My 2001 Auto-box Freelander TD4, has recently started intermittently 'juddering' when I pull away from rest. It seems more prevalent in the colder weather.

It goes away after a few seconds, but I am worried something bigger is asking for attention before a bigger failure.

It feels like a front-to-rear lateral judder, sort of feels like my old Cortina did when it lost a plug and was running on 3 cylinders, not smooth, 'lumpy', if you know what I mean. After a few seconds, it sort of smooths out again.

Anyone suggest what the issue may be? I have a synergy-2 box connected, also connected to the factory MAF, and the car has a recent EGR bypass, but otherwise standard. I run Millers ECO-max additive every tank too. Apart from this 'new' judder, the car runs very well, smooth and much more powerful.

Any ideas? t.i.a. 'sox.

Is this a Jatco box? If so, when did you last change the AutoTransFluid?

Can't check that until tomorrow, but the auto' box has only done 13k miles since new replacement before I bought the car. (rest of the car has done 89,000 miles total).

I assume fluid was done when the new 'box was fitted.

Update: I tried switching off the MAF connection on the Synergy2.

Instantly cured, judder gone, smooth and back to normal, very much more responsive and quick to accelerate from standstill. Car feels physically 'lighter'.

Does this mean I had a tired old MAF or was it just not suited to the Synergy2?

Both in a way, the MAF can break down over time to reduce signals and cause issues, the Synergy needs a better MAF to cope fully with the new power. I think, but im sure someone who runs a Synergy and better MAF will be along soon to explain fully.

Sorry to revive such an old thread, but I found the judder cause.

It creeped back, and did my head in. Then I hit on a possible other cause.

I had been adding 2-stroke to my fuel mix to help with fuel-lubrication. For some bizarre reason, I had been adding 200ml per tank for quite a while now.

I reduced this to no more than 50ml - and after 5 tanks at the reduced level, had no episodes of judder at all.

Just to prove a point, I again added 200ml of 2-stroke in my second most recent tank. Sure enough, that judder was back with a vengeance.

After that tank emptied, I just added regular diesel, with the much reduced 50ml 2-stroke and not a judder, smooth and perfect driving.

Just for info... go easy on the 2-stroke (I used the ASDA/TESCO cheap red stuff)

Used to get is problem in winter. Turned out to be the FBH priming itself, and causing fuel starvation! Only happened in the first couple miles after starting from cold.