Transmission problem

[skarch]

 
My MY04 TD5 D2 has just blown the Torque Convertor at the end of a Simpson crossing (lucky it was the end & not the middle).
Car has done 60k only and apparently TC was 'cooked', plus other 'loose metal' in teh transmission fluid.  End result - total replacement of transmission.

Has anybody else had issues with Torque convertor on similar models?

[ricey]

Thats not good Skarch. I have a couple of Q's as I 'might' be going there in a couple of weeks. Did the temp warning light for the tranny come on at all during the crossing? Did you have CDL engaged, fluid change before the trip, tyre pressures? Tranny oil cooler?

[skarch]

I used CDL all the way across the Simpson.  Tyre pressures about 22 psi.  No temp light for transmission so did not know what it was doing.  No separate oil cooler either.  A couple of times I had warning lights come on, but after turning off & on again they went so did not bother too much.
All the advice I have had since is that this problem is generally only experienced when towing heavy trailer in hot conditions.  That does not fit my travel profile - have not towed a trailer for 2.5 yrs.
Have been advised since to put in extra tranny cooler and temp gauge as extra insurance and comfort factor.

[Kered]

I have heard of others cooking the auto's in discovery 2's. I was told because the D2 has such powerful engines fitted, drivers tend to run in high range when they should be in low range.

A work collegue who also owns a D2 came close to cooking his auto in the simpson as well (he wasn't towing a trailer). He had to change his transmission fluid before driving home from birdsville.

An upgrade of the oil cooler would help prevent cooking the auto, but consider changing into low range more often as this also helps by removing load of the transmission. Of course regular servicing of the auto goes a long way too.

[ricey]

Thanks Skarch and also Kered. I'm going to give low range a go when I cross, lock in the CDL plus the rear locker if needed & try to master the art of 'mosey up' a dune. Having a chipped td5 & all the mod cons can detach me from being mechanically sympathetic & just go hard at it.

[skarch]

I've since found a bit more about this and it seems it might have been happening before I started the Simpson trip.  I typically leave the auto to choose the gear, but once it got a bit harder locked into 2nd High, which takes the Torque Converter out of the equation - which apparently is the correct practice.

I am just really glad it got thru the desert before it crapped out

Ken

[Kered]

You more than likely already know this, but. When the in low range you can push the mode button on the auto and it becomes a semi manual shift. Meaning if you select 2 with the auto selector it will only use 2nd gear, etc etc... But this is more use in rocks and steep country.

Don't forget this as well, if you engage the CDL then start the vehicle it will disable the traction control and retard the ABS, which will make the disco work better in the soft sand. This will make climbing the bigger dunes easier, TC can cause loss of moment and make it harder to crest the dunes.

Hope your simmo trip goes well  wish I was going

[ricey]

Skarch, I've done the same with letting the auto select the right gear & I'll stop that from here but I'm not sold on high range being able to take the Torque Convertor out of the equation. I understand it the same as Kered whereby  you select a gear & hit the 'mode' in LOW RANGE so that it's only that gear that is engaged.

[Redback]

The problem when crossing the Simpson is not high revs or power of the car, the problem is the low speed your doing in hot conditions during the day, we averaged 17KPH when crossing the Simpson, at this speed there isn't enough air flow to cool the transmission, i had the gearbox temp warning light come on a few times when doing my crossing, each time it did i stopped and depending where we were and what time of day it was, we either set up camp or had lunch or morning/afternoon tea, it will be worse in muddy condition too, as the mud will stick to the gearbox and TC making it even harder for them to be cooled, this is why ours was getting hot and our D2 is a manual.

I wouldn't use low range, this will only make it worse, high revs at low speeds for long periods isn't a good idea, stay in high range and only use low range if you really need it.

Baz.