Discovery - 1. length 2. ACE

Can anyone please tell me:

1. In which year was the Discovery made a bit longer?
Mine is a 1996 TDi; it runs very well indeed (the engine seems tireless at 60k) but I could do with the extra 6 inches which I believe was introduced after mine. It would help in my search for a new Discovery if I knew the date from which the additional length was introduced.
Is the extra length all in the back, behind the rear seats?

2. The 1996 TDi is a brilliant, reliable vehicle, but a bit boat-like on the highway. I've heard that ACE (Active Cornering Enhancement) is a unit located under the front offside wheel arch that makes quite a difference. When exactly was this introduced, please, and how can I tell from an advertisement selling a Discovery?

Hope somebody out there can help, thanks in advance,

Geoff Tyson

gtyson said:

Can anyone please tell me:

2. The 1996 TDi is a brilliant, reliable vehicle, but a bit boat-like on the highway. I've heard that ACE (Active Cornering Enhancement) is a unit located under the front offside wheel arch that makes quite a difference. When exactly was this introduced, please, and how can I tell from an advertisement selling a Discovery?

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Ace was an optional extra and as far as i'm aware was only fitted to the 5 seat Discovery TD5 as standard? 7 seat models got EAS instead.

There's

Thanks for your very prompt reply! Can I assume that EAS does the same job, and maybe better?
GT

It's supposed to do the same job, but i drove an EAS and an ACE demo vehicle at the stealership and the ACE "felt" right, EAS was so-so. Both were Certainly better than the wallowing TDI200 I left with them though

I believe the discovery II gained 6 inches. circa 1998 ish some one on here will probably know more. my 2001 td5 seems to have more leg room in the back seat than my mk1 so they may have stuck it in there! forward facing rear seats (6 & 7) more space there also.

ps my 7 seater has ace!! is that normal!??

I was told by the stealership that the 5 seat model had EU type approval for ACE and the 7 seat model didn't, so they couldn't sell an ACE equipped model with 7 seats. I don't suppose there's anything stopping a buyer from putting them in after buying it though?

It could have been complete flannel from the droid at the stealership, I never checked his tale out. I was too busy zooming off in my shiny blue bus

lol mine must be "special" I wasnt questioning your knowledge just thaught mine was a dud lol

discoade said:

lol mine must be "special" I wasnt questioning your knowledge just thaught mine was a dud lol

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At this time in the morning, on a weekend and after beer you should be questioning everything I type *hic*

And with that I think it's time to retire gracefully.

My 7 seater series 11 Disco has ACE...so sounds like main stealer bull****.

Dave Kendall said:

My 7 seater series 11 Disco has ACE...so sounds like main stealer bull****.

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Ditto

From wikipedia "ACE (Active Cornering Enhancement, an electronically controlled hydraulic anti-roll bar system) was fitted to some versions, which reduced cornering roll to insignificant proportions. Self-levelling air springs were fitted to some models and European type-approval for 7-seat vehicles was only given for air-sprung cars."

There might be a sniff of truth in a part of what the droid told me.

The air sprung bit might be true but ot the ace as it has nothing to do with the suspension and is in smple terms "a computer controlled hydraulically adjustable front anti-roll bar." I went to look at a 7 seat TD5 which also had ACE fitted.

The droid was probably mixing and matching sales hexes.

It mattered not, I was already sold

Dave Kendall said:

My 7 seater series 11 Disco has ACE...so sounds like main stealer bull****.

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We bought our Disco 2 secondhand from a main dealer and when we were looking at it, the dealer told us the story that the 7 seaters did not have ACE, only the 5 seaters. I remember thinking at the time 'that will be a load of b@ll@cks' but on reading the brochure I picked up, it did confirm this.

The brochure was for the facelift model introduced 2002/2003 so maybe its just the facelift models where this happened.

To answer the original enquiry, ACE was only fitted to the Discovery II models introduced in 1998, easily recognised by the higher rear lights. Under the bonnet, look for the double fluid container for ACE and power steering. It does work well when cornering, quite amazing how little the body rolls.

Thank you, everyone, for your help. I was confused and, judging by your replies, it is no wonder. At least I know what I am looking for now. I think. Thanks a lot!

Dave Kendall said:

My 7 seater series 11 Disco has ACE...so sounds like main stealer bull****.

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Mine too, but I took the seats out the back anyway ..



CharlesY

My 2001 TD5 ES 7 seater has ACE & rear air springs - ALL top range TD5's have ACE - this is nothing to do with air suspension - it controls body roll when cornering ( it does a bloody good job too - its amazing how fast you can go round corners it such a high vehicle)

description of ACE from the Rave CD

Description - ACE

The Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE) system is used to control vehicle roll angles.

The system is electrically and hydraulically operated with all operations controlled by an ACE ECU located behind the glovebox in the passenger side footwell. The ACE system comprises front and rear torsion bars and actuators, two accelerometers, ECU, hydraulic pump, valve block and a fluid reservoir.
The ACE system gives improved vehicle handling and suspension characteristics and is active for both on and off-road driving. This is achieved by hydraulic actuators applying torque to the front and rear torsion bars in response to lateral forces sensed by accelerometers. The ACE system prevents body roll with cornering forces of up to 0.4 g. From
0.4 g there is a progressive increase in body roll but significantly lower than a passive system. A passive system will have a progressive increase in roll angle as soon as cornering forces are applied and will have a higher roll angle than
the ACE system for the same cornering force.
The ACE system can also detect if the vehicle is driven off-road. If off-road conditions are detected the ACE system operation will be reduced or completely disabled at a speed of 25 mph (40 km/h) or less.

Lateral acceleration of the body is sensed by two accelerometers and signals are transmitted to the ECU. The engine driven hydraulic pump supplies a constant hydraulic flow to the valve block. Two directional control valves are
solenoid operated by the ECU and these supply fluid to the applicable side of each actuator to apply an equal and opposite force to the torsion bar. In operation the ACE system maintains the attitude of the vehicle body when
cornering.
The ACE system uses a semi-synthetic hydraulic fluid which is the same as the fluid used for the PAS system. The total capacity of the ACE system is 1.62 litres (0.42 US Gallons).

7 seat TD5's have to have the SLS (rear air springs) to gain european approval

Thank you, Burtonboy.
Absolutely fantastic, really helpful. Just what I needed to know. Thanks a lot.
Geoff Tyson

gtyson said:

Thank you, Burtonboy.
Absolutely fantastic, really helpful. Just what I needed to know. Thanks a lot.
Geoff Tyson

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glad to be of help

date wise - when the Disco II TD5 was introduced in Nov. 98 - ACE was standard on the XS & ES models & an optional extra on all other models - 7 seat or 5 seat makes no difference

most sellers should know if it has ACE or not - easiest way to tell is pop the bonnet and look on the right hand side (near side) models with ACE have a double reservoir behind the air filter - 1 for ACE fluid & 1 for power steering fluid (same sort of fluid - just 2 reservoirs)

No. 5 in the diagram

it is suprising how much difference it makes - when I first got mine I used to take bands & roundabouts really slow expecting it to roll all about - there's a bend on my way home that I could to take at about 45mph max in my Vectra 2.0 - first time in the TD5 I went round at about 25mph , not wanting to end up through the hedge & in the field ! - now I go round in 5th at about 50mph and don't feel any roll .

Many thanks again, Burtonboy. I now have a whole file of information.

When next you are in North Wales, do call in for a cup of tea and some cake or something. Give me a call.

By the way, will ACE make any difference to the general stability of the vehicle? sometimes I think I'm at the helm of a boat !

Geoff Tyson