L322 RR Vogue Mk3 to buy or not to buy? Trans failsafe problem

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Now that i am back to work, to make 400-500 miles will take about a month or two as the Mrs only drives it around occasionally during the week and I only drive it to play football on Sundays. We average approximately 150-200 miles a month if that, when I am working as I work ridiculous hours Mon-Sat and have a company car. I will try to take her for long drives on Sundays to put up the miles and get the oil to mix. I have put the counter back to 0 since yesterday, so I will keep an eye on that.

What is the best way to contact Bemble? Just PM him or does he have a garage where I can call him? Also, does Ant have garage? Or he just knows a lot about RR's and likes to give his advise?
 
I would try giving Bemble a PM and I'll try from this end although i know he is mainly involved with the ZF transmissions but may also be offering parts for the GM box, either way he has tremendous knowledge of both systems, Ant is 'Just' a generous Landrover addict with lots of hands on experience with the Green oval curse and is happy to share his knowledge. I would have had to give up RR ownership almost as soon as i started as there is no way i would have tackled the jobs i have without their input and i think if anyone who owns an early L322 has enough money to pay somebody to fix all the faults then they would have bought a newer version in the first place.
 
+1 for Saint. Has given me loads of advice on my L322 as he did on my P38 some years back. And datatek shouldn't go without a mention also. Not taking anything away from all the others who help out so much as well
Great forum. I'd be driving a Toyota by now if this forum didn't exist
 
On many occasions i have been in the sh1te with my RR and not knowing what to do i have posted on the forum and just having moral support or somebody to take the p155 and share the problem with has kept my resolve. You can't deny it, when the RR is running well, even if it's brief, they are like nothing else to drive and own... Mine is probably setting fire to its bastard self on my drive as i type :)
 
Ahhhh schucks guys..... *blushes*

I am not a genius, I have learnt and read a lot that has been written by other legends such as Bemble/RRPhil and the legend that is Storey Wilson.....

I love Range Rovers and the Green Oval in general.....my daily driver used to be my Range Rover(s) but now the girlfriend has that as I am serving penance for having to sell her Ninety Truck Cab. I now have the 110, (which has Range Rover seats so is super comfy) but I do still drive the L322 at weekends and on Tuesdays, so I get to share the driving for 50% of the week.

I am not a garage owner or mechanic, although I am touched you think I do from the advice I have tried to give!! I am just an amateur spanner wrangler trying to keep costs down - so have to learn to DIY your own repairs!

I love the challenge, and relish the results. Range Rover ownership is a lifestyle choice and a hobby, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

This forum is one of the best things I ever found out about and I have learnt a lot from its members.....on the odd occasion you have to deal with a total c**t who is just a keyboard warrior with no nuts, but 99% of the time, you will only ever get help, assistance, advice and pi$$ taking.....the knowledge here is second to none.

I am pleased others love this place as much as I do as it makes Range Rover ownership so much more 'exciting'.

I am just one voice in a crowd of many, so thanks to you all who endorse my advice, I stand on the shoulders of giants from whom I have learnt and pass their knowledge on.
 
AN UPDATE...

Took the RR to a company called Re-engineered transmissions in Essex and they have taken the GB apart and have just called me with some news.

The damage found is the following: one drum due to overheating and apparently the bell and oil pump housing are very worn out. He said that he had sent the parts away to try and get them re-shimmed and hopefully get my box fixed. The total cost for the reconditioned torque converter, re-shimming, friction plates and everything else that they call soft components, if it can be reshimmed is £1050.

If they can't re-shim the bell and oil pump housing, then he recommends to just get one of his recon boxes, which come up at £1350 including the reconditioned TC. And this is even before checking the valve body, as if it has some damage, it will cost between £150 and £300 according to his quote.

What are your thoughts on this guys please? Does it sound right?
 
Last edited:
NicMax said:
AN UPDATE...

Took the RR to a company called Re-engineered transmissions in Essex and they have taken the GB apart and have just called me with some news.

The damage found is the following: one drum due to overheating and apparently the bell and oil pump housing are very worn out. He said that he had sent the parts away to try and get them re-shimmed and hopefully get my box fixed. The total cost for the reconditioned torque converter, re-shimming, friction plates and everything else that they call soft components, if it can be reshimmed is £1050.

If they can't re-shim the bell and oil pump housing, then he recommends to just get one of his recon boxes, which come up at £1350 including the reconditioned TC. And this is even before checking the valve body, as it has some damage, it will cost between £150 and £300 according to his quote.

What are your thoughts on this guys please? Does it sound right?
Click to expand...

Those costs sound about right to me.

I have just sent my valve block to Valve Bodies UK (as recommended by Bemble) to have it overhauled and fitted with the improved Sonnax valves. Total cost was £275 including collection and posting back, and VAT. According to the guy at the transmission reconditioning company my block was re-usable but I thought it would be worth getting it overhauled and fitted with the improved valves, which are supposed to make the 'box much more reliable.

The 'box in ours failed 3500 miles after being reconditioned due to a nicked seal, so it has been back under warranty.

Just waiting for the garage to re-fit it now. It's been off the road for about 8 weeks.

Should have bought a Q7!
 
GDM said:
Those costs sound about right to me.

I have just sent my valve block to Valve Bodies UK (as recommended by Bemble) to have it overhauled and fitted with the improved Sonnax valves. Total cost was £275 including collection and posting back, and VAT. According to the guy at the transmission reconditioning company my block was re-usable but I thought it would be worth getting it overhauled and fitted with the improved valves, which are supposed to make the 'box much more reliable.

The 'box in ours failed 3500 miles after being reconditioned due to a nicked seal, so it has been back under warranty.

Just waiting for the garage to re-fit it now. It's been off the road for about 8 weeks.

Should have bought a Q7!
Click to expand...

I spoke to Valve bodies UK too and got a similar quote. Even if he says that the valve body is ok, I will get it done by Valve Bodies anyway, just to be safe.

My other option was also a Q7 mainly due to being a 7 seater, but oh well! I hope that they can re-shim/re-surface the bell and oil pump housing so that i can use the other £300 on the valve body!
 
Update....

Apparently they couldn't re-shimmed/re-surfaced the bell and oil pump housing, so, no other option but to get one of their fully reconditioned gearboxes and TC as mentioned before.

Today they called me to say that they fitted the recon box and TC only to find out that the valve body was giving them problems and so he said that they had to re bore it re-reming (I think it's called) with new gaskets, springs etc, so basically my whole gearbox needed work. I don't know how much of its true, but I had no choice other than to get it done at a cool £1650 + vat :( and all within the first 2 months of ownership!

I really hope that it doesn't give me any other big problems anytime soon! I have a full service kit waiting for her, which will be done this weekend, including the upgrading the crank case valve and if I get it in time an egr blanking kit too. Anything else you guys think it's worth having checked/serviced??
 
coolant maybe?
I'm sure the garage is refurbishing your old box to sell on and the valve body was probably the problem anyway but unless you can do the work yourself or have a good mate who can you will mostly get reamed along with your valve body . If you had the 4.4 petrol it would be a different matter ais you could get one from Bemble that would be better than a new one
 
holidaychicken said:
coolant maybe?
I'm sure the garage is refurbishing your old box to sell on and the valve body was probably the problem anyway but unless you can do the work yourself or have a good mate who can you will mostly get reamed along with your valve body . If you had the 4.4 petrol it would be a different matter ais you could get one from Bemble that would be better than a new one
Click to expand...

I know, that's exactly what I thought. There is nothing to prove that they didn't actually fixed my own box and also that both the valve body and and the gearbox needed work. At least I am getting a 12 month warranty rather than the 6 months I was offered by the first company. They also asked me to call them when the car was reaching approximately 400 miles do a free check up to see if everything is working as it should. I am thinking that after the warranty is finished, I will consider sending my valve body to Valve Bodies UK for a Sonnex upgrade, as the garage would not give me the same warranty if I had the valve body done by a different company and installed on their box.

Yes, the coolant is something I forgot about, I will add it to my to do list! Thanks for that!
 
no bother, fuel filter is another thing overlooked, hang on i am thinking petrol again although you probably have one on your tratter, if you are feeling saucy, brake fluid and power steering fluid but i have never done mine
 
I think that I have all the filters covered, air filter, oil, filter, pollen filter, diesel filter and egr vent filter. I will leave the brake and power steering fluid alone for now.

Do you think that now that the GB has been rebuilt, it should be safe to install one of those tuning boxes? I am in doubt as I have 162k on the clock and don't want to put any unnecessary stress on the engine and turbo.
 
Not my bag that one i'm afraid, i have remapped VW diesels in the past but they have been new and i'm not sure how much difference you will get on yours, have a search on here i think it's been covered.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
L322 gearbox problem 2010 TDV8 Vogue
Replies
11
Views
448
roythebus
R
R
TüV problem in Germany
Replies
0
Views
241
roythebus
R
G
RR 55 plate l322 vogue
2
Replies
30
Views
1K
stuu
stuu
seldom
2011 to 2009 Front
Replies
2
Views
246
seldom
seldom
WightinNL
2009 RR Autobiography 5.0 SC - manual & headphones
Replies
6
Views
357
pwood999
pwood999
Back
Top