Land Rover Discovery II Buying
Tips
Nick asked me to
put together this quick guide on what to look for and what to avoid on a
Discovery Series II (DII). Essentially the Disco is last of a breed when it
comes to proper consumer oriented off road vehicles based on the basic Land
Rover layout from the late 1940’s. This means that it has a basic closed ladder
frame chassis with lots of inherent flex and an almost completely aluminum
body. Fortunately it does have a negative earth electrical system. The Discovery was redesigned in 1999 when the
DII superseded the DI. The update included a lengthening of the still useless
rear cargo area by increasing the rear overhang, a new crop of fuel injected
aluminum block V8’s, and over 700 other individual design changes. It was
manufactured and sold through the end of 2004 when the Discovery Series III
(LR3) replaced it. 2004 specific equipment included a standard 4.6 engine with
Bosch injection and ignition, a center-locking differential and high/lo
transfer case, and redesigned headlights showing the new corporate front end.
This guide will go over first how the rig should handle, drive, and look. Then
there will be a quick guide on what to look out for, and what should turn you
away from a potential purchase.
Suspension and Handling.
The suspension on
the DII is a refinement of the setup on the Defender and the DI and had many
carry over parts from the P38A Range Rover made from 1995-2002. The DII handles
better, rides better, and has more control than a DI. The basic setup is coil
sprung solid axles front and rear with a trailing/radius arm setup for fore aft
location and axle movement control. The front axle is located laterally by a
Panhard bar mounted on the driver’s side frame rail to the passenger side of
the axle. The rear axle uses a design called a Watts linkage, basically two
Panhard bars linked in the middle with a pivoting bracket. Some vehicles had an
active anti-sway system that was hydraulically driven and rear air suspension
that not only leveled the truck but also allowed for increased clearance and
departure angles when off road. This particular 2004 should not posses either
of these unreliable systems. Steering is handled by a robust and basic frame
mounted recirculating ball steering box with a forward mounted drag link and
rear mounted tie rod.
The drive is
everything but precise in a DII. It is important to note however that since
these vehicles were largely hand built none of them posses exactly the same
handling characteristics. Below is a list of important things to know:
·
The steering should be relatively accurate with
only a small dead space in the center.
·
There will be almost no feel in the steering as
it was optimized for comfort on unimproved roads.
·
It is very numb and there will be little to no
feedback from the front end. You may feel some strange driveline vibes in the
steering. Some of them do this and it’s only a problem if certain conditions
are met (discussed later).
·
The truck may dive to the left or right under
braking, and may have a tendency to sway
a bit under heavy braking from a higher speed (55+) This is not usually brake
related but can be a sign of radius and trailing arm bushings, and/or Panhard
bar bushings on their way out. None of these are extremely difficult or
expensive to replace.
·
The ride on a stock rig with 60k miles should be
very soft due to weak stock Land Rover springs and worn shocks. If the springs
and shocks are old they can also cause the truck to sway especially with heavy
loads in the back.
·
The rear end may feel as if it wanders a bit
over bumps. If you are used to solid rear axles like found in the GMT900
platform in most GM trucks you probably won’t notice it. This is normal, and I
mention it only because I thought it was an issue coming from a year and a half
of driving a Mini everyday.
·
Brakes are poor. This is normal but be prepared.
Coming off the highway or up to a red light feels like landing a plane.
Engine
The engine in the
2004 DII is a 4.6 litre aluminum block and head pushrod V8 with cast steel
cylinder liners and Bosch electronic injection and ignition. The design dates
back to the 1960’s when the engine was originally developed for use in the Buck
Jetstar concept vehicle. GM sold the rights for the engine to the Rover
Corporation and it has since seen use in many Rover and British Leyland
vehicles. The last production vehicle to use a derivative of the affectionately
dubbed “Rover V8” was the DII. It is known for its ruggedness and ability to
run for thousands of miles with little to no oil pressure.
It does have an
Achilles heel, heat combined with a functionally superior but unreliable bypass
cooling system. DII’s have a tendency to blow head gaskets with frightening
regularity, Even with normal maintenance this will happen every 80k to 130k
miles. Some engines will never need them replaced but the vast majority will.
The cylinder liners also pose a bit of a problem. They are only press fitted
into the block, and as engine temperatures rise the fit becomes looser due to
the differences in the expansion rates between the two metals. When/if the
engine overheats the liners have a tendency to slip down into the block thus
causing compression loss, and overheating as well as allowing combustion gases
to enter the water jacket. If this happens the only way to correct the problem
is to remove the engine from the vehicle and take the short block with no
ancillaries or heads to a machine shop to allow new liners to be fitted. The
other option is a new short block constructed with top-hat liners that will not
slip down regardless of engine temperature.
Finally if the rig
was maintained at a Land Rover retailer it should make no valve noise. The
ethanol and other additives in US gasoline have a tendency to make the valves
stick. In the late 1990’s Land Rover offered a fix in the form of self-branded
and overpriced fuel and intake system cleaner that is put in the fuel tank
during periodic maintenance visits. If this has not been done in the past
5k-10k miles, the engine may make a slow ticking noise at idle that increases
with RPM and does not go away with the resulting rise in oil pressure. The
issue is rectified with two bottles of Seafoam or Techron Fuel System Cleaner
from any auto parts store.
Here are some
things that to look for on the Land Rover 4.6 engine:
·
It should be smooth and have decent power
·
These trucks are slow with a manufacturer quoted
0-60 time of 9.4 seconds that has likely stretched to well over 10 by now.
·
The temperature gauge is there for idiot use and
the it reads normal when the engine temps are anywhere from 150F to 225F. Do
not trust it.
·
Coolant smell is usually a bad thing. If there
is odor check for:
o
Excessive pressure buildup or a foamy looking
expansion tank
o
See if there is coolant weeping from the heads.
This means the gaskets will need replacement but the seal between the cylinder
and the head is still good. This is usually ok.
o
Milkshake-esque substance on the dipstick is
VERY bad. If the oil looks milky and/or there is a mayo like substance built up
under the oil cap walk away. Unless the dealer is willing to take of multiple
thousands for head gasket replacement and a likely new block the it is better
off as a parts truck.
o
Obviously white smoke from the tailpipe means
blown head gaskets and the truck will not make the drive from Atlanta to
Charlotte without the engine overheating.
·
They are British. They leak oil, lots of it
sometimes. Common areas for oil leaks are:
o
Valve covers. Mine leak a lot. This is not an
issue and when the leak becomes bad enough the fix can be carried out in a
afternoon
o
Crank seals. If there is oil running down the
front of the engine or present on the transmission bell housing with no
apparent origin the main seal is likely bad. This can also be ignored until the
leak becomes severe. These repairs are more involved and require the removal of
the oil pan.
o
Oil pans and the area around the oil filter.
Leaks here are not an issue unless visible flow is noted while the engine is
running.
·
DII’s tend to run hot. This is normal so don’t
be alarmed if you open the hood after a test drive and the hood prop is too hot
to touch.
·
They make lifter and valve noise when cold. This
is indicated by a diesel like clatter that dissipates as the engine warms up.
·
If it overheats, walk away. It’s not worth
fixing since you don’t own it yet.
·
Get on it at least once during the test drive.
They are capable of being floored regularly with no issue.
·
If the Service Engine Soon light comes on, have
the dealer read the code. It usually ends up being something minor and likely
chronic. My light comes on once every two or three weeks for a BS evaporative
emissions problem that affects nothing.
·
Check to see if the oil is clean. Excessive soot
or blackness indicates the vehicle has not been cared for as well as it needs.
No problems here but frequent oil changes (every 3k) for the first year are
recommended.
·
Smell the oil. It may smell lightly gas. This is
normal since the engines are big low-revving, low compression V8’s. If it
smells like coolant, run.
·
Belt drives are reliable and should not make
noise. If they do request about $500 off for replacement of the belt and all
idler pulleys.
Drivetrain and Transmission
The drivetrain on
the DII is full time four-wheel drive with open differentials in the front and
rear axles and a center locking differential in the transfer case. Gearing
includes a 4-speed auto box with overdrive and a high/low range transfer case.
Drivelines are very robust and almost never need attention. However it’s
simplicity can lead to strange vibrations at highways speeds, usually over 75
mph. These are not an issue but can be solved by throwing parts at the
driveline until it stops making noise.
The front
driveshaft is the main thing that will need attention in the DII. Due to the
difference in pinion angles at the front differential and the transfer case
Land Rover installed a front driveshaft with a double-cardan joint. However it
is poorly designed and located. This crucial joint sits 3 inches from the
catalyst and under the outlet for the air conditioning evaporator. This means
that heat bakes the grease out while the water accelerates corrosion damage.
The stock joints will fail anywhere from 60k to 100k miles and when they do
it’s usually on the highway. Failure results in the shaft whipping around
denting the floor and making holes in the transmission housing. Most people
will total their truck if this happens. Vibration under acceleration between 35
and 45 mph and any periodic chirping or squeaking sounds from the front end
indicate the joint is on its way out. The recommended fix is a new shaft from
either GBR performance of Tom Woods. These come with Spicer U-joints and grease
fittings for all crucial parts. If the front driveshaft is bad it may make the
highway drive cross-country or it may not. If in doubt visit a Land Rover
dealer or mechanic but do not buy a stock replacement shaft. New front drive
shafts run anywhere from $375 to about $600 for a custom heavy-duty shaft.
Here is a list of
things to note about the drivetrain:
·
It may clunk between reverse and drive, not an
issue. This is due to the excessive amount of allowable play in the
differential gears and transfer case.
·
If the transfer case lever cannot be moved, that
is not an issue. Nothing a few days of penetrating oil, hammering and swearing
won’t fix.
·
The driveline may clunk while letting off or
getting back on the gas. Normal and not an issue
·
Vibes between 35 and 45 are not usually good and
require further investigation, usually front driveshaft
·
High-speed highway vibes are normal for 60k
miles. Unpleasant but not threatening.
·
The transmission shouldn’t slip, but it isn’t
the best to begin with. Shifts should be relatively smooth with perhaps a small
acceleration surge between gears.
·
The torque converter locks up on the highway.
Indicated by a drop in rpm and a slight shove. Again, normal.
·
There is a sport mode button. Don’t be fooled,
as it is mostly just black magic and a green light on the dash for ego
massaging.
·
The exhaust should be fairly quiet. If there is
excess noise check for leaks and ask for a discount.
Final Things and Electrics
·
Despite being British most of the electrics work
without problems most of the time be wary of:
o
Door locks. These sometimes don’t work and the
parts can be expensive if purchased new from the dealer.
o
Security systems can sometime be strange.
There’s not really anything you can do.
o
If it has Park Distance Control it may or may
not work.
o
In general the climate control and radio never
have issues although sometimes the CD changer can create problems.
o
Both sunroofs should work with no problems.
·
The mechanism on the rear door latch is
susceptible to water ingress. These can freeze up and prevent the rear door
form opening. Usually a few hundred at a Land Rover shop.
·
British rust proofing is bad. There may be
surface rust on the chassis or axles. Just check to make sure there are no
significant cancerous areas or holes.
·
Sometimes the three amigos (the hill descent
control, traction control, and abs warning lights) will come on. Turning the
truck off and back on usually can reset them. If they are persistent it may
indicate a shuttle valve problem in the ABS modulator or failing wheel sensors.
Different aftermarket brake pads can also exacerbate this problem. The
modulator has a cheap quick fix and the wheel sensors are part of the hubs. New
hubs usually run about $1000 per axle.
·
At 60k the LED for the odometer may be sporadic.
This is cheap and a non-issue.
·
The interiors don’t age well so expect to see
wear on the seats, the door cards, the steering wheel and anything else that
gets touched.
·
All DII’s have or will have sagging headliners.
There is not really anything you can do aside from replace the headliner, which
is usually not worth the effort.
·
Bodylines should match. If they don’t the truck
has been abused.
·
Expect it to flex pulling into driveways. The
door seals may make creaking noises. This is normal if not disconcerting.
·
The kingpins may creak when the wheel is turned
for the first time after sitting for a few hours. This is normal and adjustment
is only required when the rig will not track straight.
·
If you encounter a bump on the highway and the
front-end starts shaking uncontrollably you have experienced the death wobble. This
condition is usually rectified with new front shocks and new Panhard bushings.
Mine did this at 40k so don’t be surprised. Shop repair is probably about $500.
·
New DII wipers must be purchased from the
dealer, as the mounting to the arm is proprietary.
Final Notes
The
DII is a fun rugged vehicle that has many quirks. They are loud, slow, and get
12-15 mpg. On the whole though, despite some big issues they are actually quite
reliable when maintained properly. Really, if anything about it makes you feel
weird or uneasy, step away. There are lots for sale that don’t have issues.
Otherwise if it has no outward signs of abuse or any glaring issues it’s
probably all right. If it has made it to 60k miles or more the chances are good
it will be fairly reliable. I hope this helped and if you have any questions
don’t be afraid to contact me.
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