1996 Discovery TDi Gearbox

Hello,

I wonder if any one can help I have recently bought a 1996 Discovery TDi and I have a couple of questions about the gearbox.

• When ever I try to select first gear if moving at all it crunches. I have to completely stop to be able to select. I thought that the gearbox should have a syncro on first?

• When I change from third gear to second it is quite difficult to engage it does not crunch but is stiff. However when changing from first to second it is fine. Is this normal?

I don’t think the problems are related to the clutch as all other gears select ok and if stationary then first and reverse are fine.

Thanks

Sounds like a pretty normal LR gearbox to me.

It sounds a bit worn, you can drive it no problem if you drive it well and match engine speed with road speed. From second dip the clutch and lift the revs to about 1000rpm for 5mph, 2000rpm for 10mph etc then gently push it it into gear and it will drop right in no bother. I always drive like this, means the syncros don't have to do much work. If you get good at it you can change gear without the clutch!

An oil change may help (remember it is ATF in the main box)

I think all LR gearboxes go like this. I'm on my 3rd gearbox, 1st one crunched when downshifting to 2nd and the 2nd box wouldn't even stay in 2nd gear! An oil change is normally a good choice, try difflock evo1 oil. It's a bit pricey but ultimately worth it. You'll need 3 litres.

Wont hurt if U check the gear lever bias/selector too: bush change pivot-FRC9985 http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php?xProd=86373&jssCart=ca0c6623caf505c52c8246a7b03466a6 (this one used to crack and do the tricks u described)....also I saw broken bias plate too.

It is another cheap crap that may feck yor nervs named gear selector yoke FTC2203 http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php?xProd=86462 check all the bits there related to gear selector/bias.....they all may get tricky

Remove the centre console, unscrew the 4 bolts from plate and and u'll get there

In a '96 Tdi 300 manual, the gearbox is an R380 type and as such should have MTF 94, NOT atf oil in it.

ATF was the reccomended choice but LR moved to MTF94 about 10 yrs ago. If anyone points to oil company sites and says the oil companies still reccomend atf then my reply would be that the oil companies are lazy profit mungers who have no motivation to get small issues (to them!!) like this up to date.

If you really want to reduce the crunching use fully synthetic oil like EVO1 from www.difflock.com - it's not cheap but it is good.

Your choice.......................................

thebiglad said:

In a '96 Tdi 300 manual, the gearbox is an R380 type and as such should have MTF 94, NOT atf oil in it.


If you really want to reduce the crunching use fully synthetic oil like EVO1 from www.difflock.com - it's not cheap but it is good.

......

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^^^ I bet he's right.

The only way to cure it is to rebuild it.
The R380 was a **** poor design from the start. The very early ones used to eat mainshafts and syncros. The later ones were fitted with modified parts.
When i worked in the main dealer parts dept in the mid 90s we used to stock 2 exchange gearboxes and enough parts to rebuild 6 boxes. so the chances are 14 years on it ready for a refurb.

thebiglad said:

In a '96 Tdi 300 manual, the gearbox is an R380 type and as such should have MTF 94, NOT atf oil in it.

Click to expand...

You are right my mistake.

The difflock Evo oil (as others have mentioned) are very good.

andyb66 said:

You are right my mistake.

The difflock Evo oil (as others have mentioned) are very good.

Click to expand...

A while ago I went mad and bought 3ltrs of EVO1 and 6ltrs of EVO2 !!!!

I put EVO1 in the gearbox and EVO2 in the tranny box and axles of a 140,000mls TDi 200 and she ran much better, smoother and quieter afterwards. Smoother gear changes, a sense of there being less friction in the drivetrain. She gave 36mpg daily and over 40mpg on a run, after the change.

I'm wondering what I should expect to pay for a re-con gearbox (fitted) to my '96 Disco?
And best places to get it done?

Think Ian Ashcroft is about 1100 quid fitted

you can get them for £400 ,£200 for fitting, look around,they will run on atf perfectly well and last as long ,i see just the same faults on mtf and such ,they need plenty of oil changes to make them last longer ,the later r380 uses same baulk rings as the early ones the only improvements were fitting cross drilled input gear for t/box,bigger rear layshaft brg bigger front input shaft brg on k suffix l suffix had shot peened gears that are stress relieved and so supposedly stronger,the main cause of faults is poor lubrication ie contaminated oil