Freelander 1 TD4 Sport new/recon VCU Now leaking!!

Hi

I am a first time owner of a Freelander TD4. I went for this because it had the BMW engine and I thought it would be a safe bet

1st problem...................

I have just had a full service and the VCU replaced today at 78k with a Recon unit and now there is an oil leak at the prop joint nearest the engine (sorry I am not really mechanically minded) It has a sort of small rubber gaiter around it and the oil is seeping from the bottom of the unit (not from the gaiter) and it has thrown oil all over the exhaust and back the length of the car. I am taking it back tomorrow but just want to know if it is going to do damage driving it like this? And what is the likely problem? I have just paid £900 for all this and to be honest am less than happy the leak was 100% not there before!!

2nd problem...................

There is an inline filter I can see through the drivers side front wheel arch that is connected one side but not the other!! It doesn't seem to be leaking but just wondering if this is normal?

3rd problem.....................

The heated screen only seems to clear a very small strip in the middle of the screen.......Any advice?

4th and final problem (for now)................

Where can I buy the engine cowling, rubbers and bolts from?

Thanks in advance

Mike

2nd problem is the EGR breather filter, it should be free to air.
Sorry I can't help with others ;-)
Mick

Thanks Mick one down 3 to go

Hi , 1 sounds like IRD/PROP oil seal at least , would not drive too far or at speed until its sorted 2 is the turbo solenoid vent filter , air is drawn in the open end , change if dirty 4 from a breakers or e bay L R dealers will cost

Brilliant thanks for the help.

Mike

£900 for a full service and recon VCU swap? Bloody heck!!! Recon VCU is about £300 including good quality bearings (god, I'm sounding like a stuck record tonight!!) and an hour to swap over for an amateur on a driveway! Have you got receipts to say where the recon VCU came from? There's a lot of dodgy peeps out there who just clean up old ones and sell them as recon... Bells are good, and they're who most people use. If it's not had decent support bearings (GKN are the OE spec) then they will fail within a few months again. At that price I'd really ask where it all came from! You could have bought a new one for that and also high quality service items and had lots of change after the labour. What else did they do in the service, or what other parts were replaced?

I think they quoted 3.5hrs labour for the VCU and bearings @ £40 per hour then there was a 10 year service @ 2hrs labour they told me that the VCU was Bearmach or something like that it was priced at £325+vat Is there a way of telling if it is a good one?

I have just been to see them ref the leaking oil fro the front and they said a gaiter had split on the propshaft at the front. First of all they told me they had a 2nd hand propshaft they could fit but I said I didn't want that and it would have to be a new one. I also said I didn't expect a bill!! I did ask if it was not just a case of renewing the gaiter to which the girl said no it needs a full propshaft.

When I got up there to collect a courtesy car miraculously they have sourced a gaiter that will fit and sort the problem.

Does this all sound a little suspect? Does it actually need a full prop? Will this gaiter not just fill with oil? Is that normal? I thought gaiters protected grease rather than oil!!!!!!

mikey7985 said:

I think they quoted 3.5hrs labour for the VCU and bearings @ £40 per hour then there was a 10 year service @ 2hrs labour they told me that the VCU was Bearmach or something like that it was priced at £325+vat Is there a way of telling if it is a good one?

I have just been to see them ref the leaking oil fro the front and they said a gaiter had split on the propshaft at the front. First of all they told me they had a 2nd hand propshaft they could fit but I said I didn't want that and it would have to be a new one. I also said I didn't expect a bill!! I did ask if it was not just a case of renewing the gaiter to which the girl said no it needs a full propshaft.

When I got up there to collect a courtesy car miraculously they have sourced a gaiter that will fit and sort the problem.

Does this all sound a little suspect? Does it actually need a full prop? Will this gaiter not just fill with oil? Is that normal? I thought gaiters protected grease rather than oil!!!!!!

Click to expand...

There are a couple of things that aren't correct.
The price for the VCU was way to much for a recon unit so could be new but I don't know what make Bearmach sell.
There is absolutely no way in hell that changing the VCU is a 3.5 hour job!! It's an hour tops to a diyer at home.
The gaiter on the end of the prop was likely damaged because the garage tugged at the shaft getting the VCU off. It's an easy mistake if you aren't careful.
The gaiter is available as a spare part for around £40.
The gaiter covering the joint was full of CV joint grease but over time the grease turns to liquid allowing it to run out if the gaiter splits.

Great!! is there any way I can tell just by looking at the bearings an VCU if they are good ones?

The Labour charges were as follows :-

Service (120 month) - 3hrs = £120

Wheel alignment inc freeing off bolts and greasing - 2.5hrs = £76

Replace VCU & Bearings - 2.5hrs = £100

The Parts were charged as follows :-


Cleaners and Lubes - £5

Enviro Charge - £5

500ml screenwash - £2.87

Engine Oil 5/30 - £25.50

VCU - £325

Oil filter - £4.13

Pollen Filter - £12

Fuel Filter - £8.29

Air Filter - £13.95

Filter?? - £2.46

Prop Bearings - £30.06

The VAT :-

£148.05


So is the general opinion I have been ripped off?

Thinking back I am sure when I looked at the VCU after it had been changed half of it looked new and half looked like it was old!! Is it possible to split that unit? Could they be using some of my old parts to build up a unit?

who did you buy it from?

Yes they could have used the old balancer part, which is not a problem AFAIK. Bad news is that the £30 support bearings won't last long, they must be GKN which are about £45-50 each. That's the general consensus. Bearmach do bearings (not that good either but better than Britpart's bearings which should be avoided at all costs) but I didn't think they did VCUs?? Took me an hour to swap all parts on my drive last week without ramps etc, and took me less when I had a pit. Mine had replacement bearings before I bought it not long ago and they were falling apart on the rubber and graunchy. They were not GKNs...

I put it in to a local LR specialist in N Wales to do the work.

Ok so should I just keep an eye on the bearings? Will they start to make obvious noises or just look in poor shape?

so you dont know where the VCU came from. Speak to Austen.

No idea they said they only use Bearmach parts. Austen??

Austens company (Bell) does good quality refurbed VCUs. he is a member on here.

You think he might be able to tell if it is a decent setup just by looking at it??

Thanks for the help

take some photos, and PM Austen and ask.

Thanks for all your help I really appreciate it. I think I might have to start doing my own work in future!!!!!!!!

Hello , you will learn as you go along on the freelander, garages arnt cheap , and its finding one you can trust , I have not found one yet one filter they have missed is the crankcase breather , its important on the td4 , but gets left , most on here have changed to the BMW plastic oil separator mod , take it back , for all that cash it should have been done !