discovery

[trevor_5041757]

l have a 1996 2.5tdi discovery automatic.when towing in the french alps the cooling system overheated leading to the automatic gearbox fluid doing the same,the car was examined by a local garage who could find nothing wrong. the problem only seems to happen after towing approx 120-150 miles in hilly areas, has anybody had the same problem or knows of any solution.l have had no problem towing in england and no the caravan was not overloaded.

 

[woodsieboy]

Trevor, we had problem with discovery overheating when towing, caused by radiator blocking up, replaced the radiator solved the problem, ours was a 200 and was about 8 years old when problem first occurred. Keith

 

[darren_5040167]

i suspect the local garage was mistaken - nothing should just overheat without a cause - think of the army using landrovers in the desert...

i would suspect a blocked radiator (either internally the waterways are gunged up, or externally with mud/road dirt) or a defective viscous fan unit.

find yourself a good local independant landrover mechanic and ask them to check it out for you.

you could always ask on the discovery owners club non-members forum for advice:

www.doc-forum.org.uk

 

[Noproblems_5041246]

Trevor, I have got a 96 Disco auto and I have only had a problem with the gearbox fluid overheating but only, once in Scotland and, that was after a towing up a number of hills. The only other time it does it is on a fairly steep incline near where I live - the route is the shortest to a motorway but I now use an alternative route. However, the cooling system does not get any hotter. I am sure I have towed up other inclines similar to the one near where I live but the oil temp light does not come on.

 

[Scouser1]

It's just happened to mine(300 1996) The radiator was 3/4 blocked. It's a common fault with 300 series. It's because the inlet and outlet are on the same side- there is no crossflow, the water rushes in and out of 1/4 of the radiator, letting the remainder block up.

You can remove it and have it tested- if you are in the NW, Lancashire Radiator co. do this for free, and charged me

 

[clive_5040088]

All the replies you have had are spot on. Likely to be the radiator that causes the problem - easy to fix. A couple of things you should check though is

a)the airflow to the actual tube shaped oil cooler for the transmission fluid. I forgot about this on my range rover when and put the numberplate in front of it when it fell off. Result - one very sick auto box that had to be replaced within a thousand miles of my stupidity!!

b)I have seen spot lights and other bits and bobs mounted on the bumper in front of this vital cooling aid and wonder at how compromised the cooling effect is?

c)I am allways amazed at the crud that comes out of the radiator fins when I use a hose to sguirt water back through the radiator. Do not forget to do this from within the engine bay against the normal direction of flow so that the water dislodges all the crud that has been caught.

4)Finally the Land Rover 4 speed auto box has a filter and this needs to be changed periodically, It also REALLY APPRECIATES good quality oil and regular changes. The normal interval is 20k miles I think but as I tow a lot I do it every 10K and usually change the filter as well.

Hope this helps