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MuddyMarky



Member Since: 01 Feb 2010
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 548

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Know anything about Discovery 2's?
As some of you may know, my 90 has had to go to put some cash towards our new house. I would've sorted another Defender, but the money I have would only seem to buy something older/rougher, etc.

So, I've decided that I'm going to look at a Disco 2 this weekend. It's a 1999, TD5 ES auto. I've done some research online about buyers guides, etc, but there doesn't seem to be much out there, surprisingly. Does anyone know much about these, what to look for, etc? I know about checking the reat carpet for wetness, and the air suspension problems, and heard something about the front hubs too. Is there anything else I should pay attention to (aside from the usual 2nd hand car buying stuff)?

Cheers fellas Thumbs Up Mark
2011 110 XS DC
Stornoway Grey
Post #37665 5th Aug 2010 8:16pm
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RobKeay



Member Since: 19 Jul 2009
Location: Stafford
Posts: 1568

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey
The normal TD5 stuff the engine harness fills with oil. The Compressor for the air can get blocked up resulting in failure. Rear door can drop due to weight of tyre. The pipe that lets the condensation out of the air con can block resulting in a wet passenger footwell. Most problems can be done at home. I know ive done them all and it doesnt cost much to do. My old man has a 2000 model and is still going strong.
Post #37666 5th Aug 2010 8:24pm
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BigRuss



Member Since: 15 May 2010
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 2785

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
Muddy,

I thought I'd bought a good 51 plate Td5 GS with an autobox back in May with 87K on the clock.

Since I bought it I have has the injecter harness replaces, brakes replaced, geabox wiring harness, gearbox selector switch, bushes, coolant hoses, cluster of fuel pipes at the tank end of the system and a few other bits and pieces. All of this was found by the independant land rover specialist that I arranged to look at it and myself.

The disco has now been of the road for 2 weeks with a blown cylinder head gasket, fualty airflow meter, leaking water pump & knackered top hose.

When I bought the vehicle I went armed with a buyers guide from LRO (I'll try dig it out tomorrow and scan it)and even had a specialist look at it, the problem I've now got is that the dealer wasn't being very trueful about how much he actually fixed and withing 2 monthes of buying the disco he is refusung to honour the warranty to pay for the cylinder head, airflow meter and water pump.

I don't want to warn you off disco's because my first land rover was a 300tdi disco which I had to fit a new cylinder head to (I see a patern emerging here!) and I've always loved them since which is why when the miss's decided to park the 300tdi in a tree on her way to work in fabuary I replaceded it with another disco and took 3-4 months to find what was thought to be a good one.

Other things to look out for are sunroof seals, seat motor on the ES's a prone to failing, is the air suspension working (Mine had already been removed), is the boot damp (could be just the rear door seal), check the contacts on the indicators in the rear bumper and front as their prone to corrosion, do all the seats function properly (rar seats sometimes don't) & just general signes of leaks oil/water/fuel.

Thats all i can think of right now, hope it helps.

Russell
Post #37670 5th Aug 2010 9:43pm
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sc70



Member Since: 29 Jun 2010
Location: Tregaron
Posts: 261

Wales 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 CSW Santorini Black
Just sold mine w reg after 6 hard years of ownership, never had any problems other than startermotor and o ring on fuel cooler. spent most of it's time towing a 2.5 ton digger or offroading and never let me down. bet i wont be saying that about the 110 in 6 years time Laughing

have seen some with very rusty chassis around the back axle spring mounts
Post #37673 5th Aug 2010 10:00pm
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peterl



Member Since: 08 Jan 2009
Location: Pembrokeshire
Posts: 307

1987 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Epsom Green
Dip the oil and check the level. Also smell the oil to see if you can smell diesel. If the level is up and the oil smells of diesel, then your head may be about to go bang.
Air flow meters go, but they are under £100 and only take a few minutes to fit.

Check for leaks, gutter drains block and may need attention.

hey ho, it is 9 years old, so expect a few issues.

Good luck
Post #37681 5th Aug 2010 11:06pm
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MuddyMarky



Member Since: 01 Feb 2010
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 548

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Many thanks guys, interesting about the diesel-smelling oil, I appreciate the age etc, so don't expect a minter, just want to limit my potential expenses if I can.

The buyers guide would be great help, thanks- would it be easier to email me with it, or will you post it here somewhere (if you have chance, of course?).

Also, anyone know if the heated front screen is standard on an ES of that age?......(the things you get used to, eh).

By the way, apologies for posting in the wrong section, mods....thanks for moving for me Smile Mark
2011 110 XS DC
Stornoway Grey
Post #37693 6th Aug 2010 10:11am
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BigRuss



Member Since: 15 May 2010
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 2785

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
I think the heated screen is standard on the ES.
Post #37694 6th Aug 2010 10:58am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16982

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
I have a 2002 TD5 GS5 Manual which I bought new and have now done 200k miles (the reason for buying a Defender was to allow the Disco to have a more restful time now on account of the mileage). In that time it has been VERY reliable, the only problems I have had that I can remember have been:-

1) The usual injector harness oil migration problem. Solution, new harness £25 or so, seal the connector it properly (it isn't sealed at all by LR) before fitting, clear ECU/connectors with brake cleaner. Time about 2 hours, and this solution is permament.

2) Steering box leakages. THe original box lasted 130k miles then leaked slightly. Made the mistake of getting LR to fit a "new" one (in fact they are ALL recon if you buy through a dealer, and recon on the cheap at that) which lasted 2 months then was worse than the original, 3rd one lasted until 2 days after the warranty ran out. Then bought an older but un-rebuilt one of ebay for £50 which has now done 60k miles with no problems. (In future I'll get sterring boxes from Adwest not LR).

3) One faulty wheel-speed sensor caused regular warning lights until replaced, fine ever since.

4) The biggy - that wretched dual-mass flywheel. At 130k miles I had a new clutch and flywhel fitted to address a slight judder. Within 12 months it was back. My suspicion is that the awful and unnecessary dual-mass flywheel is to blame, so this is shortly to be replaced with a Rakeway single-mass flywheel.

5) SUndry oil leaks. My Disco loves to scent-mark wherever it goes! The oil seals on the output shafts and the oil seals between the transfer and main gearboxes seem to have a life expectancy of about 8 years ot 200k miles and are leaking. They will be replaced when the box is out.

Overall I must say that I have been very pleased indeed with this vehicle. It has never let me down, and every time I drive it I still get a buzz out of it!

Incidentally I run it on 265/75 BFG Mud T/A tyres (the largest that will fit without a lift), and I am on my second set. Yes, they really do last 100k miles per set.
Post #37704 6th Aug 2010 3:05pm
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MuddyMarky



Member Since: 01 Feb 2010
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 548

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Good bit of info there aswell, thanks matey. Please let me know if I'm wrong, as I've only had 2 autos before (not landies), but would the auto suffer any type of clutch problems? Also, I'd heard of the harness oil problem, where abouts under the bonnet would I find it to investigate? Mark
2011 110 XS DC
Stornoway Grey
Post #37710 6th Aug 2010 4:00pm
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BigRuss



Member Since: 15 May 2010
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 2785

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
The harness is under the rocker cover!
Post #37717 6th Aug 2010 6:09pm
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RED-DOT



Member Since: 29 Jun 2009
Location: stirling
Posts: 2363

Scotland 
I bought mine new in 2005 and it is in Commercial trim.. it is even now leap years better than a Puma 90. more room, more comfort, more reliable and i have had 1 battery. 1 FPS and 4 dip beam bulbs. My LR outlet say they could still be selling them alongside Disco 3/4's as they are still enquired about but getting a good one is getting harder now. The interior of the 2 is a classic and makes my mates Disco 3 look long in the tooth having been futuristic but certainly not a classic... 2008 RS4 gone, 123d M Sport, and a Puma 90 XS..
Post #37718 6th Aug 2010 7:12pm
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RobKeay



Member Since: 19 Jul 2009
Location: Stafford
Posts: 1568

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey
I wouldnt touch a manaul gearbox disco with a barge pole.
Post #37719 6th Aug 2010 7:15pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16982

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
MuddyMarky wrote:
Good bit of info there aswell, thanks matey. Please let me know if I'm wrong, as I've only had 2 autos before (not landies), but would the auto suffer any type of clutch problems? Also, I'd heard of the harness oil problem, where abouts under the bonnet would I find it to investigate?


Auto obviously doesn't have a clutch. I imagine (but I haven't checked) that the drive plate for the auto is not a dual mass jobbie and even if it were on an auto it is unlikely to be the probelm that it can be with the manual.

The injector harness is inside the cambox, to access it you need to remove the cambox lid (aka rocker cover). The problem with the injector harness is that the cambox is obviously an oily place, and the connector for the harness exits downwards through a machined orifice in the cambox. There is an O-ring round the outside of the connector, which was upgraded when the problem was supposedly fixed.

What actually happens however is that the connector shell itself fills with oil (there being no sealant at all inside it), the pooled oil then seeps past the connector pins and runs along the interstices between the copper strands inside the insulation on the main engine harness until it emerges through the ECU connector. As far as I know LR have never addressed this issue.

The remedy is however easy. Buy a new injector harness (not expensive) and before fitting it fill the connector shell completely with an insulating and oil-compatible silicon sealant, and let it cure. When cured fit the new harness, and voila, problem solved. LR say that the main engine harness (between the cambox and ECU) should also be replaced at a cost of many hundred pounds, but this is in fact unnecessary. Clean the ECU connector as thoroughly as you can (brake cleaner works well but apparently ruins the environment!) about once a fortnight for a couple of months, and everything will be fine.

When I had this problem I actually had to open up the ECU and clean the inside as well, but if you're lucky (or proactive) you can fix the problem before it gets this bad. Don't wait for the misfire.

You will inevitably hear some horror stories about the Disco 2 and I am sure that there have been some really bad ones, but there have been far more good ones than bad. It is an excellent vehicle and, contrary to some "expert" opinions, is easily maintainable.
Post #37728 6th Aug 2010 10:58pm
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BigRuss



Member Since: 15 May 2010
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 2785

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
Well I got my D2 auto back from the garage yesterday and now feel I'm driving a a paddle steamer with the amount of black smoke coming out of the back on mine....

I strugle to get it up to 60-70 mph and with the slightest hill it just starts to slow down. I think the box his shagged but why there is black smoke coming out after having the head gasket replaced is a bit worrying
Post #37737 7th Aug 2010 11:04am
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MuddyMarky



Member Since: 01 Feb 2010
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 548

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Well, I'm going to have a look in th morning (Sunday), so I'll report back here what I think. Much appreciated all the replies, certainly does help having some actual owners to give their thoughts/impressions/experiences.

All being well, I'll be back in a Land Rover soon Thumbs Up Mark
2011 110 XS DC
Stornoway Grey
Post #37738 7th Aug 2010 11:52am
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