Freelander Project IV (Bertie)

Yes I know I'm certifiable but I can't help myself and have gone and done it again.
This is Bertie, an 02 TD4 Freelander. I'd been looking at cheap Freelanders for a few weeks since deciding to get rid of the K series and let the Doris drive Audrey, the 02 4 door TD4.




I bought this one because it is in good nick, it has the good brakes (sorry guys but I never liked the brakes on my old L series) it is running well, it is a two door, it has 16" wheels not 15" (although they look much better in the photo than in real life) so I should be able to get bigger AT tyres to increase the ground clearance by an inch or so, it has reasonable mileage for an 02 car ie 139k but most of all because it was fairly cheap at £950. Anything I have seen which is much cheaper than this one was complete junk. When I worked out how much it would cost to get them road worthy they would have ended up a similar price, but I would have spent months working on them.
Yes it has the usual Freelander issues like boot door handle coming off, boot window not moving, VCU etc but these can all be fixed fairly easily and cheaply but underneath I think it is a sound car and should make a nice platform for my next project car.
I'll be updating this thread as I go along with jobs to do and prices so we can keep track of the costs of running these cars.

Jobs to do post.
This is where I will post the work needed and update when done.

1. Full service with all fluids and filters.
1a. Replace fuel filter.
2. Repair rear door handle and inevitable holes in the door skin.
2a Respray boot door
3. Recondition the VCU and replace support bearings
4. Fit silicone Intercooler hose kit.
4a. Fit silicone vac hoses
5. Install 2" Lift kit supplied by MuddyMods
6. Replace crappy aftermarket wheels and fit AT tyres.
7. Repair issue causing TC and HDC lights to come on after a few minutes driving. Replaced brake pedal switch.
8. Make and Install sump guard. (Cheating here by using old one but it works so...)
9. Make and install Diff guard (technically not done but as not required for a Freelander I'm calling it done. )
10. Make and install sill guards
11. Boost power by either a Ron box or some home brew effort.
12. Get MOT'd as it runs out this month (August 2016)
13. Repair fuel tank support
14. Replace boot door window regulator
15. Remove or clean out Cat.
16. Remove or modify or replace with stainless, rear exhaust box.
17. Replace OS rear brake line forward to the halfway connection.
18. Replace OS rear light cluster.
19. Replace broken and suspect wheel studs on rear N/S hub
20. Replace damaged O/S rear brake pipe
21. Replace O/S wheel cylinder
22. Bleed brakes and flush old brake fluid.
23. Replace missing rear wiper
24. Respray spare wheel and high brake light bracket.
25. Lengthen trailing arms to reposition rear wheels after lift kit pulled them forward.
26. Replace number plates.
27. Replace rear diff front support.
27a. Replace rear diff side supports which should have been done along with the front support.... Doh! Poly bushes used and so far so good.
28. Install boost gauge.
28a. Mount boost gauge properly
29. Align wheels.
30. Repair D/S front CV joint boot.
31. Replace faulty front speakers.
32. Replace passenger window regulator. Turns out it had new cables but old and rusty metalwork so just greased it and all good now.
33. Sort out why drivers side window is catching half way down.
34 Replace MGF wheel bolts with Freelander wheel bolts and lock nuts.
35. Replace MAF.
36. Repair broken connection on Vac reservoir.
37. Respray speaker covers as they're rusty.


This list will grow as always but will add to it as required.

Your missus must really want you out of the house

I hope the HDC tc problem is just the HDC switch, cos that's how my woes started and I've been battling that one for about 8 months! I'm on solution number 4 currently.
Looks in good nick for the age.
Mike

Skinny Mike said:

Your missus must really want you out of the house

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I wouldn't get away with being out of the house for that many hours a week.

Looks good Alibro

Alibro said:

Yes I know I'm certifiable but I can't help myself and have gone and done it again.
This is Bertie, an 02 TD4 Freelander. I'd been looking at cheap Freelanders for a few weeks since deciding to get rid of the K series and let the Doris drive Audrey, the 02 4 door TD4.

View attachment 105289
View attachment 105288

I bought this one because it is in good nick, it has the good brakes (sorry guys but I never liked the brakes on my old L series) it is running well, it is a two door, it has 16" wheels not 15" (although they look much better in the photo than in real life) so I should be able to get bigger AT tyres to increase the ground clearance by an inch or so, it has reasonable mileage for an 02 car ie 139k but most of all because it was fairly cheap at £950. Anything I have seen which is much cheaper than this one was complete junk. When I worked out how much it would cost to get them road worthy they would have ended up a similar price, but I would have spent months working on them.
Yes it has the usual Freelander issues like boot door handle coming off, boot window not moving, VCU etc but these can all be fixed fairly easily and cheaply but underneath I think it is a sound car and should make a nice platform for my next project car.
I'll be updating this thread as I go along with jobs to do and prices so we can keep track of the costs of running these cars.

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I'm liking that one nice colour! not sure about the halfords special wheels though I

I'm currently torn between a fl1 and a td5 disco having had one previously but the more I look at FL the more I want one!!

just need to decide on facelift or pre facelift!

Skinny Mike said:

Your missus must really want you out of the house

I hope the HDC tc problem is just the HDC switch, cos that's how my woes started and I've been battling that one for about 8 months! I'm on solution number 4 currently.
Looks in good nick for the age.
Mike

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Nodge68 said:

I wouldn't get away with being out of the house for that many hours a week.

Looks good Alibro

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She's too busy spending my hard earned cash on horses to worry about what I do.
As for warning lights, so long as the HDC works I'm not overly bothered about them but hopefully will be a simple fix.

LUKBENPHI said:

I'm liking that one nice colour! not sure about the halfords special wheels though I

I'm currently torn between a fl1 and a td5 disco having had one previously but the more I look at FL the more I want one!!

just need to decide on facelift or pre facelift!

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I agree about the colour and wheels.
Fl1 or TD5? I have driven D2's and they handle with all the finesse of a canal barge only with a bigger turning circle. The Fl1 is much more nimble and I think a much nicer car to be in. Also much cheaper.
It remains to be seen how good it is off road but will find out in a month or two when this one is ready.

3-door WITH roof bars. Luck b@stard.

Alibro said:

I agree about the colour and wheels.
Fl1 or TD5? I have driven D2's and they handle with all the finesse of a canal barge only with a bigger turning circle. The Fl1 is much more nimble and I think a much nicer car to be in. Also much cheaper.
It remains to be seen how good it is off road but will find out in a month or two when this one is ready.

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found my td5 alright actually it was a run out 2004 pursuit model on standard springs so dunno if that made a difference compared to airbags on handling, it was no lotus elise but id put it above my current 2008 mondeo on how it felt on the road, most modern european cars have gone down the german route of suspension ( bloody rock hard) and the mondeo is no exception so it you hit a load of bumps it skips over them and transmits all the shock though the cabin instead of riding smoothly over them, so for me the disco was a dream, and tbh i never found the turning circle that much of an issue it was the arm twirling low geared steering to get the wheel that i found to be the issue

I did enjoy the " get out of my way" effect you get with a big 4x4 on small country lanes through never once did I have to back up

Do you get that with the FL1?

LUKBENPHI said:

found my td5 alright actually it was a run out 2004 pursuit model on standard springs so dunno if that made a difference compared to airbags on handling, it was no lotus elise but id put it above my current 2008 mondeo on how it felt on the road, most modern european cars have gone down the german route of suspension ( bloody rock hard) and the mondeo is no exception so it you hit a load of bumps it skips over them and transmits all the shock though the cabin instead of riding smoothly over them, so for me the disco was a dream, and tbh i never found the turning circle that much of an issue it was the arm twirling low geared steering to get the wheel that i found to be the issue

I did enjoy the " get out of my way" effect you get with a big 4x4 on small country lanes through never once did I have to back up

Do you get that with the FL1?

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Typical bloody Disco driver! Us Freelanderers are much to polite to be throwing our weight about.

Alibro said:

Typical bloody Disco driver! Us Freelanderers are much to polite to be throwing our weight about.

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Hey i'm not one of those drivers! I'm an ex

I always pull up the verge out the way which a lot of drivers don't!! if they cant fit through the gap that's left thats their problem

Great colour. You don't see many of those about. Looks in good nick too! I remember back in the day, taking the same colour 1.8 out for a test drive.

Look forward to seeing the reports on how the work progresses.

Jim

What happened to the wanting an L Series? I donno, you must have been seduced by a red car that is very red and by the black bits, which are very black!

Looks to be in overall good condition - almost all the jobs on the to-do list are changes rather than fixes.

I agree the wheels are pants - I can see some modulars being sourced for some chunky tyres.

Alibro said:

Fl1 or TD5? I have driven D2's and they handle with all the finesse of a canal barge only with a bigger turning circle. The Fl1 is much more nimble and I think a much nicer car to be in.

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LUKBENPHI said:

found my td5 alright actually it was a run out 2004 pursuit model on standard springs so dunno if that made a difference compared to airbags on handling, it was no lotus elise

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Never had a D2, but my D1 handled surprisingly well - even on corners. Assuming any airbags are replaced by coils, the D2 is essentially a D1 so should be good. The TD5 is also a great British motor built on the L Series with an extra cylinder and CR bolted on. I agree they aren't an Elise, but then neither is the Freelander. I think everyone should own a Disco (D1 or D2) at some point - they are awesome machines.

Having said that, been-there-done-it applies! Freelanders cost much less to run (and maintain), they are so much easier to work on, they are a much more practical car, are just as comfortable and in lots of situations, better off-road than Discoveries.

Oh and an edit : Freelanders stop from speed when you hit the brakes!

check out advanced factors service kit, £60 including oil. I paid nearly that for the oil.

When i return from holiday , I will be selling the Transit van thats sat on my drive. Then its 3 door project time, been looking at L series but there are not too many around so may have to be a TD4. I really like the tuning ability of the L series I am reading about on here.

GrumpyGel said:

What happened to the wanting an L Series? I donno, you must have been seduced by a red car that is very red and by the black bits, which are very black!

Looks to be in overall good condition - almost all the jobs on the to-do list are changes rather than fixes.

I agree the wheels are pants - I can see some modulars being sourced for some chunky tyres.

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Believe it or not it was with a heavy heart I decided to go for the TD4. I really fancy having a go at the L series but this came up at the right money, the right time in good condition and the right number of doors. If I could have got an L series with TD4 brakes it would have been a no brainer. Having said all that the TD4 isn't a bad engine and can be upgraded too.
Which brings me to the next question.
Ronbox or DIY?
I understand to do the Ronbox right you need to replace the MAF sensor with a Pierburg one which Ron supplies. Anybody know more about why or what advantages the Ronbox would have over DIY with a variable resister?

LUKBENPHI said:

I did enjoy the " get out of my way" effect you get with a big 4x4 on small country lanes through never once did I have to back up

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Yeah, I must have met you before. Loads of Discoverys around here have reverse disabled at the factory.

Alibro said:

If I could have got an L series with TD4 brakes it would have been a no brainer.

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Interesting you say that - seams to have come from nowhere to be a hot topic at the mo! I presume its the MY01 upgrade to all Freelander.

I've just sent @Joe_H a load of pics comparing the brakes (servo & master) on my L Series (like his but RHD) and my project/part 2001 K. He's considering upgrading the older system - he may have to fix some faults anyway, so upgrading at the same time makes sense. Will be interesting to see what he finds.

Alibro said:

Believe it or not it was with a heavy heart I decided to go for the TD4. I really fancy having a go at the L series but this came up at the right money, the right time in good condition and the right number of doors. If I could have got an L series with TD4 brakes it would have been a no brainer. Having said all that the TD4 isn't a bad engine and can be upgraded too.
Which brings me to the next question.
Ronbox or DIY?
I understand to do the Ronbox right you need to replace the MAF sensor with a Pierburg one which Ron supplies. Anybody know more about why or what advantages the Ronbox would have over DIY with a variable resister?

Click to expand...

I don't have the Pierburg MAF fitted to mine, in conjunction with the Ron box. I just set the MAF compensation to on. It then boosts the signal from the factory MAF.