Whrrring noise when coasting

[tommy33]

97 Disco SE7

Wife says noise when she takes her foot off the gas. It wasn't there yesterday when I drove all over town. See what happens when you you let your wife use your Disco as an after school activity bus?!! ##**&&*%!!

Took it out tonight and sure enough when you take your foot off the accelerator it sounds like a fan (loud) whrring away. No thumps or clunks. The noise stops as soon as you give it gas again.

I saw the u-joint opinion. Same thing you think?

Just finished cleaning out oil pan and intake, putting new steering damper in, putting new plugs and wires in, fixing the seat switch (thanks forum) and applying a fresh coat of wax to this black beauty. She ain't driving it no more!

 

[disco1]

90% of the time = Transfer case! Check your oil level.
10% = oil level in diff.

 

[tommy33]

Thanks! I'll check right now. What weight oil should I use?

 

[disco1]

You will need a viscosity rating, 90W EP (Castrol if you like). You can use this oil in either the transfer case or diff.

 

[SteveA]

Don't blame your wife. If it is t-box or diff noise, these usually don't start making noise that quickly unless they are low on fluid. Maybe you didn't notice it untill she pointed it out. Most Discoverys have some tyep of gear whine from the t-box or diffs and should be considered normal. If you do find the fluid level low, be sure to investigate for leaks! The fluid doesn't just disappear.

Stephen

 

[tommy33]

Thanks Disco men. Added some oil. Didn't need much. Now I am going to hit all the grease fittings I can find and lube it up.

Now a stupid question. Where should the drive selector be on the 4wd shifter for normal driving. Should it be on the right on the "H" or the left?

And when on the left is it in lockout?

Thanks,

 

[SteveA]

To the right for normal driving. Pushing the lever to the left locks the center differential. This should only be used for low friction surfaces (mud, snow, sand, heavy rain) and not when driving on dry pavement.

Stephen

 

[tommy33]

Transfer Box

Well I was afraid of that. I owe my wife an apology. The selector was on lock (high) when I bought it and I did not know until I read the owner's manual Monday that the differential should not be in "lock" for normal driving. I took off the boot and shifter knob on the consol and it looks like someone had been in there already in the past. I think it was stuck in lock when the previous owner traded the car in. It will shift into low but I can't get the shifter to move to the unlocked (normal driving side).

Now that I did some damage, is the only solution replacing the transfer box? If it is stuck in the lock position would that be the only solution anyway?

Thanks

 

[Heem]

If you were in lock, and never noticed anything, then your CDL probably is not working anyway. A whirring noise would have been the least of your problems. Trying to drive forward while you had the wheel turned would have been difficult, and it would have made loud clunking noises.

 

[tommy33]

Well I dropped it off at a trusted mechanic's shop and drove it over there. No clunks or loud noises just the whirring. Maybe something less serious. What do you think?

Thanks for the insights.