, complex failures simply can't happen because there's nothing complex to break.
 
The lack of complexity is what I simply adore about my/the old disco.

I work in a garage and spend my days scratching my head over problems I cannot figure out on modern cars. It's a dream to work on an old car now! (have recently got into offroading after coming from a track car)

a d2, and even more so a d3, is an exceptionally capable machine, but frankly I just wouldn't fancy dunkin all the gubbins in mud etc and expect it all to work properly at the end of it!

Cheers, Sam :)
 
Being someone who hates all the modern electronics, if I fit the gear to enable my D2 centre diff, can I remove the TC from the car completely and thus the need for any future repairs..?
 
Stu71art said:
Being someone who hates all the modern electronics, if I fit the gear to enable my D2 centre diff, can I remove the TC from the car completely and thus the need for any future repairs..?
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U'll need to remove the whole ABS system for that ...cos TC is part of it...it will not need repairs as long as the ABS system is faultless. U can make it not work though but i dont see why would you do that:confused:

...and even if i know how to shut it down i'll not tell you cos it's a good enhancement and it's a shame to ruin it:D
 
Thanks for that info, and no I wouldn't want to be without the ABS...I've had traction control on 2WD cars and never loathed anything as much...the trouble with TC is it locks the wheels after they start to spin...I've been in many deep mud and peat situations where the centre diff lock just took me out of it as if someone had attached a powerful winch...I'm not so sure the TC would do the same...I also hear alot of people talking about constant faults in the system and the " 3 Amigos " lighting up alot..?
 
When u lock the central diff the TC will be reduced anyway cos it doesnt have to work on torque distribution between axles... the only thing it does is to apply brakes on the spinning wheel based on abs sensor's inputs...the 3 amigos is a "manifestation" of the ABS system when something is wrong, with or without TC.
Here is about ElectronicTC from the manual:

ETC
The ETC function uses brake intervention to prevent wheel spin and maintain even torque distribution to the wheels.
ETC is automatically enabled while the brakes are off at speeds up to 62.5 mph (100 km/h), and operates the brakes either individually or in axle pairs:
l At speeds up to 31.3 mph (50 km/h), ETC uses individual brake intervention to maintain even torque distribution between wheels on the same axle.
l Vehicles up to 03 model year – At speeds between 0 and 62.5 mph (0 and 100 km/h), ETC also uses brake intervention in axle pairs to maintain even torque distribution between the front and rear axles. In effect, this mode of operation replaces the centre differential lock of the transfer box which, although still incorporated, is non operational under normal driving conditions.
+TRANSFER BOX - LT230SE, DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION, Description. If the centre differential lock is in the locked condition, the SLABS ECU illuminates the ABS and ETC warning lamps and inhibits the ETC function (the ABS, EBD and HDC functions are retained, but at degraded performance levels).
l Vehicles from 03 model year (with differential lock fitted) – At speeds between 0 and 62.5 mph (0 and 100 km/h), ETC uses brake intervention in axle pairs to maintain even torque distribution between the front and rear axles. If the centre differential lock is in the locked condition, the differential lock warning lamp in the instrument pack is illuminated. The ABS, EBD, ETC and HDC functions are retained, but with revised parameters to suit the locked differential.
While the ETC function is enabled, if the SLABS ECU detects a wheel accelerating faster than the average, indicating loss of traction, it operates the ABS modulator in the active braking mode. Depending on the vehicle speed, active braking is employed for either the brake of the affected wheel or for both brakes on the affected axle, until all four wheels are driven at approximately the same speed again. During active braking the SLABS ECU also illuminates the ETC warning lamp, for a minimum of 2 seconds or for the duration that ETC is active. ETC operation is desensitised during 'hard' cornering.

U dont have to hate the electronics, u better try to understand it;) ... or get a Series 1:D
 
Ha ha ha you just mentioned my dream car...Series 1, beautifully restored and ready for another 60 years of doing exactly what it says on the tin ;)

Thanks for all the info...I do understand the way it all works but just worry about the expense if it goes wrong compared with my old 300tdi where there was little I couldn't do to it myself as a competent DIY mechanic...maybe I'm worrying for nothing and reading too many other bad experiences though
 
:) If your old tdi was ABS equipped the expenses to fix the ABS system if it goes wrong is not much cheaper than on a D2. ... especially if the modulator is at fault;) ...cos the TC fails only if the ABS fails
 
I notice you have "leccy instead of viscous" ...does that make a huge difference with the fuel consumption..?
 
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