Dezzie

Hiya boys. Thanks for all the replies. Sorry, I should have made it clearer. I check my levels (oil - coolant - washer bottle) every week. Most of the time, the water in the coolant expansion bottle stays rigid on the 'MAX'. But then, after about 3 months, the water drops 10mm below the max. It's the 2 litre diesel 'L' series Rover engine. Engine runs fine - no problems. I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on it, and keep topping it up. It may seep out whilst I'm on the move, so maybe I don't get to see it. It's just annoying not knowing where it's coming from. Cheers ............. Matt

Hi all. Got a year 2000 FL Diesel 'L series' engine. Minter - 94k Every now and again, I'll check under the bonnet to check the levels, and I've noticed the level in the coolant expansion tank drops about 10mm under the Max. So, of course, I fill it to the 'Max' - job's a gud 'un ! Then, maybe 3 months later, I'll check the levels (as I do quite often) and it'll again be 10mm under the max. So, obviously, again, I fill it to the max. Then another 3 months later, it'll drop 10mm under the max again .... and so it goes. To be honest, it's not really a big problem - more annoying really. There's no water under the car, when the engine's cold or hot. There's no water in the engine bay. There's no white gunk on the oil dipstick, and no white smoke, so I've ruled out head gasket problem. I thought maybe the expansion tank cap was leaking, so bought another one - but still, it loses the water. In short, I'm losing 10mm of water every 3 months. Where's it going ? I'm tearing my hair out ! We took the car on holiday with us to Lincolnshire, which was about 500 miles over the course of a week, and it never lost a drop ! ! ! Thanks for any replies. Cheers ........................ Matt

Thanks for all the replies. What would happen if I were to ignore the noise, and just carrry on using the vehicle as normal ? Is there a chance that the bearings could seize ? Or break up and cause irrepairable damage ? I wanted to travel down to Cheddar on Sunday in the Land Rover (about 2 hours away). I'm worried that the propshaft may seize whilst I'm heading down the motorway. Is this likely ? Or will they just get noisy (noisier ?) Thanks again, any replies much appreciated. Matt.

Back in November 2011, I had a new rear Diff, new VCU and 2 new propshaft bearings fitted to my series 1 F.L year 2000 diesel L series. £1200 bill ! ! Then about April 2012, the propshaft bearings became noisy. So, took it back, and they replaced them. Job's a good 'un ! Then - October 2012, propshaft bearings went noisy AGAIN, so took it back, and the replaced them AGAIN. (correction - changed the noisy one). They did mention that the propshaft was fine, and in good working order, as they felt this may be the issue. Now - December 2012, 500 miles later, the propshaft bearings are noisy AGAIN ! ! ! ! What's the problem ? Surely, it must be something else making the bearings fail ? I've contacted the Garage, and they've said that they're not really prepared to change them again, without having the car in, and stripping it down to find out what's wrong. Which may cost me mega bucks, which I don't have. The rear diff is new, the VCU is new, the tyres are all new. (less than 12 months). Please help - the Freebie is on borrowed time ! But I do like it, and would like to keep it. Thanks for any help. Matt.

Hi everyone. Freelander 1, year 2000 Diesel.(L series) I've got an idea my propshaft bearings are noisy. There's like a rumbling/grinding noise coming from underneath. My Garage say it's the IRD, and want to charge me about a grand to fit a new one. However, the rumbling/grinding noise still happens when rolling along in NEUTRAL ! This to me, rules out gearbox problems etc. If the IRD was due to be changed, would this only make a noise when in gear and accelerating ? Would the IRD be noisy rolling in neutral ? Thanks for any replies. Matt.

Hiya mate, no worries. I think the whole task took me an hour, that's with fitting the new handle too ! Yes, I think it must do, as I didn't take this off. It was much easier than I thought it was going to be. You'll have to cut the plastic membrane to get to the mechanical / electrical bits, then you'll have to glue it back of course. Matt.

Hi Bumble Bee. I had to replace my tailgate door handle a few weeks ago, so had to take interior trim off. It's a bit fiddly, but straightforward enough, if a little long winded. Open the tailgate. (obviously).... At the bottom of the interior plastic panel are a few screws 3 or 4 maybe. Undo these and keep them safe to one side. (Don't lose them like I did !) After these, the rest of the panel is held on with trim clips. You'll need a wide thin bladed tool, to prise off the panel. Don't be shy, but be firm and gentle ! Try and put a cloth or kitchen towel over the blade so you don't damage the paintwork. Once you've released all the clips (there's about 3 or 4 each side), eventually the panel will feel loose, and pull toward you. I thought putting it back on was harder actually ! Trying to line up the clips. Best of luck .................. Matt.

Hi all. When I had my rear diff and VCU & bearings replaced back in January, I was told by the garage (LR Specialist) to replace the rear two tyres, as they had worn unevenly. I took their advice, and promptly changed the rear tyres for new ones. I asked them... "Should I not just replace all 4?" To which they replied .... "No, just both on the same axle". I then read weeks later on this forum, that I actually should have replaced all 4 tyres, as otherwise, this can make the VCU and bearings wear prematurely. So I thought, better put two new ones on the front as well then ! After locating another garage that sold exactly the same tyres (as the first one closed down !) they're being fitted next Friday. Since I put the new ones on the rear, I've done about 1500 miles (fifteen hundred). Will this matter ? Should I put the two new ones on the back, and the two with 1500 miles on, at the front ? Will this small mileage make any difference ? Thanks for any help. ................. Matt.

I had something similar on my year 2000 FL. With mine, it was OK until about 38mph, then I would get the 'woo woo woo' noise from rear. My mechanic mate told me it was the rear diff. Had it changed - noise still there ! Land Rover Specialist said it was VCU and bearings. Had them changed - noise still there ! Eventually changed the rear tyres as on the M.O.T the guy noticed they had worn unevenly and "castleated" Changed rear tyres for new ones ......... Noise went .......... Yippeeee ! Cost me £1200.00 in total to find out though !

'Ello one and all ! Got a series 1 FL. 2 litre diesel, 'L' series engine, year 2000. Back in January, I had a new rear diff, new VCU and new prop shaft bearings. Total bill of £1200 ! Since January, I've only done about 1500 miles, as our Freelander is a second car, and only gets occasional use. This last week, I've noticed a 'scoring' type noise, coming from underneath. I'm guessing the bearings have gone again ! I have been running different tyres front and rear, so think this may be the reason. I could take it back to where I had it done, but it's miles away, and they'll only find more work which will cost me a fortune again. Are the Prop shaft bearings fairly easy to change ? I've priced them up at about £70 each. Has the whole prop got to come off ? Are the bearings either side of the VCU ? Is there one at each end too, or are they both next to the VCU ? Are there 2 Prop shaft bearings, or 4 ? Is it wise to get Land Rover genuine ones ? Or are there better cheaper types ? Thanks for any help. Matt.

Hi everyone. Now that FL2's are coming down in price (slowly), been thinking about saving my pennies and having a look around next year. Is the 4 wheel drive system similar to that of the FL1 ? Is it a viscous coupling set up etc ? Is the 4x4 switchable ? i.e. hi & low 2wd & fwd ? Does anyone know if there's anything major to look out for ? Thanks for any replies .................... Matt.

Thanks FridgeFreezer. That's put my mind at rest. I've looked behind the old one that fell off, and can see the bolts, so fingers crossed, it should be fairly straight forward. Can you elaborate in any more detail about fitting the barrel please ? I'm worried that I might knacker it up. Is there a special knack to fitting the old barrel into the new unit ? Any special twist or way it fits ? Do I have to put the key in and twist to remove the old one ? Has it got to be set at particular angle or anything like that ? Sorry to be a pain ! Cheers for any help ................................. Matt

Hiya Guys. (FL Series 1 year 2000 V Plate, Station Wagen ) The missus came back from Tescos (other Supermarkets are available) the other night, and sheepishly asked me if I could have a look at the Freelanders tailgate handle. So out I popped in the dark and pouring rain, to find the flippin' thing hanging off ! ! ! ("I only touched it" - she said ) This is the grey / black cover which sits over the number plate, and houses the number plate light, the soft touch handle for the tailgate, and the key barrel. After much swearing and outbursts I had to decide what to do, as I can't just leave it like that. On closer inspection, the plastic has actually broken away, and it will no longer fit to the body, and just dangles down. The handle still works, and the tailgate will open, if with a bit of difficulty. I've had a look around and I think purchasing one will be fairly easy. It's fitting the new one that I'm worried about. Has the inside of the tailgate door panel got to come off ? How do I get that off ? How do I fit my old key barrel into the new part ? Do I have to swap the electrics over for the handle ? Many thanks, for any help ................................. Matt

This isn't "Freelander" related, but hope it may put your mind at rest / help steer you in the right direction. I have a Freelander, but my "other" car, our family runabout, is a Mitsubishi Carisma. I inherited it off my Father when he passed away. I remember when I first drove it, it had symptoms like you described. The engine warning light came on, lost power, worse on hills. After a good blast down the motorway, this never happened again, and has been fine ever since. (2 years now). When I asked my mechanic mate, he said it was something to do with emmisions building up, because the car had been standing still for 6 months whilst my Father was ill. Then when I was using it to go to and from work, the engine wasn't getting hot enough for the emmisions to clear. I think it was something to do with the Lambda sensor or something like that. Maybe your new Freelander has been standing a while, and needs a good blast to clear the problem ? I know you can't compare the two different makes of vehicle, but your symptoms were almost exactly the same as mine. Fingers crossed, it may just need a 'good run out'. However, I'd still contact the dealer. Hope this helps .......................... Matt.

OOPS ! That's my fault ! I really should have gone to Specsavers (other Opticians are available). The tyres on my Freelander are 195 80 15 ! ! ! ! I was having a mooch around the Internet (as you do), and came accross this site. http://www.freelanderspecialist.com/ Found it really useful, and very interesting. What is the importance of matched tyres on a Freelander? Having unmatched tyre sizes on a Freelander 1 creates the same effect as a seized VCU, and can cause catastrophic damage to your drive train in just a few miles. A seized viscous coupling unit will put a strain all the way along the drive train, from the IRD / Transfer Box at the front (and even as far as the gearbox) through the VCU bearings, to the rear differential at the rear. If you continue to drive the Freelander with a seized VCU then you could cause irreparable damage to all these parts. The crucial thing is to make sure you match tyre manufacturer, type and size on all four wheels of your Freelander (please note that even if you match the tyre type and size then there can be enough of a difference between the sizes from two different manufacturers to cause the VCU to seize – the tolerance level is only 5mm). If you really cannot afford to replace all four tyres at once then you may be able to get away with replacing just two from the same axle (i.e. the two rear tyres or the two front tyres – never replace just one tyre, and never replace one from the front and one from the rear), but make sure you get the same manufacturer, type and size as the ones that are remaining on the Freelander, and put the newest ones on the rear - but we really would recommend changing all four at the same time

Hi everyone. I've done a search and can't find the answer I'm looking for. Hopefully you Guys will be able to help me. The motor's a Freelander year 2000 (V - Plate) Diesel L series Station Wagon. I've had a stack of work done to my Freelander over the past few Months. Near rear Diff, new VCU, new prop shaft bearings. The bloke at the Garage told me to change the rear tyres for new ones, (even though they had quite a bit of tread left) because they had been affected by the diff, and had worn unevenly, and would probably go on to cause more problems. They had also become really noisy. So .......... Changed the two rear Tyres for brand new ones. The size is the same .... 195 / 60 -15. Will it matter that the two Tyres on the front are half worn, and the two on the back are brand new ? Will this affect how it drives or cause more problems further down the line as they are rotating at differing speeds ? Any help gratefully received. Cheers ......................... Matt.

Hi everyone. The passenger electric window on my Series 1 y 2000 Freelander is acting up. I can hear the motor turning, so don't think it's that, but when I press the button to lower the window, it jerks and jolts and gets stuck with the motor turning. Has it come off a runner or something ? Some bloke who comes in my shop said they're cables which jump off. Can anyone shead any light ? Is this something I could do meself fairly easily ? Thanks for any replies. Matt.

Hi everyone. I've tried using the SEARCH button, but it's not really helping me with my question. I need to change the rear tyres on my V plate Yr 2000 Series 1 Freelander diesel. I'd really like them to be 50 / 50 between on road and off. Like an All Terrain tyre I guess, which is what is fitted at the moment. Don't use the car for off road, but need it for bad weather. I haven't got a massive amount to spend, and was looking at no more that £50 a piece. At the moment I've got budget tyres on. I think they're MAXXIS RADIAL 751 195 / 80 15. (fitted by the previous owner) Anyone tried Pirelli Scorpion ? Or Wranglers ? Any reccomendations (and rough ideas of prices) would be very much appreciated. Cheers ........................ Matt.

Hiya Guys, thanks for the replies, and thanks for being honest. I'm going with a mate of mine who is a Land Rover nut. He's had loads of Landies in all the different types. So he'll know a good 'un from a bad 'un. As long as I can get "around 30ish" mpg I'll be a happy bunny, as my journey to work and back is a 30 mile round trip, so I can roughly budget on a gallon of diesel a day. It's all fast country lanes averaging 50mph, with not much traffic. I'm fairly light footed to be honest, and have never thrashed any cars I've owned. It'll be a second car anyway, as we have a family car too, which is the main vehicle. Those figures I quoted were from the Auto Trader website. Not sure where they got them from. I'd really like the vehicle, but don't know if I'll be able to afford to run it. My Freelander diesel gives me around 38 - 40 mpg ! But it costs me a small fortune on maintenance, and is hardly ever actually working. Thanks for the help folks, I'll keep ya posted. Cheers ................... Matt.

Hi everyone. I'm fairly new to Land Rovers to be honest, as I bought my first one, a Freelander 1 Diesel in July 2010. I do like my Freelander, but it has been troublesome, and expensive to put right. I have contemplated getting rid of it, and mentioned it to a mate of mine. Now, this mate of mine has a brother who has a Discovery 1997, 300 TDi, Auto box, 2 door. He's got it up for sale, for around £2000. I have actually seen it, and it is tidy. It has been serviced properly, and looked after well. Not sure on mileage. What am I really going to get to the gallon ? My trip to work and back is a 30 mile round trip. Will I actually get 27 urban / 32 extra urban and 41 mpg on a good run ? I do have my doubts. Also, are they easy to live with ? Will it be a big bag of problems ? Are they simple / cheap to put right? Can you take them anywhere for service / repairs, or will I need a LR specialist. Sorry for all the questions, but thanks for any answers in advance. Cheers ............... Matt (Dezzie)

Hi everyone. Thanks for all you replies. Job now done !

Hi all. Travelling along the A45 toward Coventry yesterday, in my Freelander 2 litre diesel L series, when I heard a loud "BANG", smelt a burnt rubber smell, and the steering went really heavy. The Battery light came on, and so almost immediately, I knew that the alternator belt had snapped. So,.... no big problem there then ? Buy a new belt, put it on .... job's a good un ! However, I thankfully managed to slowly limp the few miles home, with the help of a couple of good mates who were following me as we were on our way to a Land Rover meet. When I got home , I called the AA out, hoping they'd have a belt on board their van, or a temporary belt, which I could use until I could get a new one. Don't be daft ! ! ! They don't keep alternator belts on their vans ! Hmmmm. However, the AA guy shoved his hand down the side of the engine, and started 'hand spinning' the pullies. After withdrwing his hand he said...... "Yep, it's yer tensioner that's seized, so you'll need a belt and a tensioner. These are famous for that happening. The tensioner seizes, then the belt snaps. You can tell because the smooth side of the belt is scorched" My question is this ..... Is it a big job to fit the new tensioner ? How do I get to it ? From the top, or from underneath ? Any help, ideas or tips gratefully recieved. Thanks a lot. ..................... Matt.

Hi all. Finally got round to taking my Freelander into a specialist today. Just to 're-cap'....... Rear Diff started to 'hum' and whine quite loudly a few weeks ago, and had loads of differing views on what it could be. So, this morning, I eventually got round to taking the vehicle in to be looked at. So, the verdict is ..... To start with, as I thought ....it needs a new rear Diff. They could find me a good very servicable low mileage 2nd hand one, which will cost me £200. Also, the VCU (Viscous Coupling Unit) was in pretty bad shape and desperately needed replacing. This apparently, was the cause of the damage to the Diff. So, new VCU .... £400. Also, the mountings for the VCU need replacing at £70 each. (x2) Then there's the labour...... Total bill for the job to be done will be £900 + V.A.T. OUCH ! ! ! I guess it's cheaper than buying a newer Freelander. I've told them to go ahead, and I've got to collect the motor middle of next week.

Haven't actually got around to getting it done yet. Been really busy, working odd days, so difficult to book it in. Must get it done before the bad weather sets in, but will keep you posted.

Right then ;- Been to a Land Rover specialist today, to see if I can get some answers about this problem. They guy I spoke to seemed really nice, and obviously very knowledgeable. I explained that my Freelander was "humming" from the rear. He told me..... "It could be as simple as a wheel bearing. However, it could be the rear diff, as they are known for that. Alternatively, it could be the 'I.R.D' (I think it stands for Intermediate Reduction Drive - or something like that). If the I.R.D is at fault, this in turn will make the rear diff fail. If you replace the diff and not the I.R.D, the diff will last probably 12 months, before it needs doing again. If the I.R.D does need replacement, then the bill could be up to £1200.00. However, we'd really need to see and listen to / drive the vehicle before we made a diagnosis." I'm going to book the car in with them for them to have a look at. If the car does need £1200.00 worth of work, is it really worth spending it on an 11 year old Freelander, which is probably worth £1700.00 as it stands ? Oh dear .... not sure what to do now !