Went to have a look at a L Series today. The main problem with it is that its 'lost' 4th gear. When you engage it and lift the clutch, you can hear things turning - but there's no drive. The guy said he bought it like this a year ago and had basically just been using the other gears! He says that the other day it 'jammed' in 5th and took quite a bit of effort to get it out. So he's put it up for sale.

Does anyone know if it possible to get rebuild kits for gearboxes (ie a PG1 for L Series Freelander) and whether its practical to rebuild them?

The guy said he'd been quoted $850 (£425) for a unit from a breakers. I haven't checked prices yet.

I fancy it as a cheap 4WD fishing/sking hack. As for the car, good points...
Warranted (MOTed)
Taxed
RUCS (fuel tax) in credit for 600KMs
Engine sounded sweet and clean.
4WD system in place and working.
ABS/TC/HD working
All the glass there and working!
Has roof rails - I so want roof rails to bungy my fishing rods to!
Back is bone dry
Only done 340K kms (just over 200K miles) so L Series about run in.

Bad points...
As said - gearbox basically shot.
No carpets!
Wing mirror cases both busted - fancied a couple of 'good' spares the 'posh' Freelander.
Sunroof shot - puddles on the floor.
Roof lining shot.
Seats shot.
Has had a big whack on the left rear corner as some point - bog beginning to fall out and lights not aligning.
The most sunburnt Freelander I've seen.
Tyres mismatch front to back - just been put on evidently.
He wants $1,500 (£750) for it - I won't pay anywhere near that.
Done 340K kms so everything's likely to fall apart around the engine.

I've two g'boxes here. #1 off a R214, it's got a broken case [very rough dismantlers!], #2 is still attached to that VVC motor. Either of them any good for inner bits? Could prob' organise free freight to Chch too! For the latter will have to let the auction run first!

should be able to rob the main gear clusters out of any Diesel L series PG1 gearbox (Rover 200/25/MGZR or 400/45/MGZS) it's just the mainshaft and crown wheel that are unique to the Hippo

I've never opened a gearbox, so not sure exactly what I'd find in there to replace, my knowledge is all theoretical and YouTube!

I'm willing to have a go because when my IRD went, I had no previous knowledge of that either - but managed to rebuild it and its been fine for 18 months now.

I was hoping there might be a 'kit' of some kind that contained all the bits that wear - but then I suppose if somethings broken - the kit would have to contain all the bits in the gearbox

DD : Diesel Rovers are a lot less common than Freelanders here - not many at all on the road - however, thanks for the info - in my hunt around breakers I can see if there's 1 at a cheap price to have a go at swapping the common bits over.

HTR : I believe the ratios, as well as some other bits, are different in the petrol PG1s - I think I'm after a 'U' siffiix spec. (intercooled diesel?) But I'm not sure why a single gear would let go. The gears themselves don't actually drive the shaft, the selector mates to the required gear to drive the shaft and each selector can mate to 2 gears - so that's not broke or else 2 gears would have gone. This is getting down to my lack of knowledge! I imagine it must be where the selector mates to the 4th gear that has failed - if that's the case and those bits are interchangeable from petrol to diesel and different ratios - then I might just be sending you a PM Thanks for the offer!

GG I think you would OK with with the 1.4 gear set. The difference in the U box is a couple of extra bearings. From memory the gear set is much the same. Any slight difference in ratio wouldn't be notified really. The L series uses a higher final drive. This is part of the output to the IRD anyway
The PG1 gearbox isn't a complex box to play with. Google is your friend here

Extra bearing, plus slightly thicker shaft

Most awkward part of the PG1, is getting a socket big enough to get the end cover thing off - it's a pretty big allen key type fitment... the only thing I've got that's big enough is a sump key :lol:

DastardlyDan said:

Extra bearing, plus slightly thicker shaft

Most awkward part of the PG1, is getting a socket big enough to get the end cover thing off - it's a pretty big allen key type fitment... the only thing I've got that's big enough is a sump key :lol:

Click to expand...

My friend Mr Google, introduced me to some fella who put a PG1 strip down/rebuild 'tutorial' up on the interweb. I believe he used some 14mm (?) hex rod into a socket or something and recommended cracking it before its off the car.