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sweatysock

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 283

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Indus Silver

Diff lock not engaging

Folks, just when I needed the diff lock due to snow and mud, it would not engage. The low box lever just would not go all the way to the left (def 300 tdi). Any ideas on correcting this thanks Keith Sweatysock
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110 CSW TDCI (Puma) 2007

18th Jan 2013 11:21am

geobloke

Member Since: 06 Nov 2012
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 4410

Re: Diff lock not engaging

sweatysock wrote:
Folks, just when I needed the diff lock due to snow and mud, it would not engage. The low box lever just would not go all the way to the left (def 300 tdi). Any ideas on correcting this thanks Keith

Hi Keith. It sounds as if part of the linkage has seized up a tad, in most cases it is the "C-Link" that causes the problem. I wrote a "how to" for the discovery, but the linkages are pretty much identical and which can be found here;

http://forum.landrovernet.com/content.php/...-Diff-Lock

Apologies for the link away from this excellent forum.

18th Jan 2013 12:01pm

sweatysock

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 283

Thanks for that, unfortunately I cannot gain access to the forum (even tried to register but not working). Any chance you could (please) copy the topic if possible. Thanks in advance Keith Sweatysock
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110 CSW TDCI (Puma) 2007

18th Jan 2013 12:16pm

geobloke

Member Since: 06 Nov 2012
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 4410

sweatysock wrote:
Thanks for that, unfortunately I cannot gain access to the forum (even tried to register but not working). Any chance you could (please) copy the topic if possible. Thanks in advance Keith

Let's see shall we...

18th Jan 2013 12:37pm

geobloke

Member Since: 06 Nov 2012
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 4410

Here you go, a few minor edits required. Obviously this was done for a Disco, but like I said the linkages are the same. Good luck.

How to... Discovery TDI Stuck Diff Lock ...Working again... :yay:

Well it didn't when I bought it but it does now and here's what I did and what was preventing it from engaging.

The problem with anything that is not used is that it gets stiff and when you need it most it doesn't work, this is the fate of 75% of all Discoveries ever sold I would think. The most common example of this is that the difflock will not engage. Having read a lot of other peoples experiences 95% of the time it is NOT the transfer box that is broken it is that linkages that are not functioning as they should. Some find that the main transfer lever just refuses to budge and some that it moves but won't engage difflock. In my experience a good clean and lots of lithium grease solves this problem. Set yourself a good day aside to do the job and be methodical, dare I say it, leave Land Rover Special Tool No.1 in the garage...! This job is about finesse...!

Diff lock not engaging properly or at all, sometimes intermittent disengaging when clutch was depressed.

Unlike some of the diff lock stuck problems I read on various forums I was relieved that the actual diff lock lever mechanism did move, if stiffly and with some considerable force.

I read other peoples words of wisdom;

Wise words 1; http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/freeing-u...59819.html

Wise words 2; http://www.landroversonly.com/forums/f9/ho...uck-43161/

Wise words 3; http://www.discovery2.co.uk/diff_lock.html (not a diff lock stuck thread, but some very good pictures of how to get to the transfer box levers from inside the cab)

Now I thought I would add my experience to the hefty weight of theirs.

The Plan: Clean and grease lever mechanism and establish why diff lock is not engaging properly, if possible fix the problem.

How long: The wise words of those that have gone before recomend at least a day to get this job done comfortably. I would agree, especially if you take the time to clean and grease every part of the lever mechanism like I did.

Tools: Quite a lot but nothing too special; screwdriver (pozi-drive and flat), needle nose pliers, drill and selection of metal drill bits, pop rivets, pop rivet gun, spanner (7mm), 1/4 socket set and sockets (room is tight hence the 1/4"), hammer, small punch, lithium grease, small wire brush and rags.

Directions: As with the above words of wisdom;

Start by unscrewing the gear lever gaiters and knobs (the gaiters just pop up with a little help from a flat head screwdriver).
Remove anti-slip mat.
Remove electric window finisher (prise of with flat head screwdriver) to reveal the switch mounting panel below. Unscrew the 4 small screws and store in safely (I use a magnetic bowl), pull out switch panel and disconnect the switch connector blocks.
Remove the handbrake gaiter and grip by prizing the retaining clip off with a flat head screwdriver, then grab the grip and twist and pull off the handbrake lever.
Remove the cubbybox tray assembly by unscrewing the 2 screws in the cubby box and the 2 screws at the dash end. Reach behind the tray and unconnect the cigarette lighter.
Remove (chock the wheels) the clip holding the hand brake cable pin in place and remove the pin. Lift the hand brake lever to the vertical position.
Remove the cubby box and tray by lifting the back of the cubby box up and out.
Remove the foam sound insulation.
Unscrew the tray mounting plate at the dash end to gain access to the pop rivets below.
With a drill, drill out the pop rivets holding the rubber gaiter in place - BE VERY CAREFUL not to tear the gaiter. Punch remaining part of pop rivets out with a punch and hammer. Be gentle, you may have to re-drill to get the rivets out as he panel is very thin alluminium.
Remove outside gaiter fixing plate and unscrew inner gaiter fixing plates around base of 5 speed gearbox lever.
Remove gaiter to expose the gearboxes below.

Should look like this -

(Borrowed from LR4x4 Forums - http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=6719)

Now the fun begins...

Click image to enlarge

Remove the transfer lever gate, 4x 8mm bolts.
Remove 1) difflock lever bolt using 7mm spanner and 8mm socket. Retain plastic spacers.
Remove 2) difflock lever pivot clip. Retain plastic spacers.
The difflock lever is now free to move.
Manipulate to check C-link is free. Mine was seized solid where it connected with the difflock engage spigot, preventing the difflock from being engaged. In attempting to free up the C-link I sheared it off at the spigot end... Oooops! Thankfully I had a spare...
With a 13mm socket and t-bar manually turn the nut on top of the difflock spigot. This will engage and disengage the difflock, you should see the dash warning light go on and off.
Whilst the transfer lever is disconected clean out any debris and re-grease with some lithium grease. You can't use too much... the lever should move effortlessly!!
Remove the Hi Low linkage from the transfer lever push-rod, using an 8mm socket. The clamp is splined so it is a good idea to score it to make sure it goes back in the right place.
Manipulate and re-grease the linkage.
Re-assemble the difflock lever linkage and Hi Low linkage making sure to re-grease every mating surface.
When all the linkages are re-assembled it is worth checking that they are in fact working. Place transfer lever in to the difflock High position (bottom left), check difflock dash light is on. With a wheel chocked, jack up the diagonally opposite wheel until just off the ground. Turn wheel, if it locks up after about 1/4 of a turn then your difflock is engaged. Move the lever to dis-engage the difflock (bottom right), difflock dash light off and re-test wheel, it should spin in both directions.

NB: Should the difflock engage and the dash light remain off this is your chance to sort that problem out as well. Could be a faulty switch, bad wiring or badly adjusted switch.

Re-assembly is the reverse of of dis-assembly and all that.

I am glad to say that the Discovery is now fully functional in the difflock area, now I just have to re-bush it as they are beyond goosed... :rolleyes:

I hope this helps others solve this all to common problem with second hand Discoveries...

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

18th Jan 2013 12:48pm

jst

Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8102

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey

a good article.

if its desperate you can engage it by removing the C linkage and using a spanner on the spigot.

or apply force to the side of the C linkage. Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop

18th Jan 2013 12:51pm

geobloke

Member Since: 06 Nov 2012
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 4410

jst wrote:
a good article.

if its desperate you can engage it by removing the C linkage and using a spanner on the spigot.

or apply force to the side of the C linkage.

IIRC the nut is a 13mm to get the linkage off and the spigot is a 10mm spanner.

18th Jan 2013 12:53pm

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