Yipee! Trans failsafe. Back for more pain, bought an L322

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jimmacD

jimmacD

Well-Known Member
Posts
381
Location
Lincolnshire
Well, I have only gone and bought a 2002 4.4 V8 L322. Sucker for punishment or what? After owning half a dozen classics and a handful of P38 I decide enough was enough! Bought an X-Trail and started wearing beige.... that last two months when a FFRR came up for sale. The chap had been running it with a 70amp battery and on checking I found the alternator was duff! I bought it with the transmission failsafe issue, thought it might be as simple as electrical and the RR technically only cost me £300... everything else works! She starts and drives as god intended but then goes into "trans failsafe" after 10 minutes or so and sits in 4th. The previous owner had changed gearbox filter and oil, well I saw the packaging... why didn't he put a decent battery in and check alternator first? I am surprised he didn't mention the cost? The RR transmission rests after several hours... probably cooling down... no codes or overheating messages? I know this subject has been covered "big style" but I can't find any write ups with these symptoms. Gearbox is nice and smooth, no nasty noises or smells. Any ideas other than rebuild?
 
I would start with your know alternator problem and fit a better battery.

All sorts of spurious alarms/messages from weak lecky.

But as said^^^^^ if you are not sure what previous owner has “really” done check it.

Good luck:)

J
 
Thanks for replies. I have stuck a big new Bosch in and replaced the alternator....... oh no water cooled! After doing my ML270 it was a doddle..... someone had recently stuck a new water pump on and belts, though they were running in the wrong direction? I asked the previous owner if he had really done the gearbox as I had budgeted for servicing it, he assured me it was done, again, he didn't mention the cost so it could have any old gear oil in it! Next job.. gearbox service and the finest fluids money can buy. Its a pain there is no dip stick, my ML270 was sealed for life "yeah right" and that had a dip stick, not just behind the wheel!
 
Hi Bemble, read previous posts from you with another punter, defo 4th..... no sport box and even the cruise control locks, you can come off it when braking but the system remains on with symbol on dash? Stuck some LPG in it tonight... luvely, so nice to look at the fuel gauge and miles left indicator when it doesn't change, normally feels like someone runs a head counting off the miles with a yard stick. Most cars reduce the miles in stages, not the RR it lets you know when every mile has been spent!
 
biketeacherdave said:
As it gets blocked it restricts flow as well as cooling there a known issue and an easy swop out
Click to expand...
Had a look on interweb and they seem cheap enough and straightforward swop, thanks for the advice. I had budgeted a complete gearbox overhaul/rebuild into the purchase as a worst case scenario. After a few weeks of ownership "I friggin' love the thing." I drive past a parked up P38 each day, think the suspension has gone, glad I didn't go for another P38. When I had a 3 door.... don't buy a classic then I had classics, don't buy a P38, then after four P38.... don't buy an L322! I can't see what all the bother is about, sure stuff breaks and wears out but that's the same of any vehicle, can't think of another Owners forum which gives so much info on fixes. Had a few Volvos and the Owners forum almost threw me off because I changed my own cambelt and it wasn't from a stealer!
 
Glad your loving your L322. Bought mine about 2 months ago after a year without my P38, nearly never bought her because of all the gloom and doom about Timing Chains , Tensioners, gearbox issues blah blah blah. Sure theres a few things to sort out but any worse than a P38 or any other 17 year old prestige car, NO. Enjoy it mate and hope it serves you well, long live the L322
 
Ruby Range said:
Glad your loving your L322. Bought mine about 2 months ago after a year without my P38, nearly never bought her because of all the gloom and doom about Timing Chains , Tensioners, gearbox issues blah blah blah. Sure theres a few things to sort out but any worse than a P38 or any other 17 year old prestige car, NO. Enjoy it mate and hope it serves you well, long live the L322
Click to expand...
I think I would be concerned if I was relying on the RR to cover a 500 mile commute whilst towing 3 tonnes! It isn't a sports car nor a hot hatch.. it is a lazy fat "b%&*%"d best suited to wafting around the countryside and occasional jaunts down to the in-laws! Are they expensive to run? Yes is you have a 500 mile... No, if you buy at the right price, stay away from trying to make it look newer... never understood that, save up and buy a newer model... with all the upgrades it's still going to look like a 9 year old car FFS! Learn to fix stuff yourself, its all pretty simple and far easier to work on than a KA. Buy second hand where possible and new stuff is relatively cheap compared to other makes.... stay away from Stealers! I have always had large and uneconomical vehicles, the purchase savings against other stuff means you can buy a £50k luxury 4x4 and have a lot of money left over for things like fuel... insurance is cheap at under £230. If it breaks... still looks cool sat on the drive! Luv em luv em luv em.
 
Grrrrrr said:
Sounds lovely. Cannot go far wrong for 300 notes if the body is good.
Click to expand...
Totalled the balance... £345 for the L322 and it isn't a shed! In fact it's a peach, no rust, no dents, engine runs as smooth as a very smooth thing with only 114k on the clock... gearbox is due a service next week plus I want to do coolant, diffs, engine etc.. just for peace of mind, belts, water pump and Evap system have been replaced in the last year. Found the original Siemens mobile in centre cubby, not sure what I can use it for? It has had a Dynavin media upgrade system... wasted on me, as I want to hear the V8 whenever possible. New rubber and very clean alloys.. unlike the various Jeeps I have owned which flake if you stand too close to them. Obviously I didn't hand over £345 for the L322, I spent a month trading up as my X trail wasn't up to towing a new boat at over 2.5 tonnes. I watched L322 all over the Country to get a feel for the market, I knew the P38 market but this was new territory for me.... thankfully the cheapest/best value L322 appeared 5 miles from home and the chap was struggling to sell it, Skoda country where I live. I gave him a silly offer and then went away on Holiday.. the rest is history. I am a realist and know that I have more to spend until I am happy with it but feel I have a good starting point.
 
biketeacherdave said:
As it gets blocked it restricts flow as well as cooling there a known issue and an easy swop out
Click to expand...
Finally got around to changing out gearbox cooler and carried out another gearbox service. Went to remove her off the ramps after running up to temp for topping up the gearbox..... Bong! Transmission failsafe warning. My heart sank... went into the house for a comfort hug from Wifey.. two minutes later, started RR up and no warning message? Took her on a long drive, bit of B road and dual carriage way..... lovely and smooth with effortless gear changes... yipeee she's fixed! Stopped for some fuel, stuck her in park and BBBBBBOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGGGG!!!!!!!! NOooooooooooooo! Parked her up for the night and will see how she does on School run. My gut feeling is that it is a solenoid problem, cooler is working perfectly and box isn't showing any overheating problems or strange noises.
 
Hi just read your post and would have loved to be able to pass on my solution as my RR had the same issues over and over, unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your viewpoint, mine got rolled before I could resolve them. I wish you well and ask that you be sure to post the solution as there are many of us who would desperately be interested to know.
Cheers Tricky.
 
It will definitely be the neautral inhibitor. Mine had the same intermittent fault and changed it out last weekend and after 1000k no more bongs. Second hand cost 120 from a guy in wales who breaks L322 a. Contact me if you need his number.
 
Tricky of York said:
Hi just read your post and would have loved to be able to pass on my solution as my RR had the same issues over and over, unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your viewpoint, mine got rolled before I could resolve them. I wish you well and ask that you be sure to post the solution as there are many of us who would desperately be interested to know.
Cheers Tricky.
Click to expand...
Got to get it fixed before next week, going to York for a few days! A car hasn't beaten me yet. I will pop in on my local garage and use their diagnostics.. I keep the Mechanics supplied with Chocolate cake for just such an occasion. There may be a link between the bong and sticking it in park but I don't think it's as simple as that.
 
Ruby Range said:
It will definitely be the neautral inhibitor. Mine had the same intermittent fault and changed it out last weekend and after 1000k no more bongs. Second hand cost 120 from a guy in wales who breaks L322 a. Contact me if you need his number.
Click to expand...
I did think there may be a link but it wasn't the case before servicing and new cooler, unless this is a new fault? I stopped the car several times on return from station to see if it would reset but to no avail. I have made a good connection with a chap in the next village who is breaking L322 so he might have a switch if I need one. See how I get on tomorrow with the old gal during School run and business shopping.
 
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