QuestionJohn,
Thank you for all of your past help. I have a '99 Disco II with 86,613 miles. The Rover hasn't been off road in several years, but I am a spirited driver. I have successfully fixed some minor problems thanks to the help of you and your expert colleagues.
This being said, I have searched the question library and have found some insight, but I have not found anything to go on, yet, for the following problems. I'll start minor and get major.
1. Cruise control not working - I have replaced all of the vacuum hoses around the pump. Some of them were cracked, I replaced all. I checked all of the fuses, etc. It still doesn't work. This has been addressed many times on this board, I know, but I thought I'd ask while I had you here.
2. Rear driver's side brake caliper is difficult to replace when changing brake consumables. It seems as though one of the mounts that is supposed to slide like a piston has fused. Has it fused, or is this just the way this particular caliper mount is supposed to be?
3. Light Ticking/clicking when driving - all of the time. It sounds like the wheels, but it could be the drive shaft. This has been going on for a few years. I only hear it during low gear, but that's because it likely gets higher pitched when driving at higher speeds.
4. I have been leaking coolant for about a year. I just keep topping it off, and I'm fine with that. I add about 6oz/month. It is coming out of my cylinder head. Should I be planning on replacing the head and gasket sets? I heard I should expect this at about 90K.
5. This is possibly related to #3, and this is my most feared issue. Within the past few weeks, I have started to hear a tweeting noise when the Rover is engaged in 1st gear. When the Rover is just inching along, it is a squeak. I have heard a clunk that is associated with this, as well. Also, some intermittent roughness is present when in 1st/2nd gear. There are no stored fault codes and the Rover is tuned up. When outside of the car and listening to my wife drive slowly back-and-forth in our driveway, it seems as though it is coming from the middle of the Rover. I called my local dealership and explained the problem. (By the way, our Rover has been serviced by all metro Atlanta dealers and I find them to be top notch.) His hypothesis is that it is a pin coming loose in the universal joint of the drive shaft. I have gotten underneath the Rover and inspected/shaken both drive shafts. It doesn't seem that anything is loose or even coming loose. Then again, I'm not an expert on drive shafts. Could there be a fluid issue of some sort? If it is the drive shaft, is this an expert fix? It seems as though it would be pretty simple, but there could be bearings and fluid involved. So here I am.
Thank you in advance for your insight, and I hope all is well,
Jonathan T.
Answer1. Cruise control not working - I have replaced all of the vacuum hoses around the pump. Some of them were cracked, I replaced all. I checked all of the fuses, etc. It still doesn't work. This has been addressed many times on this board, I know, but I thought I'd ask while I had you here.
If the vacuum hoses work the next step is to get the wiring diagram and test circuits one by one. The wiring in the steering column is often a problem.
2. Rear driver's side brake caliper is difficult to replace when changing brake consumables. It seems as though one of the mounts that is supposed to slide like a piston has fused. Has it fused, or is this just the way this particular caliper mount is supposed to be?
It's supposed to be free. If you can't free it anad grease it, you need a new slide frame for that caliper.
3. Light Ticking/clicking when driving - all of the time. It sounds like the wheels, but it could be the drive shaft. This has been going on for a few years. I only hear it during low gear, but that's because it likely gets higher pitched when driving at higher speeds.
I can't suggest much without actually hearing it.
4. I have been leaking coolant for about a year. I just keep topping it off, and I'm fine with that. I add about 6oz/month. It is coming out of my cylinder head. Should I be planning on replacing the head and gasket sets? I heard I should expect this at about 90K.
Coolant leakage from head gaskets is common. It's up to you if it bothers you enough to repair it, as opposed to continuing to add coolant.
5. This is possibly related to #3, and this is my most feared issue. Within the past few weeks, I have started to hear a tweeting noise when the Rover is engaged in 1st gear. When the Rover is just inching along, it is a squeak. I have heard a clunk that is associated with this, as well. Also, some intermittent roughness is present when in 1st/2nd gear. There are no stored fault codes and the Rover is tuned up. When outside of the car and listening to my wife drive slowly back-and-forth in our driveway, it seems as though it is coming from the middle of the Rover. I called my local dealership and explained the problem. (By the way, our Rover has been serviced by all metro Atlanta dealers and I find them to be top notch.) His hypothesis is that it is a pin coming loose in the universal joint of the drive shaft. I have gotten underneath the Rover and inspected/shaken both drive shafts. It doesn't seem that anything is loose or even coming loose. Then again, I'm not an expert on drive shafts. Could there be a fluid issue of some sort? If it is the drive shaft, is this an expert fix? It seems as though it would be pretty simple, but there could be bearings and fluid involved. So here I am.
Take the drive shafts off and feel the universal joints for any wear, binding, or looseness. Replace any that are bad.
