Freelander Won't Budge

Hi all, I'm new on here and need expert advice!!!!

I have had my 10 year old freelander for 1 year. Our problems started a few months after we bought it. My dad has removed the viscous cuppling due to it causing a very loud embarrassing whirring noise. Then the car wouldn't start...I called out the recovery guy to find that it was a loose wire on the starter motor...two second job!!!! We had no problems with it what so ever for a while until the clutch started to play up. We had to de clutch between 2 and 4 times before it would go into gear and most of the time when we actually thought "yes...lets go" it wasn't in gear and of course it would just make another embarrassing noise...not good at 6am when you're trying to leave quietly for work. My dad pushed a long brush handle on the clutch over night to see if it made difference. It did...until last week...it was going into gear fine but it was taking a few seconds for the car to actually move and when it did there was a loud clunking noise as though someone had kicked something hard underneath. The car drove fine so it was forgotten about. Until this morning...same thing again only this time it wouldn't move. I put it into 1st gear...it wouldn't drive forward...reverse again...no joy and it created a lot of smoke from the exhaust. My dad could probably help me but my poor dad helps us with everything...can anyone advise me on a problem??? I am guessing that the work needing done will cost more than my freelander's worth.

Replace the clutch system. I think the master and slave cylinders come as a complete system. It could be yo ird tho.

Master and slave are complete sealed unit on the 1.8 and the L series i think. On the TD4 i've read that the slave cylinder is built into the clutch itself.

What engine do you have?

Thanks guys!

Freebiker I have the 1.8. My husband managed to get it to move yesterday he thinks it has something to do with the brakes or handbrake. When I took it out yesterday I noticed that the brakes made a squishing noise (like air being pumped out a football pump almost) when I applied the brakes. There was also something funny going on the passangers side of the car behind the tyre. A grinding noise and a slight vibration. My dad had a little look too and thinks it could be the crank shaft. He's going to have a look for me at the weekend before we take it in to a garage.

Oh if I had known I was going to have all these problems with it I would never have bought it...mind you it is nice and my sons love it because they're high up!

EmmaxJunex said:

Thanks guys!

Freebiker I have the 1.8. My husband managed to get it to move yesterday he thinks it has something to do with the brakes or handbrake. When I took it out yesterday I noticed that the brakes made a squishing noise (like air being pumped out a football pump almost) when I applied the brakes.

my sons love it because they're high up!

Click to expand...

It has suspect brakes and you still USE it - with yo CHILDREN in!?

If your dad suspects it's the brakes...

Next time the car won't go anywhere, jack the front wheels off the ground. and try spinning one of them with the foot brake NOT applied. If the brakes are ok the wheel should move pretty freely. This indicates it's a clutch problem.

If the wheel is jammed solid, that will indicate it's a brake problem as the wheel should turn without much resistance.

The master cylinder and slave cylinder on the 1.8 is definitely a sealed unit so if this needs replacing to rectify the clutch it's not too much of a job.