Freelander 2 (LR2) Just how bad is my rear diff?

parxuk · Sep 14, 2020

I'm not at all mechanically minded.

I had a look under the car tonight and saw something I am fairly sure it shouldn't appear the way it does.

I believe this area relates to the Haldex and rear Diff???

From the attached pictures just how bad does it look (if you can tell from a picture?) and what should my next course of action be?

Frustratingly I didnt really want the FL2 which we bought a few months ago (though it is a nice drive) but the wife insisted. Since buying the thing we have discovered that the boot isn't very big. In addition we re-homed a greyhound last month, and the rear boot seems to high for it to (easily) jump up in to. Subsequenlty I have to manhandle the 40KG beast in to the boot. Not an easy task.

Maybe I should get rid soon?

Would really appreciate peoples thoughts?

Thanks

paul99 · Sep 14, 2020

I don't have any advice around your Haldex, but I thought I'd let you know that you can get plastic dog ramps to help them get in and out of your car. Aldi and Lidl often have them as special items, along with other shops and pet stores. I'm going to have to look into one for the mutt, as she tells me she is getting to old to jump in and out of the car, easily.

Snaggapuss · Sep 14, 2020

first thing to do is to give that a good cleaning, then you might be able to see where the oil leak is from, or check via the filler plugs which one is shy of oil, get a power washer on it clean it up, I can't really tell but it looks as if it is the left seal on the diff drive shaft, but then the oil should be going the other way so a definitely clean it to see where the oil leak is, everything can be fixed. Any strange rumbles etc, is the diff whining, do you have four wheel drive etc etc

parxuk · Sep 15, 2020

Paul99 - thx for the suggestion on dog ramps, I will check them out.

Snaggapuss - If I am blasting it with a jet washer, is there anywhere I should be careful of not blasting with water, or is it OK to absolutely soak it all?

Thx

Nodge68 · Sep 15, 2020

The rear diff itself looks oil tight, but the Haldex looks to be leaking from somewhere. Give it a good clean, to see if the oil leakage point is obvious. It's also sensible to top up the fluid as it doesn't contain much.

I'd change the fluid, as it should be done at pretty short intervals, but seldom is. However changing it could be false economy, if it needs replacing anyway.

Arctic2 · Sep 15, 2020

Purchase your self some engine degreaser spray, couple of pound, spray it liberally use a stiff brush to work it in, those that come with dust pan and brush will do again about £2 then jet wash it off no need to have the jet wash on full blast, or you could just wash it off with normal garden hose gun, wipe with some old rags and go from there, most likely Haldex filter is blocked so at started to leak ? any strange noise coming from that area.

parxuk · Sep 20, 2020

So I have now degreased and jet washed/cleaned the haldex and DIff.

Anywhere in particular I should be looking for leaks from?

Have attached some pictures. Also rear diff housing (or whatever it might be called) appears to have a chip out of it (circled in red on the picture). God knows how that happened.

It's booked in for a Haldex service on 3rd October, so hopefully it will last until then?

potus · Sep 20, 2020

Damage is probably due to someone levering against that area whilst trying to pry/remove the drive shaft

Arctic2 · Sep 20, 2020

No its fully clean you need to give it time to show up the leak if there is one, any whining noise coming from the rear diff etc, as it's booked in for a Haldex service on 3rd October by then maybe the oil patch will show ?

raywin · Sep 20, 2020

Check the diff oil is OK don’t want to damage it, pretty easy just get the car level and take out the plug, top it up until it just starts to dribble out of the filler.
Filling the Haldex is more complex there is a procedure to follow involving filling it and then removing some of the oil, best to Google that and understand it completely before attempting it.
Now its nice and clean it will soon tell you of any leak and where the oil is coming from, I wouldn’t worry too much about the chip on the casing, better without it but don’t see it as a disaster.

paul99 · Sep 20, 2020

Hard to tell on my phone, but is that the remains of oil leaking down from above the casing in the top left of the third photo?

parxuk · Sep 20, 2020

Took the car for a 50 mile round trip to Weston Super Mare today, and then checked the rear diff/Haldex.

Looks like its weeping/leaking from a hole on the rear diff, but I have no idea what the hole is for?

Help please. What is the hole for, and what do I do about it?

Edit: I found this thread on another forum where someone else was suffering the same issue. I dont think this exact cause was identified?

https://www.freel2.com/forum/post397236.html#397236

Someone replied with "Inside the Haldex - Differential ensemble, there are some seals.
As the ensemble is a closed one, you can't know the state of those seals without dismantling and separating the Haldex from the differential.
That hole is a "tell-tale". When the seals fail, the oil is "drained" through that hole and you know that the seals have failed and possible the oils from the two have "mixed"..."

I dont really understand what this means, and what the repair is?

Thanks

Rank Amatuer · Sep 21, 2020

You have a 40kg greyhound? That is one seriously overweight dog. No wonder you have a dicky diff.

parxuk · Sep 21, 2020

He's just big boned!!!

Actually he's probably more like 38. But he is a big boy, and certainly not easy to get in to the back of the car.

For the larger males, I think that's fairly average from what i've seen?

raywin · Sep 21, 2020

parxuk said:
Took the car for a 50 mile round trip to Weston Super Mare today, and then checked the rear diff/Haldex.

Looks like its weeping/leaking from a hole on the rear diff, but I have no idea what the hole is for?

Help please. What is the hole for, and what do I do about it?

Edit: I found this thread on another forum where someone else was suffering the same issue. I dont think this exact cause was identified?

https://www.freel2.com/forum/post397236.html#397236

Someone replied with "Inside the Haldex - Differential ensemble, there are some seals.
As the ensemble is a closed one, you can't know the state of those seals without dismantling and separating the Haldex from the differential.
That hole is a "tell-tale". When the seals fail, the oil is "drained" through that hole and you know that the seals have failed and possible the oils from the two have "mixed"..."

I dont really understand what this means, and what the repair is?

Thanks

The haldex - diff are in the same casting and the oil is prevented from .mixing by seals I am not sure but I suspect the little hole is kind of a tell tale which is into the space between the two alowing any leakage to go out rather than pass into the other side.
I suspect you need to get it checked out and probably seals changed, then all filled up again, did you say that its having the haldex serviced?

parxuk · Sep 21, 2020

Haldex is due to be serviced in approx 3 weeks, but i'm worried now that I need to either not drive the vehicle until then, or get it serviced somewhere else quicker.

I am worried I could run it dry and make things worse.

Can that happen?

parxuk · Sep 21, 2020

Visited transmission specialist this morning and showed him the pictures.

He said that this will be caused by the rear diff breather pipe being blocked, and subsequently blowing a seal between rear diff and haldex (i think thats what he meant anyway).

Quoted £275 + VAT to service Halldex and replace seal. Breather pipe will be extra and depending on which pipe it is could be between £50 and £180.

Sound about right to you clever folk?

GrumpyGel · Sep 21, 2020

That sounds like a sensible diagnosis - but I'm no expert.

Bell Engineering, who appear to be quite a reputable outfit and recommended for various Freelander parts, quote £180 to service a Haldex, presumably +VAT and that won't include doing the seal and I dunno if that includes the fluid/filter and other bits for the service - they quote £65 for those as a purchase.

http://www.bellengineering.co.uk/freelander-2-products/

parxuk · Sep 21, 2020

GrumpyGel

Thx. I have spoken with Austin at Bell. He thinks it will need a Haldex service and new Piston seal. Quoted £150 + VAT + seal, which is half the price of everywhere else.

Unfortunately he cant do it until 29th October. He has however assured me it will be fine to drive in that time, and that the "Reduced Traction" light would come on the dash if it begins to get too low.

I hope he is correct!

parxuk · Sep 22, 2020

Sent Austen at Bell the picture of my haldex/diff pre-cleaning. His reply was "blimey, that is bad!!!".
Subsequently he has suggested I disable the Haldex pump in the interim until the FL2 is at Bell.
From some Googling I see there are 2 possible ways to do this - either pulling the fuse (FB6?), or directly disconnecting the plugs to the Haldex underneath the car.
Is 1 way better than another? Just pulling the fuse seems the simplest.
Thanks in advance.

Freelander 2 (LR2) Just how bad is my rear diff?

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