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3K views 35 replies 7 participants last post by  Farm_Disco 
#1 ·
good evening guys, i just recently bought an 03 discovery with 120k on the clock. it needs a little work and it seems like every time i search a problem online this forum pops up with someone thats had a similar problem in the past, so i figured best to go ahead and join haha.

anyways ive always been a Ford guy. ive owned three f-150s, a 250 and a 350, my current company truck is an f150 and i also have a Ford tractor. i was a member of several ford forums before college took the front seat in the ole laptop. but ive recently decided a change of pace would be nice and after a little searching on the craigslist i came across a few Discos in my price range and ended up buying one out of atlanta. So far no complaints and its actually growing on me the more i drive it. because i have a company truck i drive weekdays, the land rover is my weekender.

ive got a small laundry list of repairs that need to be addressed before i start dropping money in mods. (plugs, coils, wires, axle seals, possibly front hubs) and a few im going to let the shop do (oil pan gasket, main seal, T-case leak and a few sensors). eventually my plan is a 2" lift, upgraded axle shafts and driveshafts, front and rear steel bumpers, winch, and a few offroad lights. later on down the road that list will more than likely get longer but thats my goal for now.

hope to hear from you guys soon, and maybe make a few connections. cheers :beer:
 
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#2 ·
Welcome to the forum I have a Expedition and a Landy so I understand both.
 
#4 ·
There are two things that you should do immediately. If your front driveshaft does not have grease zerks, replace it with a new one that is greaseable. Buy a third party gauge to keep track of engine temperature. Your temp gauge will only tell you when it has overheated and you will then probably need new head gaskets. The stock temp gauge does not move in increments; when it moves in one fell swoop from normal to hot, it is too late.

Good luck. And buy some tools and download Rave for help.
 
#6 ·
1st Gen 99 EB 5.4 4x4 and my 110. Disco in the far back. That was loaded to the gills for the move from Chicago to Augusta last summer.

 
#7 ·
oh goodness i believe it. my first truck was a 97 150 4x4 with the 5.4. had it for 7 or 8 years, bought it with 87k, totaled it with almost 230k. with the help from youtube and a couple forums i could take that truck apart with my eyes closed. luckily i never had any major issues with it but it would go through coils like underwear.
 
#9 ·
https://www.scangauge.com/

I had one mounted on the center console where the transfer case sticker was.

Monitors everything you can think of including coolant temp. You can set alerts etc. Very handy and works on more vehicles than Land Rover.

My expedition is rolling up to 186k on it now. Been through a few coil packs thats for sure and I think I have another on the way out.
 
#10 ·
excellent thanks, ill look into those as soon as i finish the gift of a job that the land rover gods have bestowed upon us of changing coil packs :freak:

ford should have put a blinking red light on top of the coils that lit up whenever they went out to eliminate a stop at auto zone lol
 
#11 ·
I just have a bluetooth scanner plugged in permanently in the obd port. I can feel the coil pack going just glad I have recently done plugs and coil on both back ones on the passenger bank. All the rest are wicked easy to get to.
 
#12 ·
have you ever done the packs in your disco? from all the videos ive found, evidently its best to remove the plenum? doesnt seem like to difficult of a task, but the more things i take off, the more things i have a chance of messing up when putting back on haha
 
#13 ·
Never thankfully. I probably would have burned it for the insurance money
 
#18 ·
#20 ·
Hey, Army, I've been looking at the ScanGauge too. Because the Disco temp gauge move in large increments (cold/warm/doorstop), I was afraid the data coming from the ECU was also in large increments. Do you really get actual temps? If so, I'm getting myself a very early birthday present!
 
#23 ·
You get actual temps from the sensor output.

Thanks for the link, if it does codes I think its a winner for the price point. Also is that a decal it has you put on the windshield?

Plug wires Kingsborne wires
Plugs Champion copper core change every 25k
Oil filter bosch, purolator, Wix, Napa Gold. Pretty much any decent name filter that is not Fram
Oil in the D2 for winter climates I ran Shell 5w40 Rotella and summer 15w40 in the south just run 15w40 year round we don't do cold :D
 
#21 ·
The coils on the Discovery take a little work to get to. You do need to remove the plenum. I'd recommend replacement of the gasket if you do. The bolts are long and skinny- be mindful of the torque spec and the thread lock requirement. The coils are pretty rugged- I wouldn't worry about them unless you are sure have a problem. I'd be more concerned about what's downstream. A good set of aftermarket wires will help your truck's performance, even over a stock grade replacement set. And there are alot of differing thoughts on spark plugs- and plenty of debate and recommendations can be found here.

While you are this far, you should probably do the valve cover gaskets as they are probably leaking pretty well. The stock one's harden to a brittle plastic state. Be careful removing the SAI tubes. The adapters that go between the tubes and the head are brass and the very narrow flats round off easily. Uou have to get a wrench on the flats and one on the big nuts on the tube to remove. I would liberally soak these fittings several times over at least a full day before trying to remove. If not, you may twist one. These tubes have (or at least at one point had) a fiberglass insulation on them. If it's damaged or missing, re-wrap them with skinny header wrap tape. I use a copper wire to wrap over to retain it. Without it, you'll cook the wires.

You'll still have to pull the plenum for the wires, but it's an hour job off and back on. It just looks like alot when you first glance at it. It's not. While you're taking it apart, be aware of the IAC motor (silver cylinder with hoses going from air inlet into back of manifold) and beneath it, mounted to the plenum is the control for the SAI system. It injects air into your exhaust at startup. These are items you may be dealing with in the future and now you know where they are and what they do. Take this time to make sure the little rubber elbows on those lines are intact and the lines aren't rubbing through. The vac lines connect to two little cans mounted to tubes running to each exhaust manifold. on the other end there's a stainless tube that runs back and over the coils. it tees over to a miniature shop vac mounted on the right side of the firewall. It has a filter in it- replace or at least clean it. The tube that runs from the output up to that stainless pipe can deteriorate with age. It is squeeze-to-release on the pump. It's replaceable with heater hose. You may just want to go ahead and do that now. Also, you're going to have to remove a little gizmo from the firewall to get at the SAI pump. It's a roll-over switch. Remember to reset it.

Back to the coils- be aware there has been some anecdotal discussion of problems arising when the coil packs are missing mounting bolts. There may be a reason such as proper grounding. I guess there's no reason not to have all the mounting bolts present, but four fasteners on a device the size of a pack of cigarettes seems like overkill too. I can see if someone dropped one how they could think "aw, F-it". I've seen it more times than not.

I would be very cautious about cooling system issues. I would definitely replace the thermostat and would suggest the Motorad 180 degree unit. Myself, I would replace every hose, but at least be aware of hose condition and replace anything that looked even remotely questionable. The rover uses some hard plastic cooling lines that can and will crack. One goes from the top left of the radiator tank back to the fill bottle. The other goes over to the throttle body pre-heater. That little cover on the bottom of the throttle body is also notorious for leaking. While there, you might as well replace the cap. Be aware that the nipple on that recirc hose on the top of the radiator tank gets brittle and will snap off easily. I have repaired several using an 1/8" NPT to barb fitting. It's a little tricky cutting the threads at that angle, but not all that hard. Use lots of thread sealer. The fill bottle on the right inner fender can also get brittle. The top radiator hose tee, with the bleed fitting will also crack with age. If you've ever been under the hood of a late 90's or early 2000's BMW, you will recognize alot of these pieces.

Take a look underneath and make sure the heat shielding is in place. It sometimes gets discarded by people who don't know better- or don't care, when working on these trucks. The cats are tucked up in there and the exhaust is tight. If the starter heat shield is missing, you'll have a problem in the near future.

There is alot of discussion about oiling with these trucks. Many recommend using Rotella 15W-40, which is a diesel truck oil. It is rated for gasoline engine use as well. I'd suggest the T6 product. The heavier weight will help make up for some internal wear common in the D2's engine. And it's fantastic oil. There's also a Purolator filter available that fits this engine and offers about 4 times the filtration and a higher pressure bypass. Readily available at Advance, although probably a next-day item.

Back to cooling, check to make sure your auxiliary fan is working. It will come momentarily when you first start the car cold and will also turn on when the AC is turned on. Very common failure item. You can reach through the grille and try and spin it with a ling screwdriver. I use an aftermarket from Summit Racing that works great and costs a few hundred less than an new one from Rover. Another item to watch is the fan clutch. Your 03 may or may not have the one-piece fan and clutch that all '04's have and they're expensive. You can use a non AC Chev S-10/Blazer unit in its place and they're dirt cheap. It will need some fan shroud adjustment for clearance- NBD. But they really pull the air. Great mod for warmer climates.

I'd definitely recommend a trans service. This is a PITA. Drop the pan, replace the filter- there are two different ones- make certain you get the right one. Interestingly, RockAuto sent me the wrong one. Advance had the correct one in stock in a little store in a tiny rural town. Go figure. Anyway, to refill, you have to fill it while running from underneath, drive it and top it off. It will probably take three fills to get clean fluid out of it. I'd recommend a good synthetic. You'll probably have at least a hundred bucks in fluid, but its worth every penny. While you're under there, service the transfer case and differentials. Use good stuff- Redline is my first choice but Royal Purple works well too. WalMart generic is better than not doing it. You can go a little heavier on weight and damp some gear noise in the TC.

At 120K there's alot that that's probably marginal and common to replace on any truck this age and mileage. Steering components, shocks, I'd also pay close attention to the brake lines. You'll probably also get a visit from the 3 Amigos. It's three lights that may intermittently appear on the dash. This is a switch in the ABS controller that costs $65 and takes 10 minutes to replace so don't sweat it.

You will probably experience some door lock malfunctions too. They are also BMW items and suffer from the same problems. Don't bother buying used one's. They aren't hard to swap but they're also not cheap. Like all the BMW units, they are riveted together and to me they don't look like they're worth the effort to attempt to repair. I've had to drill out more than a few of the Torx fasteners that hold them in. They're easily replaceable with a button head with a socket hex.

That's what comes to mind for things to tackle first. I'm sure I missed something.

Good luck!
 
#26 ·
Also, you're going to have to remove a little gizmo from the firewall to get at the SAI pump. It's a roll-over switch. Remember to reset it.
Im going to need a little more on this. would you mind elaborating? mainly how do i reset it? im very new to these motors and im taking every bit of your post into account, id just really like to not screw something up :freak: you seem very knowledgeable on this subject, i may need to put you on speed dial lol!

to my immediate list ive added valve cover gaskets along with any fittings/connectors i may break in this process. definitely ordering a greaseable front driveshaft soon after this first weekend of maintenance. ive wiggled on mine and it seems solid to me but i figured best not to chance it. also will be getting the T case serviced soon and filling it with "the good stuff". axle seals and shafts are on my near future list as well.

you guys have been very helpful in my ~10 posts worth of time on this forum and im grateful, definitely learning a lot.

thanks :beer:
 
#24 · (Edited)
Couple other thoughts---

When removing the plenum, the feed line for the power brakes goes into a little fitting that's kinda' like a swivel. i have never been able to get this loose without breaking it. It's an easy fix- a 3/8 NPT to hose barb fitting and a section of rubber line with a couple clamps.

Also, inside the passenger valve cover there's a baffle in the vent tube. You have to remove the internal baffling under the cover to get to it. Most likely it is clogged shut. You'll probably have to push it out with a long pin punch and being plastic, it will likely break into a bunch of pieces. They're cheap.

On parts, you'll find a handful of random parts at your local sources, but pretty much you'll get the majority from the man in the brown truck. There are a handful of US sources, but parts are cheaper if you order them from UK sources. If you need a bunch of stuff, you can get it shipped pretty reasonably via DHL and you'll see it in 3-4 days. RockAuto.com has a decent supply- pretty much the stuff that Advance or Oreilly's can get they'll have- usually for a good bit less.

Thermostat- Motorad 439-180

Filter- Purolator L40316

The Purolator is a rebranded Mann 950/4 that fits on some European offroad equipment, some tractors and the Pinzgauer. They also will fit on some Volvos and VW's. If you go this way, you'll need more oil- probably 3/4 quart more. It's a big can.
 
#25 ·
Army - affirmative. You stick a 4"x4" transparent square on the windshield and it bounces back and reverses the mirror image readings. Easy to see. The actual lighted reader is the size of a pack of cards and sits on a rubber non-slip pad on the dash. No problem so far with it sliding about.
 
#27 ·
To get to the bolt to remove the SAI pump from the firewall tou have to remove the roll-over switch that's mounted just to the right of it. It has a wire loom disconnect coming into the bottom and a rubber button cover "hat" on top. When you take it loose, it things you rolled the truck over. Screw it back into place and push down on the button.

This device shuts the car's electrical system off in the event of a roll-over or severe shock. It keeps the electric fuel pump from emptying the tank and the battery from igniting it.
 
#29 ·
As far as gages, I went true old skool for temp. and oil
and pillar mounted the gages. There's enough electronics
on these things already in my opinion. Simple back to basics
for this kid. Very happy with them.

:sn10:
 
#30 ·
That's because your old and crotchety.

:D
 
#31 ·
You say that like it's a bad thing.

We were all young and stupid once, and a burden on our elder's patience. As we aged, we learned and that lessened. One day, we discovered just how annoying we all once were, by having to deal with the new generation of young approaching from the rear. That'll make a guy crotchety.
 
#32 ·
I'm old to just not as crotchety about new tech :D

I'm actually to the point in my life where when I tell one of my Soldiers I have boots that have been in the Army longer than they have been on the planet I'm not lying to them.....
 
#34 ·
Somebody approaches me from the rear they're gonna get it in the ol crotchety lickety split. The only one I never liked was oil pressure cuz if the line let go, gazinga.
 
#35 ·
Yep......Run the copper, not the drastic plastic! Picked up the 12' copper line at NAPA,
trashed the plastic........No worries here!!

Oh, and..........Army said your butt's not so bad.......in the dark.......after a 12 pack....

BWAAAHAAHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
 
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