JonFre
Active Member
Hello tincan. Congrats on 208k miles and happy new year to you. What have been the main problems over all those miles and did you ever change the auto fluid?
happy new year to you jonfre no major problems up until last night the old girl is starting to miss and cough and also some diesel knock when i get the knock plumes of smoke but no mil light of to the diagnostic machine on monday am thinking possible injector after 208k miles its possible and no change of auto fluid
dumbledore
Member
192K '99 2.0 DI. I've been having it for 2 years now.
The goods:
- Has exceeded expectations on reliability.
- Comfy/spacy interior for the money.
- Superior visibility.
Cons:
- Feels like driving an old car: turning the wheel needs a bit of strength, brakes are not sensitive, i.e. it brakes fine, but doesn't feel responsive to the touch...
Maintenance-wise:
- VCU broke down right after I bought it, only a 2WD at the moment. I'm not sure how useful the 4WD mode is anyway...
- Aux belt broke just before initial maintenance... Had to go 10 yards without power brakes/steering. No damage there, still was a bloody nuisance.
- Power steering fluid is slowly disappearing... Had to tip it up a few times. Will have to check that.
- Various misc. issues of no great importance - the pump for the front washers stopped working, a couple of doors can't be opened with the remote from time to time, back-door handle broke, back-door window doesn't go down when opening the door.
Never had engine issues, never had problem with ignition even in -20C, suspension is pretty robust - never touched anything there. Apparently the VCU is a weak point though...
Overall, rather impressed with what I got for the money.
Cheerio.
The goods:
- Has exceeded expectations on reliability.
- Comfy/spacy interior for the money.
- Superior visibility.
Cons:
- Feels like driving an old car: turning the wheel needs a bit of strength, brakes are not sensitive, i.e. it brakes fine, but doesn't feel responsive to the touch...
Maintenance-wise:
- VCU broke down right after I bought it, only a 2WD at the moment. I'm not sure how useful the 4WD mode is anyway...
- Aux belt broke just before initial maintenance... Had to go 10 yards without power brakes/steering. No damage there, still was a bloody nuisance.
- Power steering fluid is slowly disappearing... Had to tip it up a few times. Will have to check that.
- Various misc. issues of no great importance - the pump for the front washers stopped working, a couple of doors can't be opened with the remote from time to time, back-door handle broke, back-door window doesn't go down when opening the door.
Never had engine issues, never had problem with ignition even in -20C, suspension is pretty robust - never touched anything there. Apparently the VCU is a weak point though...
Overall, rather impressed with what I got for the money.
Cheerio.
Nodge68
Well-Known Member
Fix the 4x4. It's much better to drive compared to 2wd. It'll also get you where you need to go.
dumbledore
Member
Yeah, but it'll cost half the price of what I paid for the car in the first place. So, I dunno. Even as a 2WD it's proven to be good at going up frozen slopes... And the 4x4 - doesn't it kick in only after you lose traction anyway?Fix the 4x4. It's much better to drive compared to 2wd. It'll also get you where you need to go.
I see. Well, this explains it. I bought it at around 170K.
Alibro
Well-Known Member
Only if the VCU is good, If VCU bad it is permanant 4x4. but on a good one the 4x4 kicks in so fast it is impossible to notice anyway
Nodge68
Well-Known Member
The 4x4 doesn't exactly kick in as such. It's completely progressive, adding drive to the rear virtually instantly. The more the front wheels slip, the more drive is sent to the rear. A Freelander is about as good as you can get in ice and snow. My Discovery 3 isn't as good as the nimble Freelander in very slippery conditions like driving on ice.
Why not look into doing a DIY VCU rebuild if cost is an issue?
Why not look into doing a DIY VCU rebuild if cost is an issue?
Alibro
Well-Known Member
Don't be silly. Only an idiot would do that.
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/looks-like-ive-done-it-again-doh.293904/
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/looks-like-ive-done-it-again-doh.293904/
GrumpyGel
Well-Known Member
What an absolutely great description of L Series Freelander
There is always debate on here (and anywhere Freelanders are discussed) about 2WD/4WD characteristics. I'm beginning to think that while it makes a big difference with the other engines, on L Series it makes little difference to general driving characteristics and handling. I've had my L Series 5 years - 1/2 as 4WD and 1/2 as 2WD - I've noticed very little difference. It'll spin the wheels on gravel given to much throttle for the surface, just like any 2WD - but other than that behaves the same. I can't take it down the beach - but I do take it down the riverbed and while Hiluxes, Discos and the like are getting stuck, I don't - they push the limits, I take care and the TC helps me through. Like you, I took the decision to go 2WD due to costs. I though did a full bearing, seal, cooler rebuilt on the IRD due to it failing, but removed the pinion gear so that I didn't need a replacement VCU - which was horrendously expensive to source here.
Having said that though... If you're driving in -20 winter temps, road conditions must be challenging at times and 4WD would presumably give benefit - maybe only that 'once' - but it might save the car or you! I've now got myself a decent (hopefully) 4WD IRD and VCU off a parts car. The VCU is to tight, but given the threads run through here on VCU rebuilding - that's what I'm going to do. After the new year break, the VCU is going down to an engineers to have holes drilled and tapped (as I don't want to do that) but then I'll have a go at freeling it up and filling - its nowhere near 'siezed' but definitely to tight - hopefully a good candidate for a rebuild without cutting/welding.
You were lucky the AUX belt going didn't wrap itself round the pulley and take out the cambelt - going by this forum, that's the most common way L Series engines die.
Alibro
Well-Known Member
Grumpy, if I can drill and tap the VCU then anyone can. I just used an ordinary drill and a new bit bought for the job, then a new tap also bought for the job and I had never tapped anything before. It was really easy.
Just be careful where you drill, not too close to the edge or you'll hit the splines on the VCU wall and not too near the centre or you'll not get the bolt in. Also I bought an extra fine tap as I wanted to use a bolt an extra fine thread for strength.
Just be careful where you drill, not too close to the edge or you'll hit the splines on the VCU wall and not too near the centre or you'll not get the bolt in. Also I bought an extra fine tap as I wanted to use a bolt an extra fine thread for strength.
GrumpyGel
Well-Known Member
Problem is - it will be difficult/expensive to source a replacement VCU if I fek it up - even a knackered one, there are just not a lot of Freelanders over here. It'd be great to be able to go down a breakers and get parts, but its not that easy. Suppose I could practice on something first.
Alibro
Well-Known Member
Worst case scenario you get someone to weld up the hole and drill another but that is the easiest bit. Cleaning out the crap is the nasty bit.
Problem is - it will be difficult/expensive to source a replacement VCU if I fek it up - even a knackered one, there are just not a lot of Freelanders over here. It'd be great to be able to go down a breakers and get parts, but its not that easy. Suppose I could practice on something first.
Nodge68
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry but this statement is completely incorrect. There's nothing wrong with the cooling systems capacity on the K series Freelander. The cooling system fitted is capable of cooling an engine with 3 times the power!! There are a few key things wrong with the 1.8 Freelander engine but cooling capacity isn't one of them.
If were talking about maximum miles. I know of a Discovery 3 that has over 750,000 Miles on it and still increasing by 10 to 12 K miles a month. The original engine lasted 450K before a broken piston ended it's life. The gearbox is still the original. This particular Discovery is serviced monthly and hardly every gets cold between trips. That's how it's lasting so well. It's getting used and used without all those engine killing short trips. I personally don't worry about miles on a vehicle, it's use that's important. I definitely wouldn't buy a 10 year old car with under 70K on the clock as there's thousands of colds starts involved. Far better to have a car that has spent it's life doing long motorway journeys than weekly trips to the local supermarket and back.
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LUKBENPHI
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry but this statement is completely incorrect. There's nothing wrong with the cooling systems capacity on the K series Freelander. The cooling system fitted is capable of cooling an engine with 3 times the power!! There are a few key things wrong with the 1.8 Freelander engine but cooling capacity isn't one of them.
If were talking about maximum miles. I know of a Discovery 3 that has over 750,000 Miles on it and still increasing by 10 to 12 K miles a month. The original engine lasted 450K before a broken piston ended it's life. The gearbox is still the original. This particular Discovery is serviced monthly and hardly every gets cold between trips. That's how it's lasting so well. It's getting used and used without all those engine killing short trips. I personally don't worry about miles on a vehicle, it's use that's important. I definitely wouldn't buy a 10 year old car with under 70K on the clock as there's thousands of colds starts involved. Far better to have a car that has spent it's life doing long motorway journeys than weekly trips to the local supermarket and back.
Great engine when looked after for its time.
The one time I bought a low mileage car ( MG ZS 180 WITH 24K) it threw a rod through the block so not bought anything with less than 75k since, agree totally with the motorway mileage thing, current mondeo has just rolled over to 114k and has had fsh which I've got from previous owner which is rare these days engine pulls like a train (tdci 140bhp) and gearbox is crisp chassis wise though its now showing its age with some suspension bushes delaminating on the front and rear which is looking like its going to cost around £450 as some are only available through ford as they only sell the arms and not just bushes
Nodge68
Well-Known Member
Very unusual for the KV6 to throw a rod in normal or even exuberant use. The air intake is susceptible to picking up water if deep puddles are driven through at speed. This water ingress will cause rod failure after a few thousand miles have been covered.
LUKBENPHI
Well-Known Member
It went under gentle acceleration out of a 30 zone in 4th, mgr in coventry inspected it and the oil did have some water in in when drained off but as the rebuild cost was coming in at £4k and at the time a 2nd hand engine was £1200 it got scrapped
teddywood1
Well-Known Member
my old one was on 176,000 miles before I parted with it and the only reason I did I got an offer I could not refuse on another td4 auto
