Defender not selecting low range

[Pep]

Hi All

A mate bought a 1993 Defender (200TDI)

We can't get low range, at first we looked at the linkage at the shifter and
found the pin was disconnected but that fixed still no low range, the shifter is moving the linkages to the box.

Is this a common issue or a lager prob.
As none of us know anything bout the defenders thought i'd ask in case there's an easy fix before removing the TC.

Thanks Pep

[nottie]

When selecting Low range is it acctually shifting into low but no go??
Most of the time you have to select reverse then neutral to get the transfer into low.

[Pep]

When selecting Low range is it acctually shifting into low but no go??
Most of the time you have to select reverse then neutral to get the transfer into low.

Once shifter is in low range you can still drive like normal forward or reverse,
if feels like no change at all from High Range

Pep

[trollism]

maybe a stupid question but are you selecting low range or just engaging the center difflock when you try your definitely moving the shifter down toward the seat not to the side the 4wd light comes on the dash when the diff is locked not when you select low

[Pep]

maybe a stupid question but are you selecting low range or just engaging the center difflock when you try your definitely moving the shifter down toward the seat not to the side the 4wd light comes on the dash when the diff is locked not when you select low

Yes we moved the shifter towards the driver seat and we could see the shifter moving the shaft in and out.

(my turn for stupid Qs. )

1. When selecting diff lock, it should still select low or high range?
Cause we had no ratio change.

2. Am i to understand that the 4wd light does not come on when in low range but only comes on when diff is lock?

We weren't paying attention to the 4wd light on the dash, but i'll get him to see wat it does

Sorry dunno know much bout these beasts tho i'm getting an appreciation for them.

Pep

[ISUZUROVER]

maybe a stupid question but are you selecting low range or just engaging the center difflock when you try your definitely moving the shifter down toward the seat not to the side the 4wd light comes on the dash when the diff is locked not when you select low

Yes we moved the shifter towards the driver seat and we could see the shifter moving the shaft in and out.

(my turn for stupid Qs. )

1. When selecting diff lock, it should still select low or high range?
Cause we had no ratio change.

2. Am i to understand that the 4wd light does not come on when in low range but only comes on when diff is lock?

We weren't paying attention to the 4wd light on the dash, but i'll get him to see wat it does

Sorry dunno know much bout these beasts tho i'm getting an appreciation for them.

Pep

The shifter pattern is:

LL - LO
|_ _|
N - N
|_ _|
HL - HO


Bit difficult to draw, but hopefully you get thye idea. The shift pattern is like an "8" The right hand side is open, the LHS is diff lock. The light on the dash only lights up to indicate the diff lock being engaged. There is no light for low range.

[red90]

Sounds like you are only engaging the diff lock.

Engage low range by pulling the lever back (in the direction of the rear of the vehicle....), not sideways. Diff lock and the gear change are completely independent and have nothing to do with each other.

You might want to try reading the owner's manual....start reading at page 65
http://defender-manuals.s3.amazonaws.co ... Manual.pdf

[Pep]

Sounds like you are only engaging the diff lock.

Engage low range by pulling the lever back (in the direction of the rear of the vehicle....), not sideways. Diff lock and the gear change are completely independent and have nothing to do with each other.

You might want to try reading the owner's manual....start reading at page 65
http://defender-manuals.s3.amazonaws.co ... Manual.pdf

Thanks for the link i'll pass it on.

My friend has since joined the AULRO forum and copied my Q. there as well,
so they maybe some double up on the two forums, but i'm not joining that one as i dont have a Land Rover myself.

Red90

Sorry if i'm not being clear bout what we've done, i'll try and explain better .

We have removed the boot/cover to at the bottom of the TC shifter,
noticed the pin had fallen off between the shifter and the linkage,
Repaired that (must repair properly now trucks at home!!!)
We can now move the shifter and it moves the linkages
we move the shifter to the right and then no matter whether we move it forward or backwards it does not engage low range
or (just had a thought ) could the problem be that it's not DISengaging high range?

Hope I'm making sense, but any suggestion would be appreciated
and we can try them this weekend

Thanks Again
Pep and William'sblue (on AULRO as they're also keeping an eye on this)

[ISUZUROVER]

Does the lever move easily or is there some resistance???

You need to move it about 3-4" rearward to engage low. In between is neutral - where you will have no drive at all.

Have you moved it that far?

[Pep]

Does the lever move easily or is there some resistance???

You need to move it about 3-4" rearward to engage low. In between is neutral - where you will have no drive at all.

Have you moved it that far?

It moves with some resitance and yes bout 3-4" past neutral is correct,
but you can feel the shifter sort of clicking into neutral but as per low range it does not select neutral (just realised that)
Hense i'm thinking it's more stuck in High range rather than not selecting anything else.
Is that even possible?

Pep

[ISUZUROVER]

Hense i'm thinking it's more stuck in High range rather than not selecting anything else.
Is that even possible?

Pep

Not really, unless someone has removed the selector forks from inside the t-case and locked the high range gear to the shaft. Which I highly doubt.

If you are sure you are moving the lever back as far as it can go (it will push down into the rubber boot to engage low), and the selector rod is moving, then it sounds like you need to drain the oil, drop the pan and see what is happening inside.

[Pep]

Hense i'm thinking it's more stuck in High range rather than not selecting anything else.
Is that even possible?

Pep

Not really, unless someone has removed the selector forks from inside the t-case and locked the high range gear to the shaft. Which I highly doubt.

If you are sure you are moving the lever back as far as it can go (it will push down into the rubber boot to engage low), and the selector rod is moving, then it sounds like you need to drain the oil, drop the pan and see what is happening inside.

DOH i knew that one was coming

Thanks for the feedback, we'll have a good look at it this weekend

Pep

[nottie]

Come to think of it Ben it could be the indent ball and spring being to tight and not letting the selector fork move properly.

Pep If you need a hand i can drop around and have a look at it for you as i am in Morayfield. 0405134467 (Jamie) Or you can drop around my place. Just off Peterson Rd near Bunnings.
They are a very simple case and not much goes wrong with them. They can be rebuilt for under $300.00 if you have a bit of mechanical nouse....
I have 3 of them at the moment being cleaned and preped for reduction gears for friends in my shed in various forms of Appart. I can show you exactly how they work and try to sort out whats going on.

Cheers Jamie

PS Busy saturday morning At Dentist but home from bout 12.00

[ISUZUROVER]

I would take Jamie up on that!!!

I just realised I stuffed up above. Low range is FORWARD, High range is BACK. You need to move the lever forward until it is vertical (or slightly forward of vertical) to engage low.

[Pep]

Thank you all for your help and thank you nottie for your offer (may still take you up on future help )

We fixed it on Saturday night

We removed the inspection cover under the center console.
Traced the linkage arm back to the TC and saw that it was moving the shaft into the TC.
Removed the section off the TC where the arm goes (6 LONG bolts) and found that there is a grub screw
that then turns an arm which pushes a lever in the TC, (hope this makes sense )
and the grub screw had come undone, 1 allen key and some locktight and VOILA (sorry ment PEARLA MATE) working low range.

And what a low range these things have, i'd be happy if my GUII had that low of gearing.

Pretty simple fix in the end.

Thank you all once again
Pep and WillamBlue (from ALRO)

[nottie]

3.1 low range.
No patrol or cruiser comes close.

[Pep]

3.1 low range.
No patrol or cruiser comes close.

I put 6.5:1 in my zook when i had that and i really miss that control


Maybe put reduction in the GU when i can afford it after the rest i need to do

Pep

[nottie]

Yeah there is 4.3.1 for the lt230 and also 5.1 for them thru MR Automotive.