can't select Low Range or Diff Lock, '95 Disco.....

[skrufy]

Hello Everybody_

Haven't visited these boards for a while, tried to do a search of this topic and couldn't find it, so please forgive if this has been covered before......

Have a '95 Discovery- 83000 odd miles on it, auto transmittion, am the original owner......

I haven't had to select the Diff Lock or Low Range very often, in fact haven't had to do it in years, as the LR has always gone/done what I asked it to do. HOWEVER, when I really needed it last week, I couldn't get it to shift into 4WD Low range, nor could I get the Diff Lock/Hi-Low Gear shift lever to move, no Diff Lock engaged light on that indicates that the Diff Lock is actually engaged..... fuses are good, no fault codes....

I live in the high country of eastern Arizona at 8000 feet, so we get plenty of snow and muddy forest roads- buried it almost to the frame in mud/snow on an old logging road during an elk hunt, and took several of us almost 3 hours to get it out..... needless to say, lots of hot tempers, and not much hunting-

I have the shop manuals- took a quick look at them but didn't find any obvious answers- the only thing I can think of is when the LR dealer in Phoenix did some warranty work for trany/transfer case oil seal leaks, and replaced the whole console housing for cracks in the plastic- several years ago. They had to yank out both gear boxes to do the repairs......

Since it won't shift Hi to Lo, or left into the Diff Lock position for either Hi or Lo, it seems to me that an electrical/magnetic solenoid/relay is preventing the lever from moving..??? I'm wondering if it would be possible that the mechanic did not connect the two wire leads from the xfer case to the wiring harness when it was put back into the Disco??? or is there some simpler fix or explanation...... the book says that you have to pull the center console, heating vent, etc. to get access to the cover in the floor board to get to the solenoid connectors......

Before I have to do all that, anybody have any fixes, thoughts, helpful hints, experience with this problem??? I'd really appreciate the help......

I know, the burning question- why hasn't this guy been using Low range in the mud/snow and just recently discovered the problem????-- well I have a JEEP!- but before I'm damned as a heretic/pagan infidel- it's actually a real 1952 Willy's Overland M38A1 US Army jeep that is virtually unstoppable, and saves me from getting my wifes pride/joy Disco dirty- except for that one time! -"I'll keep it pretty clean....." the phrase "dead meat" comes to mind.....

Thanks to all!

Tim

 

[curtis]

Likely that your T-case/CDL lever is frozen from not being used enough. There are a few ways to fix this. One is to go top-down from the console. Too late for me to get into the details, but search the archives. Your problem is not unique.

 

[SandMan]

Tim,

Had the same problem on the same 1995 machine, although mine was from frequent use.

I had a lot of sand blown in from the top and that froze up the lube between the shift knob and gear levers. Cleaned that out real good, greased it up again, and she works great.

I'd suspect your problem is hard crusty and caked grease from non-use. Take of the console and look down in there.

Now I keep an eye out for sand build up.

SandMan
Former Southern AZ Desert Rat

 

[Monty]

There's quite a few threads about the cdl being difficult to shift. I had the same problem with my '98 and used the following site to help me fix it. I found this by searching cdl. HTH

http://home.twcny.rr.com/eeibooks/rover/discodifflock.htm

 

[syoung]

My 95 did the same thing- had to pull the centre console, drill the rivets in the floor, remove and recondition the x-fer case shift mechanism and reinstall. Takes the better part of half a day. Gave me a chance to replace the burned out lights in the gear selector though, which is all SHE noticed for my hours of work.

I had a 53 M38A1- neat Jeep, but it never struck me as good offroad. Wish I still had it though.

 

[skrufy]

Good Morning-

Thanks for all the inputs- will review the above mentioned website, and search the archives for "cdl"- like most stuff with search engines, ya gotta ask the question correctly...... I suspect it is frozen with old grease from lack of use, will use some synthetic lubes to assure long time use..... will post back to this thread with the results- it is above freezing here already, so will start after the typical Sat. morning chores are complete......

As far as the M38A1 off road, I've never had any problems- rough ride though.... had it in some deep heavy/sticky snow/w mud up to the frame a few days ago...... you should have kept it as they are become quite valuable for one even with a moderate restoration- as long as you have the original 4-banger engine and still 24volt..... mine is a 'street" restoration in correct period paint/markings, new top, seats, no rust, but w/o the gun mount the kids want me to get- but not so pretty as to not get it muddy.... 2 sold recently on ebay for $11,500- one was good, the other museum quality, and could have easily sold thru consignment brokers for upwards of $20000..... another guy had one with the 90mm recoilless rifle/.50cal spotting rifle- again museum stuff, for over $22000...... Army Jeep Parts, Inc. in Penn. has one 99.9? restored in NOS-new old stock- parts and they want $42000 for it that last time I ordered parts from them....

Anyway, thanks for all the help!

Tim
Alpine, Az. elevation 8048'

 

[syoung]

wow- I paid $1400 for my M38. It was the radio version in original Army yellow and the radio racks and antenna mounts still on it. Only thing not original were the aluminium slotted mags. Sold for $2000 in 1988.

Good luck with your CDL- I looked all over for a rubber boot to put over the shaft that goes sideways for the CDL link and couldn't find anything. The shaft on mine was corroded and had a thick layer of rust/road grime etc.

 

[skrufy]

crawled under the Disco today- no real time to do much except spray vast quantities of WD40 up on the linkage...... upon further crawling, and looking up between the cat converter and the side of the xfer case, I found that a pin at the bottom of the vertical shift lever mechanism, (the one on the outside of the xfer case) that should have been inserted in a lever on the xfer case- was not!!! I don't have the shop manual out yet to find the right drawings to more accurately discribe what I found- hope I can lift/pry the parts back into the proper position without having to take apart the top of the console, unbolt the shift lever and/or disconnect the vertical shaft to insert the pin where it should be.....

My xfer case and transmittion was R&R'd by Phoenix Landrover, and not correctly reinstalled by their mechanic.....

Any other ideas or tips would be greatly appreciated...... BTW, the Diff Lock lever seems to move freely from side-to-side- but no DIff Lock symbol, but will not move forward into the Neutral or Low position.....

Thanks-

Tim