Gearbox/Transmission Issues

Hi All,
I've just got myself a V Reg (1999) Freelander 1.8 K-Series.
I know these are by no means a "REAL" 4x4, so hold off on the jokes and mocking.

Anyway, i got the car extremely cheap because of a transmission issue, some things you should probably take into account.

1. The HDC Switch on the Gearstick is jammed, but below it the wires have been cut, i assume to force diss-engage it.
2. The HDC Error Light (Hill with a !) is permanently on (Orange).
3. The prop has been removed already.
4. Apparently has just had a new clutch to try and remedy this, but it didn't work.

Symptoms:
Put the car in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th and release the clutch with the engine running and it does NOTHING at all, no sound difference, no crunching or grinding etc.
Put it into reverse and you hear a scraping noise, doesn't sound serious but in reality sounds like a noisy thrust bearing.

Is there a common cause to these cars? Can i take the gearbox from a 1.8 K-Series car? MG ZS/ZR/75/ZT etc?

Someone help me sort this thing out, The only solution i can find so far is a can of petrol and a match! lol

GHanson2009 said:

I know these are by no means a "REAL" 4x4

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Good luck with getting any help in the Freelander section

Freelaner said:

Good luck with getting any help in the Freelander section

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It was more pointed at the 1.8 K-Series bit, Really not the best choice of engines for the Freelander, I've had a few and none of them have been brilliant lol

I've also got a DI L-Series which is much MUCH more suited to running the 4x4/freelander.

Anyway... Advice is much needed here! to prevent a freelander from meeting an early demise.

GHanson2009 said:

It was more pointed at the 1.8 K-Series bit, Really not the best choice of engines for the Freelander, I've had a few and none of them have been brilliant lol

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i have a k-series and agree that the l-series is better but the k is a fantastic engine

could be anything from torn clutch centre to bust diff or cv or buggered box

or the clutch slave cylinder has parted company with it's mount?

Freelaner said:

or the clutch slave cylinder has parted company with it's mount?

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Wouldn't explain why i get a reaction in reverse but not other gears.

jamesmartin said:

could be anything from torn clutch centre to bust diff or cv or buggered box

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I guessed as much, Not really an explaination of common issues I was looking for other peoples experiences, im quite the mechanic so am fully aware of what it could be, would be handy to know where to start looking.

never had any clutch issues

i've no idea


listen to JM if he can't narrow it down no-one can

GHanson2009 said:

Wouldn't explain why i get a reaction in reverse but not other gears.



I guessed as much, Not really an explaination of common issues I was looking for other peoples experiences, im quite the mechanic so am fully aware of what it could be, would be handy to know where to start looking.

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would need more info ,g/box isnt generally a big issue but obviously could be ,but without rear drive a bust cv would loose drive reverse may give more noise as against direction of damage ,you could start by eliminating things by jacking wheels up one turning the other would rule out diff or cv etc

Thats whilst it is NOT in gear/running right? if the diff is gone the opposite wheel wont budge yes?

Apparently the garage who did the clutch told the guy i got it off that if it had its prop fitted it would work fine, not sure how that can be true :S but ive got a prop here somewhere i could try if absolutely required.

And would the box from a car fit? I'm an MG Breaker so could easily put my hands on a gearbox from a ZR/ZS etc if needed.

no put it in gear engine off ,if you turn one wheel other or box has to turn if connected through a diff the other wheel will turn in opposite direction ,if fitting rear prop would give drive then g/box wouldnt be issue but diff in ird or cv etc

a fwd pg1 gearbox is different to freelander pg1 gearbox

the rh part of the bellhousing is machined differently to accept the IRD unit and will not take the rh driveshaft seal.

also i think the gearing ratios are different too.

How about the Diff? Could i take one from a car's box and fit it to the PG1 in the freelander?

Will try the wheel trick in the morning. Thats much easier than fitting the prop

the front diff is in the IRD unit

So in reality, if the end of the IRD Shaft is the same as a driveshaft i could use the internals of a car gearbox to rectify the issue if its gearbox related? OR could i remove the IRD/Gearbox etc and rebuild it using the driveshafts from a different car making it permanent FWD?

the passenger side driveshaft goes directly into the gearbox, the driver side goes into the IRD!

some internal parts may be interchangeable but may alter the gearing.

a second hand freelander g/box is about £50

if you remove the g/box and IRD in an attempt to turn it into permanent 4x4 with bits from another make you may as well go the whole hog and put the freelander on a disco chassis as this would be easier to do

talk tomoz mate i'm up at daft o'clock nite

I don't see why it would be massively difficult.

The freelander is esentially a huge Rover 75/MG ZT which i have several of in stock, These use a PG1 gearbox in the K-Series form, Which look exactly the same as the freelander boxes, What i am proposing is simply throwing the rubish IRD Setup in the bin and replace it with a driveshaft, surely it wouldn't be hard to work that?

The ZT V6, or TD4 (CDTI) use a half-shaft type setup which i think could be used as an IRD-Replacement.

The only issue i can potentially see is that the driveshaft maybe hard to source/have made.The rear axel i guess would need to stay as-is unless there is a 2WD Version i could use to replace it to save on weight.

It doesn't have a rear axel, it uses drive shafts on the back aswel mate. They come from the diff to each wheel station.

Why not just strip it and try what you are planning? All the advice you have been given and you still want to go ahead anyway, go for it and post the results.