Broken gearbox/transmission

Hi all I have an issue that I need advice on, the other day whilst driving home I ground to a halt as I could not get any gears to engage, I have pressure at the pedal and the gear leaver goes into all the correct positions but the car won’t move. I tried engaging the low ratio to see if it would move and it turns out I can’t get it into low range either, so to summarise gears engage but no forward movement of the vehicle and can’t engage low range only high range and neutral.

I have removed all of the central console and removed the selector stick to get a better look but I’m a bit stumped. Cheers in advance.

Could be a broken prop or driveshaft. Stick it in diff lock to see if that gives it drive. If so, youve lost a halfshaft or maybe a prop.

ronsealdeath said:

Could be a broken prop or driveshaft. Stick it in diff lock to see if that gives it drive. If so, youve lost a halfshaft or maybe a prop.

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As far as I know this has no diff lock

What discovery is it?

Early versions of the LT230 transfer box do suffer from input gear spline wear but total failure does not happen suddenly. The wear is usually gradual, causing audible clunks and noticeable judder. There's a good thread on this here, for a Defender with the LT230 t-box :

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/lt77-lt230-checking-the-spline-wear.226279/

ronsealdeath said:

What discovery is it?

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It’s a 2003 td5 facelift

In that case you CAN lock the diff but it is awkward as it is on top of the gearbox and although an LR mechanic would be able to do it quickly you may find it awkward. Have you got the centre console out sufficiently to see the top of the box? If so, the locking mechanism is there, see other threads on how to lock it, but it is simply a question of moving a lever over.
In fact it is probably quicker to test for a broken halfshaft or prop in more conventional ways than locking the centre diff and seeing if you can drive it.
Don't forget that sometimes you cannot get the low ration lever in unless you put it in neutral, rev it a bit then try again. The teeth of the gears can butt up edge to edge and need moving slightly. If you have lost drive this won't work. Or, and this is tougher, you rock the car back and forth a bit while someone pushes or pulls on the lever, push on a D2. So who rocks the car? Several strong people!

This is the view from above I’m sure this has no diff lock, could you link me to how I lock it these images show from the top

Ok an update if the info helps , I have rocked the disco back and forth manually and the front prop is turning, I have been underneath and the shafts look ok no sign of any damage however there does seem to be some oil drops on the bolts directly below the gearbox but I can’t see where it’s coming from from below or above in the engine bay

Update 2 ok with some help from my son we managed to get the diff into low range by rocking back and forth, the observation is that whilst rocking the front and rear props show movement within the bounds of us moving back and forth, that said once the disco is switched off selecting H/N/L is tougher. I’m beginning to suspect a broken transfer box any thing else I can do to narrow down the issue?

here is what you asked for to do with D2 diff lock
http://www.discovery2.co.uk/diff_lock.html


and how to modify it to manual inside the cab.
don't know if this is of interest.

Stanleysteamer said:

here is what you asked for to do with D2 diff lock
http://www.discovery2.co.uk/diff_lock.html


and how to modify it to manual inside the cab.
don't know if this is of interest.

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Many thanks for that info but it turns out my td5 is the type with traction control and no diff lock

I do not know if that exists, i.e a disco with no diff lock. As far as i know, the early ones had diff lock that was not actionable except from underneath, the garage guys need to lock the diff for certain things hence the necessity for it, the later models brought back the diff lock actionable from inside the cab as so many owners wanted it back! If I am wrong, others will jump on and tell us!

D50 said:

This is the view from above I’m sure this has no diff lock, could you link me to how I lock it these images show from the top

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your second picture shows you need to dissassemble still further to get to it, I think.

D50 said:

This is the view from above I’m sure this has no diff lock, could you link me to how I lock it these images show from the top

Click to expand...

D50 said:

Update 2 ok with some help from my son we managed to get the diff into low range by rocking back and forth, the observation is that whilst rocking the front and rear props show movement within the bounds of us moving back and forth, that said once the disco is switched off selecting H/N/L is tougher. I’m beginning to suspect a broken transfer box any thing else I can do to narrow down the issue?

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if its running in high but no drive does either of the props spin

jamesmartin said:

if its running in high but no drive does either of the props spin

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No does not run in high or low props not turning, however if I rock the car with the engine off the props turn

D50 said:

No does not run in high or low props not turning, however if I rock the car with the engine off the props turn

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but if in high and in gear either prop doesnt turn? if not its in the t/box ot g/box or clutch center ripped out, id rdrain t/box and remove the sump plate

jamesmartin said:

but if in high and in gear either prop doesnt turn? if not its in the t/box ot g/box or clutch center ripped out, id rdrain t/box and remove the sump plate

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Correct the props don’t turn in either diff selection and going through the gears the landy is dead in the water

If, when you rock the car both props turn, then their connection to the axles is fine, the axles are turning the prop shafts. So, if you have no drive, the problem is as per @jamesmartin said, no drive from the engine to the prop-shafts. So clutch, gearbox, transfer box or centre diff. Or a combination of these.

Oh nooooooo