The Disco is going!

The mechanicals are all reasonable, the trouble is the electrics .. even the indicator relay isn't working! Had it turning over, with injectors cracked off and glowplugs out, to remove water, but something electrical went bang and we had a small fire in the cabin! The power supply for the laptop fried, but it's burned some wiring and caused other issues, 'cos the starter wouldn't go again! (Or the wiring fried and blew the PS)

Right now I'm stripping all the decent bits off mine before it gets taken away, just need to remove the towbar and lift kit now and wheels and tyres .. getting some cheapies to tow it away with.

The only mechanical issue is the amount of sand/silt in it .. every moving part has stuck and moving them again makes all kinds of groans and creaks, even stuff like the glove box doesn't work properly ... So, before I waste time on it, I'm gonna scrap it. Every fuse, wire whatever has a layer of silt over it, I don't think any amount of cleaning will clear it ... and cba anyway!

So if anyone has a decent 300Tdi Disco going for £1500 or less I might be interested. Not too bothered in what others have done to make theirs 'offroad', I'd prefer a less rusty, bog standard, road going one for me to do my own thing with .. unless it's a very good setup and then it's unlikely to be in my price range!
 
Bugger, I thought you meant 'going' as in running! You're probably right enough though, it's likely to take a lot of work to sort it and even then you might be chasing gremlins for ever more!

Being that the body and chassis is in decent nick, have you thought about getting a rotten one for a donor and changing over the loom along with relays and instruments etc?
 
This one is a 3 door David .. ;) Most likely to get a 5 door now, not fussed either way, but yeah, blank canvas and lots of ideas.

Latest thought is not to scrap it right off .. I reckon the engine, gearboxes, chassis axles, indeed all running gear, etc are sound, yeah, we've thought that a rotten one might do, just swap the body etc over. My body's not pretty, but it is basically sound! (The Disco, or me!!)

Other thought is to just leave it in a corner of the garden and do up another, using this one as spares for me/mates etc .. maybe sell a few bits, maybe not! So many options.
 
Paul D said:
This one is a 3 door David .. ;) Most likely to get a 5 door now, not fussed either way, but yeah, blank canvas and lots of ideas.

Latest thought is not to scrap it right off .. I reckon the engine, gearboxes, chassis axles, indeed all running gear, etc are sound, yeah, we've thought that a rotten one might do, just swap the body etc over. My body's not pretty, but it is basically sound! (The Disco, or me!!)

Other thought is to just leave it in a corner of the garden and do up another, using this one as spares for me/mates etc .. maybe sell a few bits, maybe not! So many options.
Click to expand...

If you have the space (and an understanding wife!) then almost a whole vehicle for spares is always going to be useful, make a few quid or save a few quid as situations arise.
 
Dan_Trials said:
If you have the space (and an understanding wife!) then almost a whole vehicle for spares is always going to be useful, make a few quid or save a few quid as situations arise.
Click to expand...

Eggsackerly this.

Also, If the body you have is sound, strip it bare and pressure wash it, then swap in a good loom and interior from another Disco. An MoT-failed rusty Disco will be miles cheaper than a good MoT'd example too, with any luck selling the spares you don't use (or keep in reserve) it could even be cost-neutral.
 
I've got a complete spare 300tdi 3 door disco wiring loom... ... ... :D

If we had the space i'd have the vehicle, but, the missus says no :(
 
Bump said:
I've got a complete spare 300tdi 3 door disco wiring loom... ... ... :D

If we had the space i'd have the vehicle, but, the missus says no :(
Click to expand...

I'd be very interested in the loom, mate .. how much etc?

pm if you prefer ..

Must say I'm currently looking at Defenders, older, rougher, less than £1500 ish, but so I can swap out the Disco 300 engine/gearbox and decent bits etc .. Mine all mostly works, I just don't have confidence to replace a complete loom, outside, with no cover, in autumn!!!

Actually, the thought of stripping it completely, re-doing the shell (notalot wrong with it at all), loom and 'bits' somewhat appeals ... and as I'm still waiting for the written offer from the insco, anything to keep me occupied will be a bonus!

Might have to look into the cost of renting a garage for a few winter months!
 
Couple of small videos taken today.

1st, just to show how much crap accumulates .. and for those who haven't delved this far, what the top of the diesel fuel tank looks like .. ;)

Tank top

2nd, to show how the engine now turns over when using jump leads, negative to engine block, positive direct to startermotor.

Jump leads

3rd, why I was using jump leads, but a surprise, especially for me!

Using the key

I really didn't expect it to turn over from the key ... It didn't after the fire, it didn't this morning, but I've been moving things round and cutting out dead wiring, so maybe I fixed something! Dunno what the long beep is though ... YET!!

It's on it's way ... but right now I'm off back to work, as per ... ain't it the same every time, just as you think you get a breakthrough, summat stops you!!!!
 
lol, the sound of surprise on the using the key vid:D

(played back from 29 seconds to end, just to hear the "oar its tunninovver" then a cracking Scooby impression.)

:clap2:
 
incidentally, did you tunnitovver :)D) before you emptied the diesel tank?

yer know oil floats on water, and the pickup pipes at the bottom of the tank?

:eek:
 
Heheh, No nrgserv, I've cracked the injector feeds and the fuel feed into the fuel filter, that's what's bubbling out! I didn't want the chance of getting water (further?) into the injector pump or engine any more than it has. Not had chance to drain the tank yet, hence why the vid of the top of the tank.

It's turned over before, on the key, but that was when the wiring had a smoking issue .. hence why I've bought a loom from Bump, but looking at today I might be OK!!!

Next job is draining the fuel tank and pipes, that's tomorrow.

Then change the cheap oil that I put in from Lidl again, then run fresh diesel through everything, new fuel filter and hopefully get it started, running and leave it ticking over a while to get to temperature steadily so it can burn off whatever ****e and water is left in it!

Mind, judging by the state of the alternator belt (Had to cut it off, it was solid) I might take the cambelt off first and replace it so I know it'll be OK ...

Incidentally .. hats off to Halfords batteries .. this is the same battery it went into the drink with, I just did a reconditioning charge on it and it seems reasonable .. it certainly turned it over well enough! Still gonna get a new one, but this'll do for messing with .. :)
 
Lol

Great work paul

Using the key vid is comedy :D

Great opportunity to put a nice simple 200tdi loom in it, guaranteed that would still work under water!
 
Mr Noisy said:
Lol

Great work paul

Using the key vid is comedy :D

Great opportunity to put a nice simple 200tdi loom in it, guaranteed that would still work under water!
Click to expand...

Good point .. BUT ... TC is coming round tonight .. we're gonna discuss making it _real_ simple. Such as junking the immobiliser and alarm etc, who responds to a car alarm anyway?

Got another plan for an interesting video .. well, possibly interesting if you're a Landy nut .. the difference between brand new cheap chinese and second hand Timken bearings after being stood in water for two days. Suffice to say, one set wouldn't come off the stub axle properly, indeed wouldn't let a wheel turn easily at all!

So pleased today .. ;)
 
Paul D said:
Dunno what the long beep is though ... YET!!
Click to expand...

If you've never heard that before then you've definitely fixed something!

It's basically one of those annoying driver aids - it's just a reminder that you've got the key in the ignition but not shut your drivers door.
Nothing to worry about. :)
 
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