Help needed with diagnosis please, strange one !

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joncat

New Member
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3
Location
Bridgend, South Wales
Hi all, new to this forum but been an avid reader for a good while !

Okay here we go :

Defender Hi capacity pick up, 200TDi - UK L reg, 125000 miles.

Travelling along motorway at a steady 60 or so all good, start to hear a whine that seemed to be more evident under load, coming from under the "middle" of the vehicle. Keen to get home so pressed on cautiously as you do, on a gentle incline.

A sudden BANG best described as feeling as if I had driven over a house brick on the motorway - from the "back end". Oh dear thinks I, what the hell was that ? Genuinely felt as if I had gone over a brick !

Moments later BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG as if someone was under the rear tub with a sledge, felt as if the Landy was hopping almost, very quick pull onto hard shoulder.

I look underneath expecting to see a prop hanging off such was the severity of the banging / jumping but no visual carnage other than oil vapour coming out the front diff and the diff appearing very hot indeed. Strange I thought as banging was from the rear it seemed.

Recovered home where today I start the Sherlock Holmes fun. I check all the UJ's and half shafts, no wear to speak of. I drain the rear salisbury diff, no particles in the oil. I drain the front diff - almost no oil, seems the seal had given up !

I remove the PTO cover from the TB and there again is no wear evident as per the various web based guides. Only about an egg cup of oil in the TB though. I remove the bottom plate, the internals seem again free from excessive wear, no sign of heat damage etc.

My plan is to remove the props from the TB and check the play on the splined output flanges, the violent nature of the jumping / crazy banging makes me think that perhaps a bearing has collapsed somewhere somehow in the drive train enough for slip between splined components but where ?

When I was offloaded from the recovery wagon it drove well up and down a couple of hills admittedly only in first but NO INDICATION of any issues, but obviously need to get to the bottom of it !



ANY thoughts pointers MUCH appreciated !



Jon
Hi all, new to this forum but been an avid reader for a good while !



Okay here we go :

Defender Hi capacity pick up, 200TDi - UK L reg, 125000 miles.

Travelling along motorway at a steady 60 or so all good, start to hear a whine that seemed to be more evident under load, coming from under the "middle" of the vehicle. Keen to get home so pressed on cautiously as you do, on a gentle incline.

A sudden BANG best described as feeling as if I had driven over a house brick on the motorway - from the "back end". Oh dear thinks I, what the hell was that ? Genuinely felt as if I had gone over a brick !

Moments later BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG as if someone was under the rear tub with a sledge, felt as if the Landy was hopping almost, very quick pull onto hard shoulder.

I look underneath expecting to see a prop hanging off such was the severity of the banging / jumping but no visual carnage other than oil vapour coming out the front diff and the diff appearing very hot indeed. Strange I thought as banging was from the rear it seemed.

Recovered home where today I start the Sherlock Holmes fun. I check all the UJ's and half shafts, no wear to speak of. I drain the rear salisbury diff, no particles in the oil. I drain the front diff - almost no oil, seems the seal had given up !

I remove the PTO cover from the TB and there again is no wear evident as per the various web based guides. Only about an egg cup of oil in the TB though. I remove the bottom plate, the internals seem again free from excessive wear, no sign of heat damage etc.

My plan is to remove the props from the TB and check the play on the splined output flanges, the violent nature of the jumping / crazy banging makes me think that perhaps a bearing has collapsed somewhere somehow in the drive train enough for slip between splined components but where ?

When I was offloaded from the recovery wagon it drove well up and down a couple of hills admittedly only in first but NO INDICATION of any issues, but obviously need to get to the bottom of it !



ANY thoughts pointers MUCH appreciated !



Jon
 
When the banging occurred, was there any signs of the vehicle slowing apart from you braking? Sounds a bit like the handbrake coming on.


Col
 
Well if front diff hot and smoking its fooked and needs pulling for a look see, diffs pretty cheap 50/100 quid, of course oil is much cheaper.
If lt230 oil low it says to me you are **** hot on your maintenance programme:D

I would hazard a guess as the front diff was seizing the engine power went to the rear, then the diff freed up and so on until it blew.
 
When you take the inspection plate of the transfer box you will see metal if the bearings(or races)are collapsing.
Check diffs
Check all oils & grease Nipples while your under it
 
If the front diff was at the point of seizing up the centre diff would now try and send more power to the rear axle. The two axles are now fighting each other. [ a sort of super windup ] The only release would be for something to break or the rear tires to skid, slip, hop and jump to release the load in the transmission. When cooled things freed up again.
 
Thanks all - tottot - that seems to make good sense, I have ordered oils and TB gaskets will refill all and go from there. I have owned the Landy for about 18 months, rolling resto really. First time used in anger on the motorway for a decent journey, no symptoms on local runs at all.
Transfer box looks good as gold to be honest so perhaps luck for once was on my side.I will be changing all fluids from now on as per LR recommendations, not intentional neglect folks honest !
Again thanks for all the input, much appreciated.
 
Thanks all - tottot - that seems to make good sense, I have ordered oils and TB gaskets will refill all and go from there. I have owned the Landy for about 18 months, rolling resto really. First time used in anger on the motorway for a decent journey, no symptoms on local runs at all.
Transfer box looks good as gold to be honest so perhaps luck for once was on my side.I will be changing all fluids from now on as per LR recommendations, not intentional neglect folks honest !
Again thanks for all the input, much appreciated.


The lt230 tfer box is one real tough cookie and can take amazing abuse.
I did read somewhere it can handle 1000bhp, for how long I dont know!
 
OK, you will need a diff gasket. Had a mate turn up with his transfer box screaming/cooking through lack of oil. Fixed the leak and filled it up, went on for years
 
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The lt230 tfer box is one real tough cookie and can take amazing abuse.
I did read somewhere it can handle 1000bhp, for how long I dont know!

Agreed :) - the weak point, according to a vid on the tube of U, ( by none other than a certain Mr Ashcroft ) is the centre diff - though I have seen these take crazy amounts of pain off road, and just carry on as normal .........
 
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