Disco 1 Stuck transfer lever

[roverdevin]

Hi there,

Still on the hunt for a Discovery. I have looked at a few now, and 3 of the cars I have seen will not move out of high range. I have seen online that corrosion in the transfer shift linkages can lead to the lever becoming stuck. All 3 owners said they "never use" that lever. Is this as common as it seems to be? What else could cause this?

In the most promising of the cars I saw, a beautiful low km 1995, the lever moves over to the left and the centre diff lock warning light comes on, but it will not move from high to low. (I can't move the lever fore and aft at all...just left to right.) Is there a chance this has stuck with the transfer box only partially engaged? or something more sinister? The warning tone was not there at all. Otherwise it drives perfectly in high range.

Other than this fault, this one looks like a winner. Any advice on where to get this checked out?

Devin Biln

[nakedbarra]

What is your procedure when tying to shift?
Andrew

[roverdevin]

Hi there,

I was at a stop, main selector in neutral, brakes on, then i tried to move the lever forward out of high range. no forward movement other than a little wobble, to the point whre i felt to push further would break something. I was able to move the lever to the left enough to allow the dash CDL light to light up, but again, minimal fore and aft movement, and certainly nothing like a lever that is engaging properly. Even the left to right didn't feel right. I tried shifting into drive and back to neutral, and even driving a bit and giving it another shot, to no avail. And as mentioned before, there was no warning tone at all.

Dev.

[red90]

Yah, it is normal if they are not used. WD-40 the linkages and work them back and forth.

I think some models (not sure which ones) have a shift interlock. Someone more versed in these (stupid) electrical add ons could elaborate.

[roverdevin]

Well, 4 of the 5 discos I driove yesterday had stuck transfer levers...I was able to work one free. I suppose that should be some consolation...odds are the gears are OK and the linkage is the culprit. I'm likely going to put an offer in on this car, and hopefully the problem's as simple as that. If not, whats a used transfercase worth?

Dev.

[DaveB]

I think its worth trying what Red90 said, as you should be able to just squeeze the red tube on a can of WD40 down the shifter lever, or work it through a seam in the boot. I saw a number of transmissions at the wreckers and almost all of them had transfer levers rusted up. Seems to be quite a common problem...

I think you're right in assuming, at least in most cases, that the gearbox itself is OK.

Dave

[red90]

Crawl underneath, find the linkages and spray, work, spray, work. Don't buy until you have tried it it.

It is very rare for a transfer case to be broken. Of all the thing on a Disco, it is the one well designed component. :lol:

If it were me I'd always get a pre-purchase inspection.

[roverdevin]

Thanks for all the advice folks,

I'm having the car I've have my eye on inspected tomorrow or Tuesday, and have made an offer on condition that no MAJOR faults are found. If only it weren't ugly blue! Oh well, all my other land rovers are blue!

Dev