D1 Manual or Auto Transmission?

[Go Ducks]

I recently lost my 95 Disco and I am looking to replace it with a 96-98 model. My 95 had a manual trans and over the course of 7 years the only knock against it was a slight bucking at low RPM, and driving it in the city, which was rare.

I have read the posts here where owners complain about the AT. Do you all think the manual will be more reliable over time or is simply a matter of proper maintenance?

I miss my Rover and I'm itchin to replace it. If anyone has a line on a well maintained Northwest vehicle let me know.

Thanks for your responses.

 

[FIVESPDDISCO]

i love my 96 spd. they all buck at low rps. there beefy but clunky

 

[Alyssa]

Hugh,

The newer you get, the more difficult it will be to find a 5 speed. There weren't any in '98, there were just a handful in '97, and '96 was still not very common.

I've owned both a '96 5spd and a '96 Auto. The 5spd was a lot faster than the auto. When you go into the auto from the 5spd, you feel like something is wrong because it is that much slower.

The manual transmissions actually have a higher failure rate than the autos... its just that you don't see manuals that often, so you rarely see people complaining about it. That said, I didn't have problems with either of our transmissions, so just make sure you extensively test drive before you buy!

Good luck!

 

[antichrist]

I like my 5speed, but then I don't like autoboxes. Too bad you didn't know sooner you needed one, a '97 5-speed in nice shape with low miles just went for $5100 here in atlanta.
I have 170k on mine and seems fine. When it dies, I can rebuild it myself, not so with an auto.
Keep in mind, manuals get better mileage.
Good hunting.

 

[Go Ducks]

Decent Price for a 96-97

Alright,

I've located 2 Discos in my area with a 5spd.
Both 96, one with 76K asking $9500, the other with 92K for $10,500. Both are listed by the owners and seem pricey to me.

Any input? FYI they are both loaded; sunroofs, jumps, brush guards, maintenance records, etc.

Alyssa, if you read this what kind of failure rate do the 5spds have. I never had a prob with mine.

Thank you!

 

[Ron]

They sound pricey. Bargain with them unless they are unreasonable. If they don't come down, move on. Did you look at kbb and edmunds tmv for a guide?

If you like the 5 speed, get the 5 speed. Don't worry about the ones with failures. I have only ever seen (or had at work that I knew about) one major Series I auto transmission failure. I have seen several manual transmission failures, even though they are so rare.

 

[Alyssa]

They sound pricey. Bargain with them unless they are unreasonable. If they don't come down, move on. Did you look at kbb and edmunds tmv for a guide?

If you like the 5 speed, get the 5 speed. Don't worry about the ones with failures. I have only ever seen (or had at work that I knew about) one major Series I auto transmission failure. I have seen several manual transmission failures, even though they are so rare.

Da*n it all to h*ll! That was me posting!

 

[Ron]

I was like I did not write that.

Ron here.

I know of two DI slushbox failures, and a bunch of manual failures.

Most common fault in a DI manual is a worn second synchro, then input bearing failure, then pump failure.

If you drive like a truck and keep it full of oil it will be fine. Most manual discos are worn by the time you get them. As a point of reference I sold my 96 a while back with 8x,xxx for 5500.

Ron

 

[discoverover]

Ron,

I have a 96' 5 spd. with 50k miles on it, with the trans. fluid changed to redline mtl at 42k. I have trouble down-shifting to 2nd most of the time. It goes in but is rough, even when I drive it like a truck and double clutch. Could the mtl fluid be the problem? It seemed to be better before. Thanks

 

[Go Ducks]

Ok maybe a little paranoid

Alright,

I've settled on finding the right 5spd, but how can I determine the wear on the tran? When I check out the truck should I just take it to a transmission shop?

I guess what concerns me is finding a truck mechanically fine, but having the box come apart a short time down the line.

 

[Ron]

David, that sounds like advanced second gear synchro wear. Is the synchro slow on upshift?

Don't downshift to second then , err rather let me first say I assume you are matching revs?

Match revs is a requirement to get a rover trans to downshift happily.

MTL would not make it worse, it generally helps synchro wear. Since there is an up and down balk ring it is concievable but unlikley that only the downshift woudl be rough.

My D90 has a worn second synchro but downshifts into second easily. What you have is a complaint I have not heard before.

Most faults are apparent on a cursory inspection: second slow is easy to find. High pitch whine at speed when hot is the input bearing (or 20 thousand other things on a disco). Clunk is mainshaft/input gear wear.

Total failure is rare on a disco trans, they just get so bad that you can't stand it anymore.

Ron

 

[dent]

'96 5 spd here... had the gear box die on me one day. the shaft in the gear box broke. Don't ask me how i managed that or how it happened. Am thinking the cause of it was when i had my truck towed for parking in a place i shouldn't have and they didn't use a dolly.
Finding a used gear box at a decent price was the hardest thing as there's not too many of them out there. And getting a new one is major $$$
The clutch is very forgiving. Got the buck but happens at low rpms in first gear and only when the engine is still cold. Once it warms up, i've not had any problems.
When my gear box died i called around to see if i can find someone who can replace the shaft. Seems like everywhere i called they didn't know anything about the gear box and the places that did, didn't have the right tools to work on it, which i find very weird.
Having said all that i still do love me 5 spd.
good luck
sam

 

[Alyssa]

Ok, so it is very annoying living in the same house as another rover nut. I was GOING to add about the synchros going crap, BUT SOMEONE ALREADY POSTED IT! That is what generally happens, and it is usually 2nd. And I second what my lovely husband says... Neither auto nor manual rarely ever completely fail, they just get so bad you can't stand them anymore. And if you test drive, especially a long enough one to get up and down through the gears, you won't need any transmission shop to tell you if the thing is shot or not. It's not like it's a precise, perfomance transmission with truly imperceptable gear changes. It's a functional, clunky transmission, more truck than car. Look on LRX, look here, look on autotrader, and find yourself a car you like. GOOD LUCK!

 

[rover4x4]

I havent read all the posts, but I think some of the failure could be contributed to the fluid in the ******, like said above the Redline MTF is excellent, I drained the auofluid out and put in the MTF and it made a workd of difference. I cant say enough good things about it. O yeah my 3rd synro was a little "grabby" the MTF helped significantly, in the cold months it was more noticable untill the fluid warmed up and got circulated, not sure how the MTF will perform in the cold months...... good luck finding a new Disco

 

[Go Ducks]

Good point Alyssa. Thanks.

 

[bri]

I like the auto because you have so much more control off road. I don't care about power or get up and go.

Of course there are a bunch of other arguments for manual, but to me they really don't matter.

 

[ShaunP]

There are heaps of 5 speeders in Australia in both TDI and V8 form, I have a V8 and my dad has a TDI. LR now specify MTF 75/80 gl4 oil for these boxes, the R380 box is still used in the 04 Discos here. The early R380 boxes 94-96 have a mainshaft failure problem, this is caused by the transfer case drive gear bearings pumping the oil away from the splines. The fix is LR drilled 4x 3/8 holes in the gear to let oil in. Any car with a transfer case serial# that ends in less than the letter "f" does not have a drilled gear from the factory. If you find a low milage car that is not modified or had the box rebuilt you can change the gear in stitue if the shaft is not stuffed. This fault also causes a clunk when you let oput the clutch. Apart from these don't give much trouble, the syncro and bearing prob is related to cars that have done lots of miles using ATF, cars that have been run on MTF from new or changed at a low mileage are normally ok. I service a car that has done 200k and the R380 is fine. You can check for mainshaft wear by removeing the PTO cover,put the transfer box in nuetral and the main box in gear and see if the gear rocks left and right.

 

[discoverover]

Thanks Ron and Alyssa, 2nd gear is tougher than the others on up-shift as well. I think you're right, the reason for the down-shift problem is the lower rpm compared with the upshift, so I'll match revs better. Dave

 

[dent]

am abit confused here.. thought one was *supposed* to put in ATF rather than MTF in the gear box.. least that's what it says in the book... could my mainshaft breaking be because i've been putting ATF?
Take care
Sam

 

[rover4x4]

Yeah thats what the good book says, but I have read on other BB's that Rover has moved away from the ATF in the R-380. I was somewhat optimistic/skeptical when I swapped to the Redline as to how the R-380 would react, all is well I cant say enough good things about the stuff. Why LR put ATF in the manual is somewhat unclear to me. o well good luck.

As far as the mainshfat breaking I am not sure, I think some of the early R-380's has a problem with "oiling" I understand this has been addressed.