VCU Torque test results
- Thread starter The Mad Hat Man
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Alibro
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With enough time and money anything is possible, but since it's relatively cheap and works well for around 100k miles a better question to ask is why would you bother?
Because, where i live is about 700 euros, a new vcu, plus my last vcu only lasted 60000 km, then it started to lock. A big downside here is also land rovers service witch is basically non existant, they just change the oil and thats it, when i came with my freelander, they said they were amazed that it was still running after 20 years and 240000 km..... so do i have to say more
Alibro
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LOL, maybe take a look here
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/how-to-recondition-a-vcu-yourself.307445/
If not able to do it yourself how much would it cost to send yours to Bell engineering?
Just the shipping from portugal to the uk would be more than 100 each trip, plus the repair to the vcu, and after 60000 or even 80000 with luck, i would have to do it all over again. So every four mounths or so. It is an expense that values more then vehicle. So thats is why, and that is why it is a big question over here. Since land rover does not support anything, im seriouly think of doing what every owner of the freelander does witch is to buy a toyota. Unfortunatly
Alibro
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Don't some VW's have VCU's as well? How are they repaired in Portugal?
GrumpyGel
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This is a problem I faced in NZ. I resolved it by removing the crown gear off the IRD rear pinion!
I've since found a company here in NZ that will do what Bells do for $500 (about what Bells charge in the UK).
I've since found a company here in NZ that will do what Bells do for $500 (about what Bells charge in the UK).
They simpley remove them, in most cases. Once they go to the MOT to get it inspected, they put them on for a day.
In most vw i dont know how the shop repair their vcu's, but probably they pay for it
Madmustang
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No, i really mean 4 months, because if you do ruff roads or tow, and have bigger wheels, the vcu life decreases, my last one only got 60000km not miles km, and it started to lock. According to some companies that make refurbished vcu tell only recomend 60000 to 80000 on asfalt.
If you do like me more then 100km a day plus some on ruff roads. You get the idea why i want to get it out
Hippo
Lord Hippo
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The myth of the 70k miles for the life of a VCU is just that. A myth. It depends on many factors. Mine failed at 35.5k miles. Many others have gone past 100k miles. The recon people made it up as a rule of thumb. You are better to test it regular and spot signs of the test time rising. If I had followed advice from recon people something would have gone bang long before 70k miles.
Due to your location heat is a bigger problem than living in the UK. VCU's get warm in use. Your ambient air temperature is on average much higher than UK.
Madmustang
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The answer is you need to buy a car that your country and fix on the cheap not have some expensive import
The VCU will last over 160,000Kms (my own has over 220,000Kms on it). So I suggest there's something wrong with how you are using yours. Are you using 4 identical tyres, with the least worn on the rear? Using odd tyres kills the VCU very quickly, and destroys the IRD and rear diff too.
GrumpyGel
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Assuming you do 100km a day every day of the month, that's 3,000km. After 4 months that's 12,000km. You say you only got 60,000kms (which is below average but not unheard of) - that's still 2 years not 4 months.
'Average' usage would be at least double that, so probably about 1% of the cost of running the car.
Mine seems find on the wheel up test, however I did remove ze propshaft to change those bearings. Is there a way I can tell if ird is in good shape or not with the propshaft off? I know the rear diff is leaking, will change that for sure. I am not confident my vcu is good tbh...
Draining the oil and inspecting what comes out is the best way to tell the IRDs condition.
