Well my Copart Kalahari had a good couple of months as I was able to get the Key code from the Land Rover Stealer and I then took that code and the VIN and sent it to Les with Classic Rides North Wales and he was able to cut a key (with fob) and second spare key (without fob) for the Disco 2 ! So when it arrived, off to northern Alberta I went. Arrived at my Disco’s current resting place at my sisters acreage with my bevy of tools along for the ride in case:
• The keys did not work
• That I could not open the door
• That I could not open the hood
• That I could not get inside to see if I could somehow get it un superlocked!
WILL IT LET ME IN
Well with batted breath, I took the keyfob out and placed it into the door handle and (made a small prayer to the LR gods) and the tumbler worked and the driver door unlocked ! Success ! I was so relieved, I knew from here I could muddle around and at least get a door handle out if that was an issue or I could scour under the dash or under the hood to see what the next step might have to be to get the Kali running! I opened the hood – Great the cable was not broken! Lifted the hood and noticed there was no battery in it at all! Well I may as well check the oil – clean and full, check the coolant as it had been in an accident – Clean and full, Well before pulling plugs and looking inside the cylinder walls, lets put in my spare battery and see if I can surmise the mileage!
Connected up and immediately the alarm started blaring – hmmm what to do … find the fuse and pull it our – Silence ! Ok onto the next step. Went into the cab and tried the key in the ignition but it would not turn – Darn ! tried a couple of more times – Nothing Darn 2!, Well what about the old turn the steering wheel while trying to turn the key – BINGO ! key turned in the ignition and dash started t light up and flash lots of lights ! Mileage was a very good surprise ! 162,479km ! Well that is 120,000 less than my two P38’s so that is great !! Lets look the engine over and get a better idea of what we have and the engine bay was extremely clean and the oils had been changed just prior to the front end hit as it was still dark golden in color ! Belts all look good and clean and no sign of any damage in there at all just on the front corner body panels and bumper !
WILL IT RUN FOR ME
What the heck, I may as well try to see if I can just turn the engine over slightly ( just a second to see if it turns over) Put the key in with a brother looking into the engine bay. Sit inside in my balmy -10 C weather and it turned over very easily ! no terrible groaning sounds from under the hood not visible signs of damage…then try a few second longer. Try turning it for 5 seconds – WOW it popped and tried to start ! well push my luck a bit further . Turn it over now and less than 10 seconds later it fired right up and was revving right around 1200 rpm, holding its own, no need for fuel from the pedal … 60 + seconds later it dropped down to 800 rpm and held there purring! Unbelievable – no smoke coming out the back no smoke under the hood, no visible terrible shaking under the hood no exhaust leaks – a wonderful sound to say the least!
I let it run for just over 10 minutes and the coolant hoses heated up and the temp gauge slowly warmed up to operating and held ! Checked all the electronic switches and AC and everything worked except (That darn Three Amigos lights all on / passenger seat power settings / Missing the main door lock master switch on dash / rear hatch can only be opened from the inside) and heat is not that warm nor warming up ! Things were going great until I put it gear to test the movement of the transmission, walked through the gears – no issues forward backward – all good. Low range test – all good . Walk out front – OOPPPSS bright red transmission oil all over the snow near the transmission cooler. PROBLEM No. 1 to fix and I am 3.5 hours from my home garage…
Well thanks to this site I was able to find Bert who could get the truck into his shop and that is where this part of the story will end ! SO shocked the key from overseas worked right away ( they both worked actually), so shocked it fired right up ( have since just fired it up three more times in some pretty cold weather) and so shocked it drove forward and back ! SO the COPART Ad which called a “NON RUNNER” is now a “RUNNER” with some minor mechanical things and some front end damage to repair! Stay tuned ! and here are few photos from that fateful day in January! Photos would not load will try again later.
NEXT UP Sportscar Center !
