Freelander 1 Freelander V6 2.5 Transmission fluid leak

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F

Fess

Member
Posts
12
Location
St Kitts and Nevis
I live on a tiny Caribbean island and have a fluid leak from the transmission. It drips from the joint between the engine and gearbox. My mechanic has taken the engine and transmission out and replaced the two seals - one on the engine and one on the gearbox (pics attached). It was re-assembled and the leak was still there so out it all came again. This time he replaced the O ring behind the casing where my finger is pointing on the pic. Just been re-assembled and to my utter dismay, it is still leaking. Help!! My mechanic is a seriously good and experienced guy but he does not have previous experience of working on the Freelander V6 - apart from mine and only has access to a Freelander V6 Workshop online manual. I really would appreciate any suggestions as to what we might try next.
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I can't find them at the moment as I'm on me phone but there's a post on ere with a list of jatco info files attached including exploded part diagrams which shows all the seals and their position. The version of jatco yer have is JF506E. Yer may be able to find them by searching on Google.
 
There's only one place that transmission fluid can leak, and that's the one you're pointing at. Is it definitely leaking from that joint, or is it leaking from the O ring where the IRD enters the gearbox?

I've arrowed you picture where the O ring can leak.
Screenshot_20190309-085107_Samsung Internet.jpg

This is slightly behind the bell housing, but fluid does run to the lowest point, which is the bell housing bottom flange.

I can also see that the crankshaft rear oil seal is missing in this picture.
 
Fess said:
I live on a tiny Caribbean island and have a fluid leak from the transmission. It drips from the joint between the engine and gearbox. My mechanic has taken the engine and transmission out and replaced the two seals - one on the engine and one on the gearbox (pics attached). It was re-assembled and the leak was still there so out it all came again. This time he replaced the O ring behind the casing where my finger is pointing on the pic. Just been re-assembled and to my utter dismay, it is still leaking. Help!! My mechanic is a seriously good and experienced guy but he does not have previous experience of working on the Freelander V6 - apart from mine and only has access to a Freelander V6 Workshop online manual. I really would appreciate any suggestions as to what we might try next.
View attachment 171908View attachment 171910View attachment 171909View attachment 171908 View attachment 171909 View attachment 171910
Click to expand...
Hi Hippo. Thanks. We have found the exploded diagrams online and have changed two seals and an O ring g and it is still leaking but awe can't work out exactly from where!
 
Nodge68 said:
There's only one place that transmission fluid can leak, and that's the one you're pointing at. Is it definitely leaking from that joint, or is it leaking from the O ring where the IRD enters the gearbox?

I've arrowed you picture where the O ring can leak.
View attachment 171925
This is slightly behind the bell housing, but fluid does run to the lowest point, which is the bell housing bottom flange.

I can also see that the crankshaft rear oil seal is missing in this picture.
Click to expand...
Thanks Nodge. The crankshaft rear oil seal was replaced, as was the seal on the transmission - 150 and 550 on the attached exploded diagram Diagram 'A'. We also changed the large O ring - 120 on the same diagram. It is also such a pain to get at the transmission since it is transverse (as you no doubt know!). There don't seem to be any more seals to replace so we are at a loss. The plan now is to drive it for a couple of days and see if it really is transmission fluid and not engine oil.

upload_2019-3-9_6-57-4.png
 
Transmission fluid won't turn black like engine oil does when used, unless there's a problem inside the auto. Compare the colour of what leaks out to what's in the auto.

Could it be the gearbox case leaking? It's in 3 main sections. If it only leaks at speed then as said above the auto oil will wash around the outer case and disguise it's original leak location. The only way round that is to drive it to warm it up, then clean it, then drive slowly while still warm so there's little wind flowing under it to spray the leak about. Its what I did with mine when it was leaking.
 
Hippo said:
Transmission fluid won't turn black like engine oil does when used, unless there's a problem inside the auto. Compare the colour of what leaks out to what's in the auto.

Could it be the gearbox case leaking? It's in 3 main sections. If it only leaks at speed then as said above the auto oil will wash around the outer case and disguise it's original leak location. The only way round that is to drive it to warm it up, then clean it, then drive slowly while still warm so there's little wind flowing under it to spray the leak about. Its what I did with mine when it was leaking.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much, Hippo. I am not an expert at all but as far as I saw, the visible seepage is from the joint between the engine and the transmission. Of course this is just a dry joint. When parked, there are no drips. But after running, seepage is visible at this joint. The problem is where did it actually come from since the seals and O ring are no longer visible? Anyway, we will try your suggestion today and see if it gets us anywhere. Thanks again.
 
If you look at the top of the auto there is a small L shape breather pipe. This vents to fresh air and has nothing connected to it.

If you moved from there towards the engine the auto has a grid of metalwork on the top, which can collect oil and water if you spill it on top of the auto. When driving some will blow off and run down the auto if there's any there.
 
Hippo said:
If you look at the top of the auto there is a small L shape breather pipe. This vents to fresh air and has nothing connected to it.

If you moved from there towards the engine the auto has a grid of metalwork on the top, which can collect oil and water if you spill it on top of the auto. When driving some will blow off and run down the auto if there's any there.
Click to expand...

Hi Hippo. I don't think it can be that. It was dripping onto my car port floor (which is painted concrete so easy to see). Being a bit lazy, I left it thinking I needed to get something done but knowing the whole shebang would have to be taken out. One morning I lost all gears! Eventually they came back, I assume once the fluid had washed around. I added a litre of ATF and all was well for another period until I had no reverse on backing out of the car port. Another litre added and, hey presto, the gears returned. So, I am pretty convinced it is transmission fluid that is leaking but goodness knows from where - cold it be that a shaft is warped or worn??? I really do not want to have to ship in a re-con transmission - with 90% duty plus freight it won't be a cheap option!!!
 
Hippo said:
Have you set the auto gearbox fluid level using the correct process? If it's not been set correctly stop driving it.

You can't just keep adding fluid when yer lose gears. Process over ere:

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/jatco-automatic-gearbox.69336/page-3
Click to expand...
Yes it is checked in the proper way every service. I was describing what happened after the leak had developed and I put up with it for a few weeks. If we cannot solve the leak then maybe once we have some idea of the volume of loss I will just have to keep checking the level properly. Problem is it would have to be put on a hoist to check the level and the under engine protector will either be left off or removed every time. Since I use it off road most days on dirt tracks I value the under engine protection! Tedious but thanks!!
 
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