NW40
Explorer
I’ve been in the market for a vehicle that would be suitable for both daily commuting and weekend exploring with or without the family, and with my wife’s preference for a Discovery (I love ‘em, too, but it makes it easier if the other half is onboard!), I finally pulled the trigger Friday on a 1999 Discovery I SE7 with a 300TDi conversion. (Shhhh, don't tell my Land Cruiser buddies!) I'll use this thread to track the Disco's maintenance, mods, and trips.
The day she became mine. An entirely stock SE7, except for the TDi conversion:
The 300TDi has about 100k miles on it, and the rest of the vehicle is at 179k. I climbed all over the truck for a couple hours as well as put it through a pre-purchase inspection at Lamorna Garage in Seattle to minimize any surprises, and while there weren’t any alarming issues, it does need some TLC to put it back in tip-top shape. A summary of the obvious issues:
Shocks, springs and bushings look about 100k miles past their prime (gives me an excuse to put a lift on it!)
Tie rod ends have play
Some hoses need replacing
Front diff rear seal is leaking
Diffs need an oil service
Sunroofs are leaking
Tires are shot (Look on the bright side...I can install some KM2's!)
Oh, and upon bringing the Disco home, I discovered the fuel tank leaks when parked facing down a steep hill with a full tank. Bummer, but what’s a 15-year old car purchase without some surprise.
On the fun side, I’ll also be adding a bumper (Tactical Rovers, maybe?), winch, and some form of compressed air (York or Sanden OBA possible while keeping A/C?). Down the road, when funds build back up, I'm leaning towards installing rear HD axles and Detroit locker. It sure is fun building a wishlist!
I’m really stoked to get this Disco ready for the trail this summer. Hope to tackle much of what needs to be done in the next few weeks before a trip in June with my local club, Northwest Overland.
The day she became mine. An entirely stock SE7, except for the TDi conversion:
The 300TDi has about 100k miles on it, and the rest of the vehicle is at 179k. I climbed all over the truck for a couple hours as well as put it through a pre-purchase inspection at Lamorna Garage in Seattle to minimize any surprises, and while there weren’t any alarming issues, it does need some TLC to put it back in tip-top shape. A summary of the obvious issues:
Shocks, springs and bushings look about 100k miles past their prime (gives me an excuse to put a lift on it!)
Tie rod ends have play
Some hoses need replacing
Front diff rear seal is leaking
Diffs need an oil service
Sunroofs are leaking
Tires are shot (Look on the bright side...I can install some KM2's!)
Oh, and upon bringing the Disco home, I discovered the fuel tank leaks when parked facing down a steep hill with a full tank. Bummer, but what’s a 15-year old car purchase without some surprise.
On the fun side, I’ll also be adding a bumper (Tactical Rovers, maybe?), winch, and some form of compressed air (York or Sanden OBA possible while keeping A/C?). Down the road, when funds build back up, I'm leaning towards installing rear HD axles and Detroit locker. It sure is fun building a wishlist!
I’m really stoked to get this Disco ready for the trail this summer. Hope to tackle much of what needs to be done in the next few weeks before a trip in June with my local club, Northwest Overland.
