Family have gone home, work and trouble with other family have meant not much done in the last 10 days or so with D15KOE .....................
I fitted a pair of Engine Mounts and also the good used Half-shaft and a new left front Caliper Carrier.
I could really use some help with this Discovery now if anyone can confirm my suspicions / help me on a few issues below
1) It's always had a slight Engine Vibration, can be felt most when hand on Auto Shifter Stick, or Elbow on Door Card ?? The Trans Mounts looked OK, so I ordered a pair of Engine Mounts and yes, when inspected the old ones were sitting down tight on the rubber inside, so I duly replaced them with new ............................ No noticeable difference despite the new ones not sitting down on the rubber, (as observed through the small hole underneath 'em) .............................
Vibe alters, worse some days, less others, it's definitely Engine speed related, can feel it in Park at idle and increases frequency when I rev the nuts off it.
I've looked at the Harmonic Balancer Pulley, what I can actually see of it looks OK, it doesn't wobble when running.
2) It still has the Steering Wander when going along a straight road below around 50mph it's worse, I haven't tried yet but I'd imagine with a Trailer on the back it would sling you from one side of the road to the other with a pendulum action
Radius Arm Bushes and Rear Watts / Front Panhard
look OK !!
This is despite having changed everything from Steering Coupling, Steering Box (was leaking), Steering damper (Terrafirma), all Linkages and Ball Joints, Tyres are new (not chinese), and Tracking is fine. This feels like when they have a seized Steering Coupling, self centring is barely detectable from just off straight ahead position especially at slow road speed. IDK
It has had a lift kit, due to vague info of exactly what it should be I'm not quite sure what height it should be, (No ACE, No Air, Coil Springs all round)
When measured from Wheel centre to Wheel arch it measures 530mm front and 540mm rear ....................
Some say a 50mm lift doesn't affect Steering others say it does, this is the first D2 I have owned / worked on. I had a 2000 TD5 Defender 110 which drove way way better than this D2
So as I've already spent a whole bunch on this thing, I might as well chuck more at it now ........................
I have ordered Terrafirma All Terrain Shock Absorbers (suitable for std to +50mm height), also ordered brand new std height springs.
3) It doesn't seem as lively as it should, although I don't ever recall driving a D2 before this one, seems very sluggish from 0 - 45 ish, then seems to go betteras speed increases. Brand new Brakes F&R Calipers included, nothing binding all working perfectly.
Also I've got a brand new Radiator and a good used Intercooler here, as whilst the Radiator is not leaking, both are showing significant signs of "West Highlands Corrosion", the Intercooler has Oil Weep signs, so is probably losing some boost, although it's not hissing etc. Engine starts instantly on a cold morning and has just had Full service, doesn't misfire, but it does not feel lively like my TD5 Defender did .................
OK, so Defender was 5 spd Manual, Disco2 is 4speed ZF Auto, but surely it don't make that much difference ?
Engine also had new MAF (and Fuel / Air Filter when serviced) and is not putting up any fault codes. IDK ?????????????????
Any suggestions would be very welcome
TBH Mel and I are having a rough time atm with a long standing issue .................... Basically very briefly, a crabbit old mother in law with dementia and nephew coercing money from her, like 10's of thousands for a long time
We thought this had all been sorted some weeks ago as Mel has power of attorney invoked now, but just Tuesday this week bank allowed the old girl to transfer another £1000 to the lazy no job scum
Quite frankly right at this moment I regret ever clapping eyes on this bloody Discovery 2 ..................
it's an effin money pit that I'm now committed to, and I don't need the hassle it's giving me
So, bearing in mind the gazillion parts I already replaced trying to make it nice, rectify issues, and some just to increase reliability, if anyone has any decent ideas regarding its faults listed above I'm all ears
Hopefully before I get p155ed off enough to write off the significant amount of dosh I've already spent on it and just give it to the scrappy
DVLA seem to have lost the bloody logbook, so now it looks like muggins here needs to pay and get a new one
........... Honestly, I couldn't make this sh1t up !!
Apologies for the rant, it has not been a good week