Freelander 1 TD4 Stuck in Gear, clutch or gearbox?

So i'm kind of on the lookout for a freelander while I do some work on my series 3. I want something I can buy cheap (blown head gasket/clutch gone/owner given up) do the work on and sell on for a small profit to help pay for my series.

I'm looking at a TD4 which is described as stuck in gear. It has a had a sold mass flywheel fitted. Ive read of some similar faults, but as usual, no one comes back and gives the remedy. So it was described as going into reverse gear but then getting stuck in gear, engine switched off, got it out of gear, switched engine back on and drove to a friends house using all the gears ok. Friend drove it no problem and then after a while the same thing happened.

I'm thinking either a selector forks or gear linkage?

thoughts and feelings great masses of hippo drivers?
(P.s I'm really worried about buying this freelander as I love the looks and might liek it more than my series :O)

there have been reports of linkage my wife had it on her 1800 but after greasing the joints it went away.

monkfish24 said:

So i'm kind of on the lookout for a freelander while I do some work on my series 3. I want something I can buy cheap (blown head gasket/clutch gone/owner given up) do the work on and sell on for a small profit to help pay for my series.

I'm looking at a TD4 which is described as stuck in gear. It has a had a sold mass flywheel fitted. Ive read of some similar faults, but as usual, no one comes back and gives the remedy. So it was described as going into reverse gear but then getting stuck in gear, engine switched off, got it out of gear, switched engine back on and drove to a friends house using all the gears ok. Friend drove it no problem and then after a while the same thing happened.

I'm thinking either a selector forks or gear linkage?

thoughts and feelings great masses of hippo drivers?
(P.s I'm really worried about buying this freelander as I love the looks and might liek it more than my series :O)

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Of course you'll like it more than the Series silly. It's a better car in every way.
As for making money from it I've done that once. Bought a car with suspected HGF, sorted a few niggles and drove it for a couple of months with no sign of a blown HG. Sold it and made £350 so it can be done if your lucky. Your TD4 would need to be very cheap, just in case you're not that lucky, the owner has probably already got quotes for the work and they're more than it's worth.

Alibro said:

Of course you'll like it more than the Series silly. It's a better car in every way.
As for making money from it I've done that once. Bought a car with suspected HGF, sorted a few niggles and drove it for a couple of months with no sign of a blown HG. Sold it and made £350 so it can be done if your lucky. Your TD4 would need to be very cheap, just in case you're not that lucky, the owner has probably already got quotes for the work and they're more than it's worth.

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Ha ha, it's got a few benefits over the series!

Just like you, i think, I can do all the work myself, so save myself all the labour.

It's winter, i live in a rural area, so I think I'm hitting the mark on vehicle choice. Just like you, i want something to run around in for a month or two.

monkfish24 said:

So i'm kind of on the lookout for a freelander while I do some work on my series 3. I want something I can buy cheap (blown head gasket/clutch gone/owner given up) do the work on and sell on for a small profit to help pay for my series.

I'm looking at a TD4 which is described as stuck in gear. It has a had a sold mass flywheel fitted. Ive read of some similar faults, but as usual, no one comes back and gives the remedy. So it was described as going into reverse gear but then getting stuck in gear, engine switched off, got it out of gear, switched engine back on and drove to a friends house using all the gears ok. Friend drove it no problem and then after a while the same thing happened.

I'm thinking either a selector forks or gear linkage?

thoughts and feelings great masses of hippo drivers?
(P.s I'm really worried about buying this freelander as I love the looks and might liek it more than my series :O)

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Is it only reverse ? (ps - whats the 'yott' you are 'driving' )

Joe_H said:

Is it only reverse ? (ps - whats the 'yott' you are 'driving' )

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It seems to be only reverse from what I can gather from the seller.

The yott is a rather small 148ft carbon fibre cruiser racer built by Wally yachts called "Saudade". I used to be the sole engineer on board. Nowadays I work on a rather more sedate 112ft Baltic called "Nilaya", still as the engineer. Are you into sailing too?

Hi Monkfish.
Does it locate reverse ok with engine off - ie : - engages and disengages ? - if so unlikely to be linkage issues. (but certainly worth checking)
I am wondering if there is a very slight clutch drag. The Change to SMF from a DMF would indicate a past issue.
Is there any evidence of difficulty ENGAGING reverse (which may point to clutch drag) or is it only disengaging which would seem to rule out clutch issues
As Ali says, the PO must have an idea of what is wrong - however, this could work in your favour as you could bid him in the nuts and expect to fit a s/h box as a worst case. (on top of all the other fl and tf4 issues )

Might be a good buy if you can get it for peanuts. bid him in the nadgers .....

As for the 'yott' - very very nice - bit bigger than I am used to though - Bet it is a beauty to sail !. - are you on board full time.
Would have preferred that size across Biscay (actually we had a really good crossing a steady SE 5- out of the blue - in October as well..

Just moved ashore a few years ago after 10 years full time live aboard dossing about Europe on our 34 foot ketch...
Better than working
The 'port' on the transom is probably well known to you. I was brought up there (or dragged up some may so)
Here's our ex 'home'

Joe

Many thanks for the pointers. It's all fixable so I will keep my eye on it and try and get hold of it this weekend. I don't want to keep bombarding him with questions as I've already asked loads.

It seems as though he has had never had an issue with the gear selection until this point.

What would you call peanuts? It's an 04 TD4 commercial with 116K on the clock and MOT til September next year! I want to drive it for a few months and still make a profit.

It's got MOT so I'm hoping I may be able to insure it, tax it then jam it in third and get it home the 70 odd miles.

Your boat looks very nice! My kind of boat, well kitted for cruising and a nice cockpit as a sun trap! I'm much more of a fan of smaller yachts than these large ones! I have a 26ft with my dad in Plymouth.

I'm ashamed to admit I don't know the port! Can I have a clue please?

monkfish24 said:

Many thanks for the pointers. It's all fixable so I will keep my eye on it and try and get hold of it this weekend. I don't want to keep bombarding him with questions as I've already asked loads.

It seems as though he has had never had an issue with the gear selection until this point.

It's got MOT so I'm hoping I may be able to insure it, tax it then jam it in third and get it home the 70 odd miles.

Your boat looks very nice! My kind of boat, well kitted for cruising and a nice cockpit as a sun trap! I'm much more of a fan of smaller yachts than these large ones! I have a 26ft with my dad in Plymouth.

I'm ashamed to admit I don't know the port! Can I have a clue please?

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St Mary's Isles of Scilly -off the pointy bit where you are located lol.....
Yes, she is a lovely yott. a Seastream 34 (Ian Anderson design) Hull was originally designed as a pure Fastnet racer (sloop rigged) in the mid 70's called an 'offshore 34' . http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=4868.
Seastream yachts in Hamble bought the rights to the hull and Anderson added a pilot house and ketch rig. This became the Seastream 34 (ours was No. 17) http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=4318
As you can imagine - with that hull she sailed like a witch !.. It was wicked to see a pilot house ketch burying the lee rail and blowing away modern lightweight 'cruiser racers'
In the seastream 34 data above (some of the details are incorrect as she was fitted with a merc om636 - they all were) - but the one on the pic on that site is actually our very boat - in 1979 !.

Anderson is the designer of the Hurley, bowman, countess etc. Nice boat...

monkfish24 said:

What would you call peanuts? It's an 04 TD4 commercial with 116K on the clock and MOT til September next year! I want to drive it for a few months and still make a profit.

It's got MOT so I'm hoping I may be able to insure it, tax it then jam it in third and get it home the 70 odd miles.

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For uk prices I am not the one to ask, @Alibro seems to trade in them or is a masochist
I am sure Ali or others will give you a good valuation. The commercial reduces value as well - I would have thought about 300 or 400 but I am well out of touch with uk rates.

Joe_H said:

St Mary's Isles of Scilly -off the pointy bit where you are located lol.....
Yes, she is a lovely yott. a Seastream 34 (Ian Anderson design) Hull was originally designed as a pure Fastnet racer (sloop rigged) in the mid 70's called an 'offshore 34' . http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=4868.
Seastream yachts in Hamble bought the rights to the hull and Anderson added a pilot house and ketch rig. This became the Seastream 34 (ours was No. 17) http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=4318
As you can imagine - with that hull she sailed like a witch !.. It was wicked to see a pilot house ketch burying the lee rail and blowing away modern lightweight 'cruiser racers'
In the seastream 34 data above (some of the details are incorrect as she was fitted with a merc om636 - they all were) - but the one on the pic on that site is actually our very boat - in 1979 !.

Anderson is the designer of the Hurley, bowman, countess etc. Nice boat...

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I have to admit to not having been there! it's on my list of places to go, me and the old man keep saying we'll sail there but never do, maybe this year will change that!
That's interesting, my dad is looking at moving to something around the 30ft mark, i'm trying to convince him to go towards a pilot house boat as he get's older/wants to cruise further. That coupled with something designed for quick offshore work would go down nicely!

It's always nice seeing your boat as the centre piece, especially when it's a photo from long ago! At first thoughts, i thought your boat was a Halberg Rassey.

Joe_H said:

For uk prices I am not the one to ask, @Alibro seems to trade in them or is a masochist
I am sure Ali or others will give you a good valuation. The commercial reduces value as well - I would have thought about 300 or 400 but I am well out of touch with uk rates.

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I'll PM you a link to just make sure my heart isn't ruling too much as I really quite like this FL even if it is to do up, drive and then sell on.

Over here an 04 TD4 commercial in good nick might be worth around £1500 but with gearbox issues I wouldn't pay more than £500.

monkfish24 said:

I have to admit to not having been there! it's on my list of places to go, me and the old man keep saying we'll sail there but never do, maybe this year will change that!
That's interesting, my dad is looking at moving to something around the 30ft mark, i'm trying to convince him to go towards a pilot house boat as he get's older/wants to cruise further. That coupled with something designed for quick offshore work would go down nicely!

It's always nice seeing your boat as the centre piece, especially when it's a photo from long ago! At first thoughts, i thought your boat was a Halberg Rassey.



I'll PM you a link to just make sure my heart isn't ruling too much as I really quite like this FL even if it is to do up, drive and then sell on.

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No worries,
Ref our yott ('Ruddles') - she is now for sale again. She has just had a full interior refit and all new upholstery. Recent new complete standing rigging and running rigging. Epoxy shield on hull which is in perfect condition (Hull built by Colvic to Lloyds A1) She has 6 grands worth of Jeckell's finest cruising sails, light air chute, storm gear etc. Has a brand spanking new Yanmar engine and box (fitted a few weeks ago). She has a top of the range raymarine autopilot with hand held wireless remote control so you can sit inside, watch the radar and steer with the push of a button. Also has two Lewmar electric primaries (never wired up!) - SSB - every damn thing. Just surveyed and valued.
It is a good friend of mine that has done the work and is selling her, he is - as we speak - heading back to the UK from Portugal to put her up for sale. She is also full category 'A' offshore rated.
If you want details PM me and I will give you his email address. I am sure you can come to some arrangement and a good price. Once you have sailed in a pilot house in the UK you will never want to be without it.
Joe.

Alibro said:

Over here an 04 TD4 commercial in good nick might be worth around £1500 but with gearbox issues I wouldn't pay more than £500.

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Many thanks Alibro, it is a bit of a no go anyway as Joe quite fairly pointed out that the whole transmission is goosed.

monkfish24 said:

Many thanks Alibro, it is a bit of a no go anyway as Joe quite fairly pointed out that the whole transmission is goosed.

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Just to clarify that - the prop assembly has been removed with the excuse that it has 'new bearings fitted but cannot be aligned'. - s'pose its better than the 'better on fuel' BS///.. it is not even vaguely mentioned on the ebay advert and the owner wants it towed away .... wouldnt touch it with a barge pole.!

Joe_H said:

No worries,
Ref our yott ('Ruddles') - she is now for sale again. She has just had a full interior refit and all new upholstery. Recent new completerstanding rigging and running rigging. Epoxy shield on hull which is in perfect condition (Hull built by Colvic to Lloyds A1) She has 6 grands worth of Jeckell's finest cruising sails, light air chute, storm gear etc. Has a brand spanking new Yanmar engine and box (fitted a few weeks ago). She has a top of the range raymarine autopilot with hand held wireless remote control so you can sit inside, watch the radar and steer with the push of a button. Also has two Lewmar electric primaries (never wired up!) - SSB - every damn thing. Just surveyed and valued.
It is a good friend of mine that has done the work and is selling her, he is - as we speak - heading back to the UK from Portugal to put her up for sale. She is also full category 'A' offshore rated.
If you want details PM me and I will give you his email address. I am sure you can come to some arrangement and a good price. Once you have sailed in a pilot house in the UK you will never want to be without it.
Joe.

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Unfortunately, as brilliant as that sounds, it must be way out of our budget!(although the budget is set by mother - for father so I'm sure I could always push that!)

I have found another to look at, needs head gasket, 4wd all intact, 03 plate serengheti? She says "engine removed" and "parts in the boot" so I'm assuming the head is off and in the boot?

monkfish24 said:

Unfortunately, as brilliant as that sounds, it must be way out of our budget!(although the budget is set by mother - for father so I'm sure I could always push that!)

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PM me - you may be very surprised at the price.