Low and High Gear box issue left me sat in a river.

Hi All, as you may have guest from my previous threads i am new to this game. The engine is 200tdi and its the normal LT77 all within the 1988 110

Short Story:


I can't move her into high ratio, low ratio is extremely temperamental and when she is finally in it, she drops out after 100 yards or so. The gear stick is still in place but she just sits there revving.

To note i had issues with revers and took the reverse plunger off and removed the plunger, bearing and springs (I have some new ones ordered).

1st-2nd is also sometimes a royal pain in the bottom, i checked the oil levels (of which i think i did it right, just unscrewed the side and if it was coming out then its got enough in it).


Long Story (for people who like the pretty picture):

So to start the story, ive had the 110 for around 2 weeks yesterday i decided it was about time to get her a little dirty. So went down to a local green lane to christen me more than her as she has been used by other men for this very thing.


Soooo went through the first couple of small fords in 2 wheel drive as they wouldn't even come up to the door well happy enough i came to the largest one, knowing that this one will cover the bonnet when im in the middle, I reached down to put her into 4 wheel drive, on high and the stick wont go back at all. However she did go into Low ration. Slightly reluctantly but did. Anyway started my slow and steady course across the river when in the middle she stopped, still revving just like she had jumped out of Low but the gear stick was still at that angle. With the fear of water coming in my passenger had managed to un buckle his seat belt and was standing on the chair before i had time to reach down and franticly shake the gear box

Anyway slapt her into 2 wheel drive and managed to get out before water started coming in to heavily.

Got to the other side and started playing around with the gear sticks, it seems that i can't move her into high ratio no matter how much shaking takes place, low ratio is extremely temperamental and when she is in it, she drops out after 100 yards or so. The gear stick is still in place but she just sits there revving.


Any help would be appreciated as im hoping to go off to a very large green laning place in a couple of months.

a 110 has constant 4wd you can't select 2wd it sounds like you are selecting nutral with the small gear stick that selects hi/lo/diflock

chris07 said:

a 110 has constant 4wd you can't select 2wd it sounds like you are selecting nutral with the small gear stick that selects hi/lo/diflock

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Yep, was just thinking that

do we not have a wats all them leavers for thred for a 90/110?

From what I remember you have no snorkel on the vehicle do you ? If so you're a fool for attempting to go through water that deep without one.

If its not going in it could be a tooth out on the selector if its been played with to free it and not been put back quite right or have you tried putting it in whilst moving slowly like it says

You need to learn how to use the selector, preferrably not on a lane.

Sounds like you've got no idea about what your stick does!

All 90s/110s (with the exception of some very early and rare 110s) have full time four wheel drive.

When you push your stick across to the left, you're engaging the center diff lock, which locks both outputs on the transfer box together and forces drive to both axles at all times. Diff lock is available in both high and low range...

Normal road driving position is all the way back and to the right. (High range, diff lock disengaged.)

You should only engage center diff lock when you think you might need extra traction to navigate an obstacle or tricky terrain. It shouldn't be engaged on tarmac for any length of time!

Fishsponge (member on here) made a good video which demonstrates when to use it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcRBYpccP6g&feature=plcp

Or, sounds mad I know, but you could read the owners manual!

That little book/folder that nobody with a 90/110 ever seems to have read, that has the answers to so many questions inside. What the controls do, what oils to use, even a pretty good guide to off-road driving!

If you haven't got one I suggest you find one

:doh: oh dear

Never heard of being able to slip it into 2wd

Although mine was in 2wd on the way home from bunny lane today

wiltshire landyman said:

Never heard of being able to slip it into 2wd

Although mine was in 2wd on the way home from bunny lane today

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Very early 110s had selectable 2/4wd. Very rare now though

Langers said:

Very early 110s had selectable 2/4wd. Very rare now though

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which box was that ?

jamesmartin said:

which box was that ?

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A tax exempt series 2a 110 300tdi ?

jamesmartin said:

which box was that ?

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Not entirely sure, but for the first year of production, four cylinder 110s were available with selectable drive. V8s had full time 4x4 from the start.

I've only ever seen one vehicle for sale with this arrangement, and I've seen one of these gearboxes going on eBay for silly money.

which box ?as series 3 is the only 2wd selectable box i know of unless you fit free wheeling hub kit to lt230

lol what a plonker! Can't believe you didn't work out what all the levers do before you tried deep wading.. and without a snorkel! blimey you were very lucky.

I'm guessing you will either be a reg on here or you won't have the defender long

:hysterically_laughi

jamesmartin said:

which box ?as series 3 is the only 2wd selectable box i know of unless you fit free wheeling hub kit to lt230

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It would have been a version of the LT95 box, which is a gearbox and transfer box combined unit.

Was very very rare, only around for a short while as an option and they dropped it quickly as everyone wanted the permanent 4WD models. By 1984 (release of the 90, and a year after the release of the 110) the option was well gone.

ive only ever seen constant 4wd lt95s ,ive seen early rrc ones with lsd in center diff, if there was any truth in it it would truly be a first for me ,why would you only do that option for v8s ?considering series 3 v8 is constant 4wd

I'm not sure. I only know that the selectable-4x4 vehicles were very early production - and that that was the first gearbox/transfer box setup used.

Might have been a different setup altogether. Bit before my time I'm afraid

Selectable 4wd was dropped by 1984