Transfer case whine - 96 Auto Disco I

Check the transmission oil level - if it's low the pump will cavitate and make a noise.

Transmission fluid is about 3/4 of the way up the dipstick between the two holes when the disco is cold and idling in neutral, mobil 1 atf. I believe this is the correct way to measure it.

Scot Hi,

The most probably reason for the whining noise must be the transfer box itself. I would suggest you install the Steve Parker oil feeder as soon as possible. I have been using those oil feeders for quite some time now and in fact it is one piece of kit that I wholeheartedly recommend to all fellow members of the Land Rover Club of Greece. Steve Parker does make mail orders so you can pay it with your credit card and ask him to send it to you in the States. He will have absolutely no problem to do so.

You do not say which model year or which model your vehicle is so I suggest this must be a 1995 or later Discovery. IF you vehicle is a Range Rover Classic made after 1989 then you do not have an LT230 transfer box and Steve Parker's oil feeder has nothing to do with it since it is a totally different assembly. IF this is the case then the whining may be due to a damaged transmission chain inside the transfer box (this type of transfer box is called a Borg Warner, after is manufacturer) and it does not have gears in it in the sense of rotating gears as in the LT230 which is used on Defender vehicles, all Discovery vehicles and Range Rovers from 1970 up to 1989 model years.

IF, again, your vehicle is fitted with the Borg Warner transfer box and you have no problem with the chain drive (which is not a common problem) may I suggest you also check the front and rear (especially the rear) differential?

Take care Pantelis

On or around Wed, 24 Nov 2004 00:32:17 -0500, "Scot Kight" enlightened us thusly:

technically, you should select[1] D, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, D, N - pausing for about

But my '91 disco has a classic whiny T-box. Later ones have the LT230Q transfer box, the Q is for "quiet" and has different gear tooth profiles. I guess yours isn't later enough. However, fitting such a box would be an expensive way to cure a whine, unless the box is also worn out. The Steve Parker kit is said by some to reduce noise, so may be worth a go. I'd order it direct if I were you - dealers on that side of the pond seem to delight in charging a fortune for cheap stuff - the kit is probably about 50 bucks plus shipping, by the time you convert the prices to $. Shipping can be very cheap if you get it sent by ordinary post, or probably around another $50 for something like UPS "expedited" which takes 3-4 days and is trackable. 's fun watching where it goes, mind. I've a parcel en route here ATM which has been to 3 different places in Florida and then to Pennsylvania I think it was and was last seen arriving in Derby, England.

It is a 96 automatic disco.

Just looking for a cheaper/faster way than doing it through international mail order. Waiting a day or two is much easier than waiting a week or two!

Scot

A 96 Auto should have a cross drilled shaft. It's a doddle in an auto anyway ... but be aware ;-)

Mine was manufacturerd 07/95. I believe somewhere towards the end of the 96 model year is when they switched, so I doubt mine has the crossdrilled shaft. Is it as simple as pulling the pto cover off and pulling the gear out (with my hands) to check? Or is the drilled shaft in question something that I cannot pull out?

There are tons of messages saying its fairly easy, but I havent touched a transmission before. Done just about everything else though, from turbos to suspension so I am not inept, just don't like to break things! Add to this that every webpage or forum post I have seen uses different terminology, it makes it quite difficult to figure out what people are talking about.

BTW the secure order form is broken on the steve parker site, and I sent them email yesterday, but no response as of yet.

ARGH!

Hi, Sorry we don't export to the US due to insurance problems, maybe if you have a friend or relative somewhere other than the US we could post it to them & they in turn post it onto you. Regards

Karl

This is the response to my message sent to steve parker.

Fluid level is fine even after this procedure. See my other message about steve parker not being able to ship the oil feeder to the usa.

Scot

On or around Wed, 24 Nov 2004 13:56:27 +0000 (UTC), "Neil Brownlee" enlightened us thusly:

's the gear that's cross-drilled, AIUI, but on an auto it's not supposed to be an issue - different output shaft.

speaking of which...

If I get another gearbox with a decent output shaft, is it suitably easy to fit the cross-drilled gear to the existing T-box? Or do I simply get one of Steve Parker's oil gadgets?

On or around Wed, 24 Nov 2004 11:54:52 -0500, "Scot" enlightened us thusly:

I'm sure someone can get one and put it in the post for you.

I've been thinking about it meself, but from the noises it makes mine is beyond that as a remedy. When I get hold of another gearbox I'll be fitting one.

I expect someone in the group lives within fetching distance of Steve Parker and could pick one up, at that.

Scot Hi,

after pressing the send button I realised the type and age of the vehicle were CLEARLY quoted on the subject line. I guess I was too sleepy to notice it there (or do I grow too old????)

Steve sends the mail orders at cost so I do not think it will be expensive. In any case the oil feeder's weight and dimensions are very small so do not worry about high shipping costs.

Take care Pantelis

transmission

Scot Hi,

It is EXTREMELY easy to fit. You just undo the bolts holding the PTO cover in place, remove the cover, check for play (the fitting instructions are VERY precise), remove the gear, clean it, put it back, put the oil feeder plate and its two flanges and then put the PTO cover back and do the bolts.

Take care Pantelis

Austin Hi,

I would say that as long as the ratio of your Tbox is the same you will not have a problem to fit the cross drilled gear. Ashcrofts are selling it (the Xdrilled gear) and they have very precise fitting instructions on their site (under the LT230 transfer box pages)

Even if you install the xdrilled gear I would suggest you also use the Steve Parker oil feeder. The main system of lubrication inside the Tbox is by the "spray" of gear oil created by the rotating gears and therefore the crossdrilled gear is simply lubricated by the "spray" finding its way through the holes of the gear. What the Steve Parker oil feeder does though is to convert the "spray" into drops or better still an almost constant flow of dripping oil on the gear and shaft so I believe this is a far more effective way to keep things properly lubricated. The xdrilled gear is of course much better than the solid one but the oil feeder plate is a very good thing to add. And pretty cheap for the piece of mind it gives you.

Take care Pantelis

If this is a problem you can ask him to send it to me in Greece and I will send it to you in the States. I am based in Greece so this is a bit away from Steve Parker's backyard but if you wish I can offer my assistance.

Take care Pantelis Giamarellos LAND ROVER CLUB OF GREECE

On or around Wed, 24 Nov 2004 21:28:47 +0200, "Pantelis Giamarellos" enlightened us thusly:

Cheaper not to install the gear at all; but I don't know until I look how worn the gear, as opposed to the shaft, is. I do know there's a lot of clack-clunk when changing gear...

Been told of a good LT77 with no T-box, which I hope to buy. This is one where the T-box intermediate shaft managed to get loose and misaligned, resulting in much destruction inside. but apparently the main box and its output shaft are OK.

Just got to get the bloke to give me a price.

Hope you get it for as cheaply as possible.

Take care Pantelis

I went to steve parker and bought an oil feeder and fitted it. It's a piece of metal on a plate that that feeds oil into the end of the main shaft, very good idea.

I can't see it stopping any whine, the what i'd call "normal whine" in my old 90 xfer box is the same as before. It seems to be to stop main shaft/gear wear from starting or getting worse.

If this is the case, then how do I remove the whine? Is a rebuild required?

I received a response from BritParts inquiring about a mainshaft oil feeder---

Generally the t-cases do not whine: that's usually a function of misset or mismatched gears. Since they normally clunk, I'm guessing yours is set up 'too tight'. There really is no way to change that without removing the gearbox: even different lubricants won't change it much.

British Pacific Ltd.