Freelander 1 2.0 DI - heavy vibration 1600 - 2000 rpm - more noticeable in 4th

Hello all, newbie to the forums here so Hi to all you good folk.

Ok, I am hoping someone can advise on an issue I am having.
Freelander 1, 1999 208k Km on it. (just obtained it) (I am a brit in Portugal - so car is (body wise) like new - no salt on roads. No corrosion anywhere at all - even suspension arms etc.
Anyway - mechanically - that is a different thing.
The problem I am having is with a heavy vibration between 1600 and 2000 rpm especially noticeable in 4th gear - for example - when driving on a country road at around 45 - 65 KmH. Below 1500 the thing is fine and pulls clean - above 2000 rpm it is quiet and pulls smoothly.
Drive shafts seem ok, as do all mounts. This is not a gear lever rattle (as per the issue with the damper needing cutting to change the harmonic resonance) - it is more as if you were in too high a gear in a 'normal' vehicle.
I have read other reports of this on the net, but never seen an answer for the FL1, there are reports of the same issue on FL2 models that were cured by a new clutch ?? - I must confess, I find it hard to see how a clutch could cause this - but hey..
Due to an issue with IRD - (I was aware of this when I bought it) - it has had a recon IRD and vcu fitted - no change to vibration. Also, with vcu disconnected - no change.
Gearbox oil is clean (I think - needs checking!) - am not at this stage suspecting gearbox - but ...... ??? - engine generally seems absolutely fine.

Am considering a fuelling issue ? - would this be logical ? - turbo is clean - no oil issues or blue exhaust - (exhaust is clean - no blue white or black etc).
It is as if the engine is really labouring at this one point and can be felt through the whole car (and heard!) - but again, below 1600 and above 2000 it is fine. It seems to be right at the point that the engine is starting to deliver max torque (I believe that is at 2000 rpm ?)

It is in for a full general service at the mo. - new cambelt kit and diesel pump drive belt kit. (as history is unknown)

Any clues or ideas / tests that I can do or pass on would be gratefully received.
Joe

Hello Joe iv got the same car, I would check your driveshafts and also check your engine mounts, if you are confident your vcu is fine, im not sure much about if your VCU is on its way out it might give a vibration under strain but sure someone else with advise on that.

Engine mounts The one that people tell you doesnt break gearbox side was a culprite on mine changed a few weeks ago, the engine was flexing bush had completly torn rubber and was giving some vibration.

Also check the other side theres a top and bottom tie rod which are stabilizer bars just done that today the car seems to have less vibration on the power, i find if you drive it low in the revs through the gears you get alot of vibration but when its over 2k rpm seems alot better. I would suggest checking the above first before looking at a clutch.

Also are you running with the MAF connected I have removed the plug on mine and it runs alot better even tried a new maf and took it back after driving it for a few hours to see it was better but not as good as with the plug disconnected.

My cars well over 200k miles now so if you have any other issues let me know

Hi and many thanks for the reply. I have visually checked the mountings and they seem ok, however, when the cambelt(s) are changed, I will remove all mountings and check them off the car.
It is interesting that you also report vibration below 2000 rpm ? - I have driven other 2.0 L series and not had this issue. Mine really only seems noticeable in 4th, however, there is a heck of a change in ratio between 3rd and 4th. Surely one should not have to be changing up to 3rd gear if the revs in 4th are just below 2000 ?, - the speeds quoted are more or less between 30 and 40 mph in 4th gear - I would expect the diesel (with a peak torque at 2k) engine to be perfectly happy at that. how would you describe the vibration you have please ? - a light vibration or a heavy one felt through the car ? - mine is so bad you can feel it through the seats ....

My IRD and VCU have just been replaced - along with VCU bearings. The issue is the same with or without vcu and propshafts so that can rule out the middle section of the drive train.
I did consider the egr valve but checked this by removing it to check it was closing properly - it is - so I disconnected the solenoid control for the egr to stop it opening - no difference at all and, AFAIK, the MAF sensor on this model does absolutely nothing apart from control the egr. That test should have ruled out the MAF and EGR.

i would say its your driveshafts mine are due changing i have been doing other stuff as they are not that bad, I might have a search about driveshafts on here theres probably someone with the same issue fixed

mine is better but still if I am in 4th low revs it does vibrate through the car not really bad but il change into third it seems happier plodding along in third under 40

if you work it out let me know

Thanks again, I will certainly look at the drive shafts. I have asked for all CV joints / shafts etc to be checked during the service.
Out of interest ? how long have you had the vehicle ? and has it always been like that ?
It would also be interesting to try another MAP sensor as this IS used extensively for fuelling both normally aspirated and when boosted.
I will also check the waste gate on the turbo. It seems to be an issue as the turbo is kicking in, however, that could be the proverbial red herring as high torque at lower revs could trigger any small vibration into a larger one ..... Of the few reports of this I can find on the net, a couple mention that removing boost removes the issue (although obviously with hugely reduced power) - one would expect if it was a situation where one was asking too much of the power unit causing the vibration that without boost it would be actually worse or simply not be able to rev at that point. Very strange. - but that is simply hearsay at this stage.

I am, I must confess, a little bit concerned about the gearbox as 4th gear is overdriven on these boxes - as opposed to a 'normal' vehicle using a 1:1 coupling of the mainshaft in 4th and only overdriving in 5th. I am wondering if the issue could be in the gearbox ..... (I hope not - yikes!)
A head scratcher indeed

freelander1xdi said:

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/freelander-1-vibration-got-me-baffled.230569/#post-2649516

Click to expand...

Thanks, yes I have seen that. That sounds like his IRD / gearbox has a big issue as the problem was exacerbated by adding the drive to the rear wheels.
It makes no difference with 2wd or 4wd here... I suppose if it is the 'box' then the repair should be reasonably straight forward as it would be bearings and not gears. Labour rates are pretty cheap here.... however, that is me being totally negative lol ;-) - darn annoying though..

Need to drop the gearbox oil and take a look for excessive metallic particles etc....
Unless of course - all owners of same vehicle say that theirs have always been like that....
Maybe the 2 others I drove were exceptions and not the norm lol

freelander1xdi said:

.

Also are you running with the MAF connected I have removed the plug on mine and it runs alot better even tried a new maf and took it back after driving it for a few hours to see it was better but not as good as with the plug disconnected.

Click to expand...

Just a point, looking at the quote above, as a suggestion - I would guess you may have a slight EGR issue - (the MAF only controls the EGR on the L Series) Possibly sticky valve. on the EGR - you could actually remove the egr altogether - (its 2 blanking plates and a water pipe connector and a vacuum plug) - you then can disconnect the MAF and the EGR solenoid..
When you unplugged the MAF, what would have happened would be that the egr would have remained 'off' - non recirculating. That was almost certainly your slight improvement. Not a MAF issue as such - just the action of unplugging MAF causing improvement points to an EGR issue (especially as you tried a second MAF) - Worth considering. (this only applies to L Series!) . I dont think there is a freelander left in Portugal with the EGR fitted lol - (apart from mine) - and that will not be there for long.
Joe

When I first got my L Series 5 years ago I had the same sort of issue. Engine was/is standard (eg it still has the EGR) and when I got it it was on about 100K km. I found it mainly when slowing down and then accelerating away - eg going round corners. I would go to pull away and the car would really struggle and judder. I'd have to change to a lower gear than the 1 I thought I should be in - it was around the 1,500 RPM range.

I just got used to using a lower gear. A couple of years later there was a discussion on here about the L Series pulling away and I mentioned this and people said it should be able to pull from 1,000 no problems. I then tried to reproduce my original symptoms and I couldn't! I hadn't done anything to the engine/clutch/box - it just appeared to change its behaviour - although I had removed a crown/pinion gear in the IRD to remove drive to the back. I don't know if maybe servicing had done something (eg air filter) or whether my driving style had just adapted to the L Series Freelander - but it was strange.

I can pull from 1,000 rpm now - but not quickly! I also got a boat (4m) a couple of years ago, I've towed it around the Marlborough Sounds here in NZ which is very hilly & twisty - the bends just seem to merge into one-and-other with hardly any straight bits!. Other than the very tight (10-15kmh) corners, its hardly worth using the gearbox - stick it in 3rd and drive!

Hi GrumpyGel ;-) .. yes, it is weird isn't it.. strange beasts these freebies...
Well, I have a small update - not saying it IS the issue, but it could certainly be.
Decided to remove the power unit (engine / box) and take a good look..
Clutch is totally 'Captain Cooked' (as they may say in London ........ )

Engine crankshaft flywheel end oil seal leaking oil over clutch - definitely needs replacing. !/ - blue scorch marks on flywheel and clutch cover / plate from slipping. !

Also replacing RF drive shaft, AR Bar bushes, drop-link bushes, front struts... clutch actuator unit complete - . and quite a few other things - (not specifically for this reason - simply because they are due.)

So, will report back - but it WOULD seem clutch is a possible major culprit here.......

the 'Thot Plickens'

Deep joy...................................................



Best regards

Joe