Auto Box Help Please

Yes, Freelander, 106,000 on the clock.
Revs up but with 'little drive' in first gear..when you do get enough speed up, 2nd,3r'd 4th etc then works fine, reverse is fine too.??? Reading other posts and advice suggests that it may just simply be oil levels..ie pressure etc. I realise I must be prepared for the worst of course though.
My quest is to find someone localish that would be prepared to look at my problem, fix it etc..but I just really would like someone that is knowledgeable with these, Jatco boxes..I use a mobile mechanic for all work I cannot do, but with the greatest respect to him, I just feel that this is specialised stuff on these particular boxes.......

I'm Staffs/Shropshire border, 11 miles from Stafford 6 miles from Newport Shropshire....is there anyone that you guys can & would recommend being able to help here???

Thanks,

Titch ( The Duke of Offley )

Autobox of Longton Stoke-on-trent they are very good they take there time though but have been doing auto boxes for years

Hi,
thanks for that, OK Stoke isn't too far away. initially I think what I'd like is for someone to check fluid levels/temperatures etc and re fill if necessary..then I believe I'd know how bad this could get, one way or another.
Obviously I'm quite prepared to pay for this sort of service, but I do think it's beyond my capabilities these days to check it all..anyone mobile????
But I will take that name on board Teddywood1 thanks!

I agree - before you do anything else - change the fluid.

The fluid in the Jatco should have been changed at 60K.

Are you 100% sure that was done????? If not????

You can only get approx half of the fluid drained anyway - so if you follow the service schedule the next 60K is on a 50/50 mix of old and new oil - mine developed 'quirks' at around 100K

My first change was done by a main dealer and they fecked it up - wrong fluid and/or level - blamed it on a young an apprentice.

Swore I'd do it myself in future - it's not rocket science - there is a whole load of mystery and myth been generated about changing the fluid - don't let that put you off.

Here's my write up of how I did it myself:
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/jatco-fluid-change-success-190451.html

Have a read up and a search - as there are lots of other good threads with info on the Jatco - If may then even decide to get your reliable existing mechanic to do it after the 2 of you read the threads on it. The Haynes manual complicates it a bit - but is a great source / help.

All you really need is a level surface and 4 bricks to get a little more room underneath. I used a cheapy narrow funnel to refill and checked the temp with a cheapy air-con temp probe from eBay at £4.50

A LandRover Dealer will charge an arm and a leg to do the work. I discovered they even charge for the time that they leave the engine idling to warm up the transmission.

It's most important to use the correct fluid. And to know positively which bolts not to take out in error - thinking its the drain-plug. Hippo has a pic on here with the bolts labelled clearly.

All this hoohah about levels and temperature is a smokescreen to make everyone think they need an 'expert' to do the work.

An oil change could work wonders and if you see how many folks on here (and on the Rover 75 and MG ZT forum) have successfully done it themselves ........ and some of us are no 'Spring-Chickens' any more either

Singvogel.

Singvogel,

I see & often read your posts on here..Thank You!
That's invaluable info & I shall change the oil regardless of what else I may think is wrong,really..Thank Youagain.

What I will add though, is that having just been out for a test run up & around our drive (big drive, yes,) is that the indicator light alongside the shift lever, red light, and the gear indicator on the dash, alongside the mileometer, isn't to be seen on either!!?? this leads me to think it is an electronic issue??? reverse is perfect/fine/ok/ as it should be etc, but first, in auto obviously, and this 'sport/tronic??mode, is the same..it pulls away very very slowly..as if you'd be expecting it to be a 'clutch slip' but once up to about 8 miles an hour..all other gears, well, up to second so far are absolutely fine?????

I'm just about to take it for a proper 'road test' now, I'll report back in when I return.
I must add also, that our lanes are full of water, right, out of our gate is a no go as there's a 50 yard stretch 15" deep flood...I know the average car including the Freelander has no issues with that if you are sensible, but that amount of water getting into electrics etc, simply must be avaoided if possible..so we do..but left out of our gate still takes you through many many smaller floods/laneside crap & sludge that I still driver through with caution..I'm not interested in the hairdresser/barn conversion Audi TT owner that's zooming up behind me on a mission to get to Waitrose in record breaking time..that's not a problem, I'll use the Defender 90 then and reverse over them sort!!

So, Thank You again on the fluid issues, I WILL get that sorted, with the correct oil etc, in the next few days..
Any thoughts on my gear indication lights at all chaps??
many Many thanks again,

Titch

The gear indicator lights I haven't a clue about as I usually avaoid all electrickery - All I can suggest is check the connections to the selector lever.

If you have a risk of taking on water in the air-filter - did you see my post on temporary raising the air intake which normally takes in from the rh wheel-arch?

Lack of low-down power could indicate a MAF problem - again due to age - going out of spec.

Take off the MAF cable - no need to remove the MAF and see if the performance is better. Don't go rushing to buy a new MAF though - as there are other options.

To get at the MAF you need to take off the air-filter cover - so you could check that at the same time. If it's damp or dirty - replace it.

Good luck.

Singvogel.

Now...
something else comes to light after a drive out......
In gear position 1 the car pulls off perfectly..and I mean as normal as normal...in reverse the same too, so I rather fancy that the box is capable of operating and pulling off in first, albeit automatic, but, when driving obviously in 'D' along on the open road, although it takes it's time to pick up a little speed, it runs along fine until you realise that it's revving a bit...the car I believe is pulling off and running in about 3rd gear and not changing up or down..........
The indicator light, the red one, on the shift console isn't illuminated nor is the gear indicator on the dash alongsdide the mileometer?????

But,....i noticed something else, water has been dripping through the ariel on the roof, into the light cluster and then dripping directly down,...yes you guessed it, onto the red light gear indicator alongside the shift stick...
????????? The ariel has now been sealed, the car ran in the shed for an hour or so with the heater on full, the light cluster and the gear indicator by the stick have been hanging by the Rayburn all afternoon & this evening to dry out, although they've also had the airline and hot air gun showing them who's boss...so, a good complete drying out has/is in order as we speak, don't get me wrong, they weren't swimming in water, but they were distinctly dripping with water.. I wonder if this has had some significance...would you think a Plug In is required and diagnostics looked at??
Titch

Sorry to sound thick here, any more than I may be, but MAF?? what & where?? may be worth a look & test as you suggest Singvogel...again thank you, Titch

Check the 2 barrel connectors in the wiring harness above the auto are fixed together proper. The Jatco auto senses gear lever selection by monitoring the position of the lever, mechanically into the auto. This feeds up from the bottom of the auto through to the top where it turns a switch on top. If you look at the top front of the auto when someone moves the gear lever you’ll see a slot thing turn. This is where the switch is. As the thing turns, it closes contacts which complete a circuit which is fed through one of the barrel connectors to the auto computer (located in the L shaped plastic box under the bonnet) so it knows what gear you’ve selected. The other barrel connector carries the signals to control solenoids in the auto and read sensors in the auto. Also there’s a pcb (the one I think is got wet) by the gear lever which senses movement of the gear lever. In particular “sport” mode when the lever is in D and moved to the right. When the ignition is on the little LED you mentioned should be lit. Also dash should show PRND421 depending on gear selection. Sport should show if sport mode has been selected. When putting the auto in D and pushing the lever to the right, then pushing forward/backwards you can manually control the gears in “steptronic” mode. From stationary put in D then move right to sport then pull back and display will go from N > D > D sport > 1. You can now drive oft is 1st gear fixed and choose to change up to 2nd by pushing the lever forward (allowing for speed/revs). Once in 2nd then forwards again for 3rd or backwards for 1st.

but MAF?? what & where??

Click to expand...

be a sensor that's just behind the oil-filler-cap ..
sits inline .. and just after the air-filter ( i.e. inline with 'airflow' )
see pic here:
Maf sensor problems.
might be some other pics of it on r.rons 'tuning diesels' pages

~~~~~~~~

er .. btw .. if it's not a td4 engine .. ignore this post
( sort of assumed it was .. but didn't read the whole thread .. 'n no idea what engines came with the auto-box )

also drain a little oil out if its black it has a clutch issue easy enough to check

DUKE OF OFFLEY said:

Sorry to sound thick here, any more than I may be, but MAF?? what & where?? may be worth a look & test as you suggest Singvogel...again thank you, Titch

Click to expand...

MAF = Mass-Air-Flow sensor.

If you remove the 5 allan-key headed machine screws that hold down the air-filter cover you will see the MAF to the left of the air-filter in line with the oil-filler cap.

Don't try to remove the MAF ( you need a special security torx bit anyway) - all you need to do is take off the harness plug and it will send no signal to the ECU, which will then run on a default setting which is liable to 'overfuel' the engine. No harm will be done - if the MAF is faulty/low/dead the engine will have plenty low-end performance - down-side is it will lower the mpg you get. If there seems to be little or no difference to the low-end performance - then the MAF is probably OK and still in spec.

Can I suggest that you get yourself a Haynes Manual - not perfect - but it will help you get to grips with 'Freelander TD4 Speak.'

If you haven't got an owner's manual get back to me and I'll give you a link to the free official LR on-line version.

Singvogel.

Edit: D'oh - I too was assuming you have a TD4, as they are the most common Freelanders to have a Jatco - if you have a V6 petrol then ignore everything I've said about MAFs.

Yes Guys, TD4 BMW lump and I do have the Haynes book, but it's quite sketchy over the auto box.
Right,..thank you everyone..I shall now sit comfortably, and word by word, letter by letter self diagnose this lot into my little brain...
Everything everyone has replied to here has been very informative, I shall methodically work my way through everyones words & advice...
I will return, I will get the car in the w/shop first as inevitably we are right now experiencing even more horrendous rainfall..cup of tea,(another) then Brain ON......

I'll be back, thank you again everyone
Titch

Hippo,

also, that pcb/red light etc by the gear selector..yes, definately some water has 'hit' that from the roof leak a fair amount in honesty.
After the drying out by the Rayburn, we still have no red LED, nor anything on the dash, PRND421..daft as it sounds, may it be the fact that this pcb alone may be stopping the gears from selecting? it will not work in Sport mode either..unless I'm not starting from 'D' when I push the lever accross, if that's how it works?? I have used the 'Sport' mode before, but not very much....
Titch

After re-reading your first couple of posts I just wanted to add a couple of other items that you may be better to check.

I think that the low power problem is unrelated to the gear-box issue.

As suggested you could open the level tube on the Jatco and catch the fluid that will come out. There will always be some fluid in that tube - it doesn't mean that the box has been over-filled. You can then see the colour - if it's dark red it needs changing - if it smells of 'toast' then it's also long over due a change.
If it's jet black then you have clutch issues.

As for the low power - you need to check a few other items -

Partially choked EGR and the intake ducting. Clean and disable it - or fit a by-pass.

Dirty / partially blocked turbo solonoid-vent filter.

Splits or leaks in the turbo pipes - unlikely as that usually affects the engine at higher revs.

Plenty to check - but mostly little or no-cost items.

Singvogel.

Sorry for the no writing back for a while..

Still got this problem with running in what seems like 3rd gear only.
Christmas closures & time have sort of stopped thing s a bit..but, talking to someone recently..tell me that it could just be a knacked box??? Does anyone know if 'plugging in' the car to the computer jobbie will tell me if there's been a fault with the box...electronically?? I'm still thinking that this water ingress has caused a hicup to the 'brain' will autobox issues be picked up on the laptop..? obviously have to take it to a dealer I guess??
Thanks,

Dave

Dealer testbook t4 will be able to see inside the auto's compueter. A hawkeye licensed to FL1 will be able to see the codes too. £10 code readers won't. There's other expensive systems I'm told will be able to see the auto's computer.

Thanks Hippo,

I will endeavour to get it checked this week and report back any findings here,

Ta,
Dave

starting off in 3rd gear which is 4th is actually the limp home mode either clutches or the piston in the gearbox sorry to bearer of bad news

I had feared this answer, inevitably.
Strange that Reverse is fine and 1st on it's own is fine..is it worth taking it somewhere to have the car 'plugged in' wondering if the autobox fault will be recorded by the computer..or do I have to make that grave decision alternatively....

Dave