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The fuel pump relay is in the passenger footwell on ’94’s.. that might be it, but the symptoms (hard start, barely ran) sound like fuel filter.. Do you smell gas at the tailpipe? if you smell gas then its the ignition (coil, cap, rotor, wires, plugs) if you crank it for 10 seconds and don’t smell gas then its the fuel system (relay/fuse, pump, filter)
I’d replace the relay and then if not replace the filter. Probably needs a new filter anyway.

There are 2 identical relays for the fuel injection. One runs the pump & o2 sensor heaters, the other powers the ecu and I think the fuel injector circuits. If that second relay dies (black base) the check engine light will work but there will be no voltage at the fuel injectors with the ignition on. The injectors are supplied with voltage and are bank fired when the ECU supplies ground. That would explain why it fires briefly when you spray into the intake.
I just spent the last hour troubleshooting a D90 with the identical symptoms. A relay fixed it.

I did the injector trigger wire disconnect to clear the flood. The trigger wire is a thin wire coming from the area of the valve covers. It actually comes out of a section of wire loom that contains other wires for the injectors but lays on top of the drivers side valve cover near the firewall. That was the only thing that gave it away. All the wires hooked up to the coil have heat shrink on them, not rubber boots.

I have flooded mine in the past and it would never start afterwards with the ‘wide open’ trick. There is a fuel injector trigger wire going from your coil to a bundle of taped up wires near the back of you intake manifold. Disconnect this wire from the coil, turn it over and it will probably give you a sputter and then quit. This wire tells the injectors to shoot fuel into the cylinder. By disconnecting it you are allowing the spark to ignite the excess fuel. Once you have burned out the flooded gas hook the wire back up again and she should start, though maybe a bit rough for the first few seconds. It works for me so well that I am thinking of putting a quick disconnect on the wire.

Basically an engine needs 3 things to run, air, fuel and spark…in your case, only the fuel seems to be in question, so I would start there. You should be able to hear the pump run with the fuel cap off when someone else switches the ignition on. It will run for about 5 seconds to prime the system prior to startup. If the pump is not running, start electrical troubleshooting to the pump. If the pump is running, make sure that you have sufficient pressure and volume at the fuel rail.
The fuel system takes it’s injection trigger signal off of the coil negative side…it is the wire that runs back across the rocker cover…occasionally these connections will become loose and cause either a loss of injector signal or spark..

Check the fuel cut-off swiitch mounted on the firewall. Push in on the top to reset it. You never know, it might have been bumpted to trigger it to off.

One more thing, someone mentioned the wiring to you coil. Double check it to make sure all are tight. I had similiar problem a few weeks ago, and it turned out to be a bad wire to the plus side of the coil. It ran perfect, then it wouldn’t start. After several frustrated days I discovered a bad wire going to the coil.

If you can hear the fuel pump run then the relay and switch are working. You say it tries to almost start but doesn’t? Before you replace any more parts, pull a spark plug and see if it is fuel fouled. It may be that the engine is flooded rather than starved for fuel. To clear a flood condition, disconnect the fuel injection trigger wire from the coil…it comes across from the valve cover and has a black rubber boot on it. After disconnecting it, hold the throttle wide open and crank the engine. If it is flooded, the engine will usually crank for a bit and then fire, sputter and die. By disconnecting the trigger wire you are shutting down the fuel flow but the ignition system is still working allowing you to clear the flood condition. Reconnect the trigger wire and the truck should start. The fuelling map on these trucks is set up to run rich at cold start to help light off the cats. The original fuel map was a bit aggressive and would occasionally result in a flooded engine under certain conditions. Newer PROM chips had a revised map that was less aggressive. Try this before doing anything else…I’ve had these truck flood cold, hot at high altitude (10,000 plus feet), and sometimes for no seemingly fathomable reason.

If doing this does not result in the truck starting and you are sure you have spark at the plugs and fuel at the fuel rail (32psi), then you will have to see if the injectors are firing. I think the injectors are powered all the time and the ecu grounds them to fire them but

There are 2 identical silver relays located near the ecu. One supplies power to the fuel pump and O2 sensor heater circuits. The other supplies power to the ECU, all fuel injectors, airflow meter, and data display. The fuel injectors are supplied a constant 12v by the relay and are bank fired by the ecu by supplying ground. If the truck still won’t run after repriming the fuel system (key on, fuel pump runs, key off, wait 10 sec for ecu to reset–do this 3-4 times) and you verify that it is not flooded, I would unplug a fuel injector and check for power with the key on at one wire and a pulsed ground signal while cranking at the other. Also, the check engine light should come on with the key and then shut off after about 5 seconds…if the check engine light is staying on then there is a code stored in the system…read it off of the data display…it will probably be helpful. If all is well the data display will show 02. Keep in mind that the fuel pump and EFI relays are special in that they have 2 outputs…both pin 87 and 87a are powered when the relay is switched on. A generic 5 pin Bosch style relay from the auto parts store may look the same but probably won’t work as most power pin 87 when switched on and pin 87a when switched off. If you suspect a bad relay and elect to change it, make very certain that you have an exact replacement…get it from the dealer.

D90 Drivetrain, D90 Electrical

Pic 1, M10 x 180mm bolts, heads cut off and slot cut for screwdriver to aid screwing in and out

Pic 2, 4 bolts inserted inplace of the 4 bolts which hold the transfer box on from the rear

Pic 3, box being slid out along the bolts with the weight on a big trolley jack. Slide the box all the way to the end of the bolts, at which time the gear and seal are clear of the end of the output shaft

All Rovers, D90 Drivetrain

Just did mine in a ‘95 LWB not too long ago…in my garage, on jackstands with no air tools, just me and a creeper!

Mechanically the concepts are the same as others you’ve likely worked on. That said, the English did do things a little odd when compared to others.

First off, get yourself the factory service manual on CD or from the links out there on the web…much very useful information there including step-by-step for the tranny removal. I’ll summarize my experience here and am sure others will chime in with some details I am sure to overlook.

First, the tranny/xfer case combo is very heavy and awkwardly shaped compared to anything else I’ve ever worked on. If you have access to a lift, you’ll be a step ahead. I did mine in my garage on jackstands. Not the easiest, but doable. I used two floor jacks to tilt/lift and get the unit(s) out and in.

To sum it up:
You’ll have to remove (in no particular order): the front & rear drive shafts, exhaust y-pipe (watch for broken studs in the manifold!), remove the engine cooling fan (the engine needs to tilt quite aways back and you’ll stuff the fan into the radiator otherwise) and also remove the frame crossmember. (that is easier said than done as you must spread the frame slightly to remove it - really!)

Depending on how well maintained yours has been, it may have been out for routine transmission filter changes at least once before. It was common for this service to be skipped because there is no way to remove the tranny filter without taking it out. I used a large prybar to lever it out without too much effort. Others have used bottle jacks and even a hi-lift jack to spread the frame. If you find rust holes behind the flanges, don’t be surprised…

I took the xfer case off first and then the tranny as it made it easier to remove than the whole unit at once. I did the reverse for the install. While in there, I suggest replacing the rubber mounts (heat beats them up bad) and put in a new tranny output seal and the same one for the xfer case where the spud shaft goes in (same PN as the rear seal on the tranny)

Some say to remove the intake plenum to get at the upper bellhousing bolts - I didn’t have to even though I had removed the heads for a valve/head gasket replacement at the same time.

To remove the xfer case you’ll need to remove the interior console to get at the shift linkage and parking brake cable. The parking brake is a big drum on the back of the xfer case. It sounds scarier than it really is.

D90 Drivetrain

Flywheel’s are the same but have balancing weights. The difference is a small weighted dowel pin pressed into the flywheel.
CAUTION: This dowel pin is available in several weights & can be changed. It is NOT recomended to remove the weighted dowel pin from the flywheel.
CAUTION: It is also NOT recomended that the flywheel be seperated from the crankshaft due to potential balance problems.

D90 Drivetrain

It looks like the 4.6 swap details have been covered pretty well here. What is the auto box out of? You will want to use a ZF4HP22 out of a classic RR or D1 or 97 D90. The electronically shifted transmissions out of the D2 or P38 RR require their own ECU and it has to interface with the OBD2 computer for certain data inputs. The most effective swap you can do is to put the 4.6 block under your current fuel management system with the distributor and use a non-electronic ZF auto

D90 Drivetrain, D90 Misc

I spoke to a LR mechanic and ,like Jim, he suggested I try to adjust the base idle grossly (without a computer). One I figured out where the protective cap was, drilled a hole in it, I could insert a 3/16 allen wrench. 2 1/2 counter clockwise turns and I could hear the engine rev slightly. I then shut the ignition off, waited for the main relay click, and restarted. The idle was then quite high, around 2000 rpm, but returned to about 1200 in a few seconds. It was kinda cool to think about the computer relearning the new base idle and adjusting for it. I took the vehicle for a spin to warm it up more and noticed that it would idle around 1200 when moving. When I stopped, it idles at 800…perfect! I then tried to reproduce the dying idle after warm up and could not! Idles right at 800 rpm when warm. Time will tell but i think I’m good. Will report back if the problem returns.

D90 Drivetrain, D90 Electrical

I’ll go a bit more in detail on the speed sensor theory as well for you, just to make sure I have it right for you. It can get a bit confusing sometimes with so many interrelated systems and sensors. This is going to get wordy, but I figure that the more of how things work…. the better you can try and track down where the problem might be. I’m also going to go into detail for future readers too, just because I know the topic comes up from time to time. (Plus, I just feel like babbling today, I’m in a good mood).

Basically, what happens with it is that when you take your foot off the throttle a few things happen. One is that the throttle closes off air flow to the engine, and the throttle position sensor confirms this to the computer. Plus you also have the mass air sensor which shows reduced air flow. So the engine thinks “No air, no throttle, cut off the fuel too”. However, the tricky part is that it still gets the ignition signal every revolution of the engine, which is spinning much faster than an engine with no fuel and air should be doing, which causes the computer to cut down on the fuel even further.

This can be especially pronounced when you are going at decent speeds, then suddenly take your foot off the gas and press the clutch. The computer will see a 3000rpm engine, 0% throttle and little air flow. Not your normal highway cruise situation. So it will really cut out the fuel supply fast. Sometimes it can cut it off so fast that the engine stumbles or dies before the computer notices that the RPM has dropped below idle settings and compensates for that. If you keep the truck in gear, the engine will still be getting rotated by the forward momentum, which will keep the RPM from dying too fast.

That is where the VSS sensor comes into play. It tells the computer that the truck is still at speed, not stopped. So the computer will open up the stepper motor a bit more to keep the air flowing a bit, and the idle speed a bit higher, to prevent that stalling at a sudden stop. Since air is also flowing, and the computer still sees the sparking ignition, it will also keep some fuel flowing to maintain a safe fuel/air ratio and prevent all the issues of an overly lean mixture.

Now, I don’t know for sure if it really cares how fast you are going or not. Meaning that I don’t know if it will do anything different at 60mph than at 5mph. What I do know though is that this is the specific area that the engine has a learning algorithm of some type built into it. You’ll notice this right away in a truck that has been running fine for a few months, and you reset the computer. You will notice that after you come to a stop the idle speed will be really high for 5-10 seconds, and will come down in a series of steps. Over time this will go away, as the computer learns how the truck is performing. Kinda neat once you become aware of it actually.

Now, in your case something there isn’t working as planned. Unfortunately, there are a lot of possibilities that we have thrown out there. For some reason, the engine isn’t getting enough fuel or air in this situation. Realistically, it may also be one specific big problem. But it may be variety of small issues that would be meaningless individually…. but add up to enough. For instance, if the fuel system is dirty and you have reduced flow rates in your filter and injectors, with a tired pump. Maybe your regulator isn’t keeping enough pressure in the rails. Add a dirty air filter and stepper motor, and a slightly wonky signal from a mass-air sensor that is known to have been commonly mis-manufactured…….

Normally, if a component failed it will throw a trouble light. But if it’s still functioning, albeit marginally, you may not get that trouble code. So I’m thinking at this point that we may want to try and dig you out some values to get in there with a multi-meter and testing some sensors. I’d also poke around a bit to see if any more routine stuff such as filters need to be changed. Unfortunately, diagnosis is hard to do in situations like this. But I figured the more info I toss out there, it may spark you to have the urge to look at something you haven’t seen before, and thus find the problem.

D90 Drivetrain, D90 Electrical

1 1/16 or a 27mm is a better fit.

D90 Drivetrain, D90 Exterior, D90 Misc

UpDate!

Get a Mocal SP1 oil filter adapt and some 8AN fittings, it works better and cleans up the routing of the lines as well. ECR.

——–

I don’t know why I haven’t heard of these guys til now:

http://www.britishfasteners.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?

Also found a source of obscure fittings and adapters: http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/category_s/207.htm

And that 3/8bspt male - 3/8npt female: http://www.discounthydraulichose.com…042-parent.htm

For future reference for the D90 folks Part # 7005-08-20 is 20mm to 8AN: http://brennaninc.com/series.asp?item=7005

All Rovers, D90 Drivetrain, D90 Misc

Odd pipe and hose fittings:

http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/category_s/207.htm

http://www.britishfasteners.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?

All Rovers, D90 Chassis, D90 Drivetrain

As for parts I’d try to get everything from one donor vehicle and you will need everything from the crank back to the transfer case (small adapter bolted onto the crank that is often overlooked) Off the top of my head that is the adapter, flex plate, torque converter, transmission, trans mounts, filler tube, shifter, a console of your choice, and a cooler of your choice.

The removal/install is fairly straightforward. Everything bolts up in a fairly obvious way, you will need two people it is heavy. Gettting the torque converter fully seated before sliding it under the truck is key. I also remember having to tweak the swan neck shifter on the transfer case to shift smoothly into gear once completed. I used a stock cooler and some simple brackets will make it work on a 94, plus you will have to cut some of the lower facia off for airlfow. You may need to make a bracket for the trans shifter cable where it mounts to the frame or side of the transmission depending on what vehicle you pull your parts from (dont’ think the mount is the same on discos and D90s).

You can do this project in a day and a half with some help and assuming you have all the correct parts, good luck. I’m happy to answer any specific questions you have since this is kind of an overview.

I got my ZF from a disco and did have to swap the coupling shaft as the original one has shorter length splines. This is as simple as unbolting one and bolting on the new one.

D90 Drivetrain

For future reference to anyone needing to know how to remove the (automatic trans) shifter handle on a 97 D-90.

1- The top plate which is textured can be popped out using a tiny screwdriver (note: once you clean the area arround same one side will have a bit more of a gap than the others)

2- Inside there is a retaining clip. Lift the clip/bushing up with needlenose pliers and rotate 1/2 turn. This will allow you to remove the clip (slide over). Remove clip and then lift the bushing out (under the clip) which holds the button. You can now slide the button out (may as well clean it)

3- Note there is a small spring on the inside right (just FYI to avoid loss) .

Then there is a 19mm nut (will require deepwell)

Of course then she pulls right up.

All Rovers, D90 Drivetrain, D90 Interior, D90 Misc

On my 94 D90NAS I had the aforementioned problem where the head gasket had a small leak into the cooling system causing bubbling in the coolant then the contents of the system would puke out. Got that fixed. Still nearly overheated in traffic on hot days all the time.

Ended up being the fan clutch which I hear is very common. Ordered a new one and installed it myself WITHOUT the lame and expensive spanner set made just for this pupropse.

I snuck a 12 inch Crecent in behind the fan onto the fan clutch nut. Be careful not to bust the fan, as I hear they are fragile. I then stuck a leather work glove between the belt and the water pump pully and turned the wrench clockwise (the nut is reverse thread) until the glove stuck in there good enough to keep the belt from slipping on the pully. I then gave the crecent a light smack with a small sledge hammer and the nut spun right off. Put the new one on, and it runs cool as a cucumber now.

I did it all in about an hour, and I have almost no mechanical skill (regular maint is about the best I can usually do).

I hear this is a common issue, so even though the part was over a hundred bucks, I saved on the labor. Also, solving the overheat will prevent more head gasket damage and/or a slipped cylinder sleeve in the future. Overheating at idle=Fan Clutch very likely.

D90 Drivetrain

I can have it recored to five core R-fin. Like I do for my diesels. If you want the very best. It will cost over 600 plus shipping.

I can have it built without oil cooler. This radiator would give 40 percent more cooling capacity.

D-90 PENDY

D90 Chassis, D90 Drivetrain

Doug, stalling after the engine is warm is often caused by the stepper motor (IACV) going bad. I’m going to quote a LR Technical Service Bulletin that applies to all models:

“Some vehicles may suffer from a symptom of stall immediately following a start. This symptom is more apparent on a hot restart but can occur under any start condition. This stall occurs because the I.A.C.V. pintle “creeps out” from its correct start position prior to starting. As this “creep out” occurs it restricts the volume of air flowing into the engine via the I.A.C.V. system. This leads to the rapid drop in engine speed/stall immediately following a start. The I.A.C.V. always moves against it’s spring to the fully retracted position on vehicle power down. This action leads to the possibility of “creep” occurring. The amount of “creep” that occurs is related directly to the internal mechanical resistance of the I.A.C.V.”

I have experienced this myself. I cleaned the stepper first, which helped for a few days, then back to stalling again. As you pointed out, the stalling is increased by turning the wheel. Trying to park becomes a pain in the ass. I replaced the stepper and the stalling was cured. BTW, a Wells AC102 from Autozone is a direct replacement and costs about $39. I did have to adjust the base idle up a little.

Other possibilities, especially since you mentioned wet off-roading, are the MAF sensor connector, O2 sensor ground strap and possibly the ECM connector. They can all cause erratic idle and/or stalling.

Pull the connector off the MAF, spray both halves with contact cleaner and coat with Lithium grease. Push the connector on and off a few times to make a good connection.

Check the ground strap at the rear of the left cylinder head. A loose connection is not good and stalling on bumps could point to this.

The other end of the MAF and ground connections are in the ECM 40 way connector. LR claims some problems with the plating on the pins being “thicker than it should be” leading to “micro-corrosion and resistance build up” What ever their lame excuse is, you can pull off the connector and carefully clean the pins with contact cleaner, if all else fails. Pin 4 is the O2 ground, pin 25 is the MAF ground and pin 35 is the MAF signal.

D90 Drivetrain

If you remove the valve covers be very careful not to drop one of the bushings. The gaskets have little bushings built in where the bolts go and they often come loose from the rubber. If you aren’t careful when you remove the gasket you could potentially drop one of these down an oil passage and it could get lodged just about anywhere. Be careful and count that you have all 8 when you are done. Good luck!

D90 Drivetrain

V8 Petrol – Carburetor and EFI (Land Rover 90 & 110, Discovery, Range Rover)

Lastly we come to the venerable but cherished V8 petrol power plant. As many of you will know, this engine has been around in various guises since the sixties and consequently it’s not too demanding of its engine oil (in terms of thermal and mechanical stress) despite its reputation for longevity.

However, because it is based on a very old design it likes a relatively viscous oil to give a good amount of oil pressure, especially in the upper engine and hydraulic tappets. Equally, the running tolerances and temperatures on older engines (eg carburetor variants) do not favour highly additive treated lubricants which can give rise to bore glazing.

Hence for older Land Rover V8’s (all carburetor versions) a good quality 15W50 viscosity grade mineral oil is perfectly suited. By adopting a viscosity span of SAE 15W/50, slightly improved fuel economy and cold starting is achieved as a result of lower frictional losses compared with using conventional SAE 20W/50 grades grades but SAE20W50 can be used too of course.

With Land Rover’s V8 engines, what really matters is the cleanliness of the oil since V8’s have a tendency to pollute it with combustion by-products (via leaking head gaskets) and this leads to heavy, constricting deposits and tar like gums within the engine.

Therefore for best results you should opt for an oil with good detergency. A diesel compatible oil is ideal for these very reasons. Therefore you should look for an oil that meets quality grades API SG/CE or ACEA A2, B2.

Note though that if the engine has been neglected or is tired and already has heavy deposits of sludge, then a very highly detergent oil may dislodge deposits that subsequently block oil ways, increase leakage or increase running tolerances so don’t use a very highly specified, so-called ‘diesel specific’ oil.

Candidly, if the engine is anything darker than honey brown under the rocker covers then it may need some TLC in the workshop if you want best results from it. Conversely, it will probably soldier on for a very long time in a worn state but with lower performance and economy.

You should, however, change the engine oil regularly at no more than 6,000 mile intervals WITHOUT FAIL and many enthusiasts change the oil at 3,000 miles.

If you have a later EFI V8 (Fuel injected), then these engines (in good condition) are capable of running on a lower 10W40 viscosity grade. This gives better economy, especially for EFI engines that are soaking up higher mileages on fast roads such as motorways. You can opt for high or fully synthetic oils of this viscosity range but do bear in mind the aforementioned effects of a highly additive treated oil (say ACEA grade A3/B3) on an engine that has significant tar like deposits within, or that is not running at those higher temperatures borne of sustained high speeds. Only opt for 10W40 grade if your EFI engine is in good condition and is being worked hard at higher road speeds.

If you are racing your V8, then you have quite a few choices to make since you may wish to sacrifice the ultimate longevity of the engine in return for greater power output. If you want the lowest viscosity, then you might opt for a 10W30 grade but this is on the very limit of the viscosity that the V8 will accept even in race tuned condition. For racing engines, we recommend nothing thinner than a 10W40 viscosity span which should be fully synthetic.

If you are really, really squeezing the power out of the engine (perhaps with NOS), then we recommend you look for a specialist 20W50 fully synthetic racing oil (popular in the US amongst V8 racers) since this will have the film strength to cope with the extremes of stress and temperature imposed at the very highest limits of the V8’s power capability.

Gearboxes

Having covered engines, we can now consider transmissions.

5-speed LT77 and R380 main gearbox (Land Rover 90 & 110, Discovery, Range Rover)

Firstly, let’s deal with the somewhat notorious LT77 and R380 5-speed main gearbox. These are famed for a poor, notchy gear change, especially from 1st to 2nd gear.

The notchy gear change is due to a combination of a weak synchromesh and the use of a plain mineral ATF fluid.

ATF was originally specified for the LT77 5-speed gearbox and, theoretically, could be used in the later R380 box. Type DIII is the best grade currently available. ATF was originally specified because of the weak synchromesh in the LT77 and R380 boxes (especially second gear).

ATF has a very low viscosity (rated as 5W20 since it falls below normal gear oil viscosity grades) and so it has minimal drag on the gears, enabling the weak synchromesh to do the best of a bad job.

BUT ATF has several drawbacks which is why it is NO LONGER recommended for use in such boxes. These are:

It is generally a plain mineral base stock formulation (even DIII) and this, coupled to its very low viscosity, means that it is poor at preventing metal to metal wear in manual transmissions.

This is compounded by the fact that the viscosity improvers within (thickeners) are more rapidly sheared down in manual transmissions. Again, this reduces the protective film strength of the ATF in those areas of high pressure contact and also increases transmission noise.

ATF thickens as temperatures drop (increasing that drag on the gears) which is why folks notice that gear changes are worst on cold mornings and improve after a few miles motoring when the ATF has warmed up a little.

So, what are the alternatives?

Land Rover currently has commercial arrangement with Texaco/Chevron that leads it to recommend a Texaco/Chevron MTF94 fluid. From the freeback we have received and read on this Forum and elsewhere, we feel it’s a little too viscous (5W30 or 70W80) to give the best results. Nonetheless you should use it in preference to ATF if your choice is limited to the two.

However, there are better alternatives such as the fully synthetic MT75D gear oil we have developed. Rather than simply plug our MT75D I’ll give pointers to what you should look for when seeking alternatives to ATF or MTF94.

Firstly, the lubricant must have the original 5W20 low viscosity of ATF fluids to give minimum gear drag. However, it MUST also be formulated only from fully synthetic base stocks since these will have a much higher lubricant film strength so as not to be squeezed out of those all important high pressure contact areas where wear might occur. This, and the low viscosity, has the added benefit of reducing friction which lowers transmission noise and improves economy.

It must also be highly shear stable and able to maintain its optimum working viscosity over a very wide temperature range. This and a very, very carefully matched coefficient of friction (probably the most critical parameter) will ensure that it dramatically improves gear shifting in LT77 and R380 boxes (especially from cold).

It is the improved shear stability and higher film strength that enables synthetic gear lubricants to outlast their plain mineral counterparts by up to 5 times. However, we err very much on the cautious side and recommend only a doubling of drain intervals.

Note that unlike engine oils, gear oils do not have combustion by-products building up in them, nor do they suffer the higher temperatures of engines, so extending drain intervals is entirely acceptable if the lubricant is of the highest performance and the increase is modest. The exception to this would be if the gear oil were contaminated, perhaps by water or mud during deep wading, though this is unlikely. If the oil is contaminated in this way it MUST be changed immediately, regardless of its formulation.

LT230 Transfer Box (Land Rover 90 & 110, Discovery, Range Rover)

That’s the problems of the LT77 and R380 boxes solved, but what about the LT230 transfer box to which these are commonly mated?

You should NOT use ATF, MTF94 or MT75D in an LT230 TRANSFER box. It must use a thicker gear oil such as EP90 (monograde), EP80W90 (multigrade which is better for cold starting lubrication on winter mornings) or EP75W90 (typically fully synthetic giving the best lubrication of all). This is the same lubricant that you should use in your axles and you should look for an API GL5 specification for best protection.

Borg Warner Chain Drive Transfer Box (Range Rover)

The only transfer box from Land Rover where ATF was originally recommended is the BORG WARNER chain drive box as fitted to Range Rover vehicles from around 1989 onwards. Again, type DIII is the best grade currently available but guess what, these Borg Warner boxes suffer from wear around the chain and sprockets!! Another application for a fully synthetic MT75D type solution, we feel.

LT95 & LT85 (Land Rover 90 & 110, Range Rover)

Very early 90 and 110’s were fitted with either LT95 4-speed (also fitted to early Classic Range Rovers) or LT85 5-speed gearboxes.

These boxes are very robust and when mated to engines in standard tune are relatively unstressed. Consequently, both boxes can be filled with a 15W50 or 20W50 engine oil (API SG/CE or ACEA A2-96/B2-96).

If you choose to use engine oil in your LT95 or LT85 gearbox, we very strongly recommend that you change the oil in the box at the SAME time as you change your engine oil (i.e. no more than 6,000 miles). This is because in manual gearboxes, engine oil provides limited extreme pressure protection and the viscosity improvers within it tend to shear down faster, again reducing protection since the lubricating film thins out.

If you want better protection for these boxes you should opt for 75W90 Fully Synthetic Gear Oil to API GL5 specification.

Be careful though since, generally speaking, GL5 oils are incompatible with the copper alloys found in older generation gearboxes. Certain additives within can cause leaching of the copper and this weakens the component, especially the synchro rings. You should check with your supplier that any GL5 Fully Synthetic Oil you use is FULLY compatible with copper and its alloys and suitable for use in older transmissions.

ZF HP22 4-speed Automatic Gearbox (Land Rover 90 & 110, Discovery, Range Rover)

That’s manual gearboxes covered, but many late vehicles are fitted with the ZF HP22 4-speed automatic box.

In reality, the ZF 4-speed auto box fitted to these vehicles is more than happy with Non Synthetic ATF fluids, and the latest ATF DIII grade is the one to use since it is better suited to the small orifices and electronic control systems in the latest generation of auto boxes. Regular fluid and filter changes will see the box give a very, very long life without the need for Synthetics.

However, if you live in hotter climes, or if the box is being worked extremely hard (say touring the Alps in Summer!), then a Synthetic fluid will significantly reduce the transmission temperature and this is worth the expense alone to avoid an overheated transmission.

So, if you want the best fluid for your ZF auto box then synthetic is the way to go for maximum box life, best economy (such as it is with an auto box!) and lowest transmission temperature. If you want the VERY best fluid then you won’t do better than an MT75D type fluid since it is perfect for ZF 4-speed auto boxes.

Chrysler Torqueflite 3-speed Automatic Gearbox (Range Rover)

Reputedly, this 3-speed auto box offered prior to the ZF 4-speed was about as ‘bullet proof’ as auto boxes could get. It’s a very tough, very simple, long lived unit and runs happily on ATF Type DII or as mentioned earlier, the latest ATF Type DIII type fluid.

Note that not all older generation auto boxes can run on ATF DII or DIII, but the Torqueflite unit factory fitted to Classic Range Rovers is fine with either.

Further Info

I hope you find the information above useful.

Don’t forget too that you can find some FREE and detailed features on renewing gearbox oils and servicing your favourite 4×4 in our online technical library:

Difflock Servicing Guides

You can also find some free and detailed guides to selecting engine oils on our website here:

Difflock Guide to Oils & Lubricants – Background Info

Difflock Guide to Oils & Lubricants – Selecting the best oil for your engine

Feel free to email me at: info@difflock.com if you have any specific lubricant queries you would like me to answer.

All Rovers, D90 Drivetrain

I’m surprised nobody has suggested the lowly $25 “Engine Coolant Thermistor”. I’ve had two episodes of “slight” overheating in two different vehicles that were remedied by replacing the ECT. From my experience, this sensor does not catastrophically fail, but each time it has failed, it followed the same progression. Overheating, random stalling, and finally Code 14(Coolant Thermistor). The overheating lasted for months as I replaced the entire cooling system to no avail. Then began the random stalling. That lasted a couple weeks before it pulled a Code 14. Replaced the ECT and all symptoms disappeared. Happened once again in another truck only progressively faster. Again replaced the ECT, this time before pulling a 14 and systematically replacing the entire cooling system, and once again all symptoms disappeared. I’d start with the ECT…

D90 Chassis, D90 Drivetrain

UpDate!

Get a Mocal SP1 oil filter adapt and some 8AN fittings, it works better and cleans up the routing of the lines as well. ECR.

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For the DIY guys. The ECR kit is made of:

Russel fittings:
2x 670560 adapters (alternate 670561) Fitting, Straight, AN Flare to Metric, Aluminum, -8 AN to 18mm x 1.5 Male
2x 610030 straight 8AN (Straight, -8 AN Hose to Female -8 AN, Aluminum)
1x 612100 90 8AN swivel (90 Degree, -8 AN Hose to Male 3/8 in. NPT)
1x 610100 45 8AN (45 Degree, -8 AN Hose to Female -8 AN)

Earls fittings:
1x 981608 #8 to NPT adpater (Straight, AN Flare to Metric, Aluminum, -8 AN to 18mm x 1.5 Male)

30″ of #8 SS flex hose

NOTE!!!!!
This set up is for a stock 1993 NAS 110, 1994 NAS D90 or early NAS 1995 D90 with the removalble fitting type radiator and the 18mm oil cooler adaptor. If you have a fixed fitting radiator or a 20mm oil cooler adaptor you are SOL with this list. Check before you order your parts.

Summit Racing Part Numbers and prices:

1ea. EAR-981608ERL Fitting, Straight, -8 AN Male to 3/8 in. NPT Male, Aluminum, Blue, Each $3.25

2ea. RUS-610030 Fitting, Hose End, Full Flow, Straight, -8 AN Hose to Female -8 AN, Aluminum, Red/Blue, Each $7.25

1ea. RUS-610100 Fitting, Hose End, Full Flow, 45 Degree, -8 AN Hose to Female -8 AN, Aluminum, Red/Blue, Each $14.95

1ea. RUS-612100 Fitting, Hose End, Full Flow, 90 Degree, -8 AN Hose to Male 3/8 in. NPT, Aluminum, Red/Blue, Each $23.95

1ea. RUS-632110 Hose, Proflex, Braided Stainless Steel, -8 AN, 6 ft. Length, Each $32.95

2ea. RUS-670561 Fitting, Straight, AN Flare to Metric, Aluminum, -8 AN to 18mm x 1.5 Male, Each $6.99

D90 Chassis, D90 Drivetrain

No gear lube, you have to use MTL, which although speced as a gear lube, is thinner than normal gear lube. The original spec was ATF, but rover updated it for the rest of the world to Texaco MTF which is nearly identical to redline MTL.

Tranny holds between 2 and 3 quarts. Like 2.5 or 2.7 something like that.

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http://www.redlineoil.com/products_…17&categoryID=7

Redline MTL for your transmission.

Any 80w90 or 75w90 gear oil for the t-case.

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REDLINE MTL in your gearbox!!! any cheap 90 weight in your transfer case as it will probally leak out.

D90 Drivetrain

Just did all my rotors…..not an easy job. Make sure you buy new hub gaskets and inner wheel bearing seals prior to takedown. But most important you will need the bearing nut socket(special tool) I think it is 2-3/16″ You can not do the job without it. Make sure you have a “C” clamp to push the pistons back into the calipers. Have Fun!

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THen repack the bearings while you have them off and change the rear hub seal.

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Put the hub on the wheel you take off (the studs into the holes)and stand on the wheel in order to get the torque neccesary to remove the rotor bolts. Clean the bolts off before retourqing them on correctly.

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also you need to buy the washer that you crush around the hub nut.

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rondisco98 View Post
Great pics and wheeling looks fun!

Tells us the story behind this pic:
1. He had just rolled his truck on a previous trip, so he was being less than careful.
2. He had no front locker and was trying to compensate with too much momentum.
3. He had some beers at lunch…

Here’s the video: http://www.mcune.com/gallery/albums/…_up_n_over.wmv

D90 Drivetrain

The flashing light is due to an indicated low oil pressure at idle.
Common causes are:

A worn oil pump (housed inside the front timing case cover)
Excessive clearance on the crankshaft main– and rod– bearings.
a faulty oil pressure sending unit (also located on the timing cover).

Before assuming the worse, drain all the oil, re-fill with 6 quarts of
ATF and let the engine idle for 30 minutes. DO NOT DRIVE the vehicle
with ATF in the engine. Then drain the ATF, fit a new oil filter and re-
fill with 6.5 quarts of engine oil.

This is an attempt to do a engine flush, and remove sludge that
accumulates in engines that have not been serviced properly.

If the oil light still comes on, the next step is to remove the oil
pressure sending unit, fit a pressure gage, and record the actual oil
pressure at idle, and at 2000 rpm. If below 30 psi at idle, and 50 psi
at 2000 rpm — then suspect an internal mechanical problem as mentioned.

D90 Drivetrain