2004 D2 Auto Gearbox troubles

Hi all, thought I’d share what’s going on with my D2 to see if there’s anything I’m missing.

In June 22 I was travelling along at approx 60 mph when the transmission oil was suddenly dumped and the car lost drive in all gears. I got the car recovered to a local independent Land Rover specialist garage and was informed the the LH oil cooler pipe had failed. After a few weeks trying to source one without any luck the garage managed to get the pipe repaired at a specialist hydraulic company and refitted. The car worked fine for about a week and then I lost forward drive but still had reverse, I got the car back to the garage who informed me the the gearbox was fried which would have been caused in the initial failure.

After some soul searching (I love my D2) I decided to bite the bullet and they ordered and fitted a replacement reconditioned gearbox from Ashcroft. All was well for around 3 weeks when the oil was dumped again from the oil cooler pipe and the car is back at the garage. Having spent the best part of £2500 I am wondering what would cause the pipe to fail again. I am wondering whether if there was a problem with the cooler itself would that cause enough pressure for the pipe to fail, just trying to establish if there is anything else I should be looking at as clearly I’m getting to the point that I am spending more on the car than it’s worth. Thanks in advance.

You need to get a Freelander mate.

Or at least post in the Discovery section where you'll find others with oil up their elbows and rust covered overalls.

I would check oil cooler.

Mine dumped oil ages ago, was perished hose on mine.

Also failed about 1/2 mile from work so only fould out when reverse didn't.

Sympathies mate!
Hope to God you haven't fried the second gearbox.
The question is whether the pipe broke at the repair or elsewhere.
In the first case either the repair company are at fault or the garage didn't replace it properly on the car. So the expense should be down to them.
If it is another pipe then you are looking down the barrel of replacing both pipes to be on the safe side. Which will be expensive and it might be difficult to find them. I don't know I have never done it.
I have a horrible feeling there may be a place where the pipe(s) are chafing as the mess of pipes and wiring under a D2's bonnet is ridiculous and well worth spending time, removing the inspection panels in both wheel arches and looking around putting split garden hose and cable ties over places where rubbing could be taking place. I had a pinhole rub into a power steering hose as a result of it rubbing against the metal intercooler pipe. Which is how I know.

I think maltings can get both pipes new. Maybe chuck a new rad on as well in case it is at fault.
The thing is with these old discos is their not worth a lot, but what you going to do ?
Spend £10,000+ on something that costs £600 to tax?

Russell 1 said:

I think maltings can get both pipes new. Maybe chuck a new rad on as well in case it is at fault.
The thing is with these old discos is their not worth a lot, but what you going to do ?
Spend £10,000+ on something that costs £600 to tax?

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Had a look but the part number not showing as available, I think this is a discontinued item.

Pipes can always be made up by pipe companies. (I used to work for KS Pipeline supplies ltd.)
If you take the originals to use as a template and they can take the fittings off them and put them on the new ones.
If you were near Bournemouth/Poole you could use someone like this.
https://threadandpipe.co.uk/
I've used them, they are good!

Stanleysteamer said:

Pipes can always be made up by pipe companies. (I used to work for KS Pipeline supplies ltd.)
If you take the originals to use as a template and they can take the fittings off them and put them on the new ones.
If you were near Bournemouth/Poole you could use someone like this.
https://threadandpipe.co.uk/
I've used them, they are good!

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Thank you for the info, I will ask the garage, RCM 4X4 in York about this as an option.

Russward said:

Thank you for the info, I will ask the garage, RCM 4X4 in York about this as an option.

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If they don't know anyone who can do it they may well poo-poo this. but it is a possibility.
I'd do some research before asking the garage.
We kit car builders constantly have to make up runs of pipe for brakes and clutches. The kit to do it for Kunifer is cheap and easy to use. But this isn't quite the same.
You could do worse than look on sites like Practical Classics (if there is one) as peeps who restore old cars have to do this sort of thing. Let's face it, many of the vehicles we talk about on here are classics now!

Russward said:

After a few weeks trying to source one without any luck the garage managed to get the pipe repaired at a specialist hydraulic company and refitted.

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IMO that's the problem, you should buy a genuine LR pipe and flush the cooler to be on the safe side

sierrafery said:

IMO that's the problem, you should buy a genuine LR pipe and flush the cooler to be on the safe side

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A repaired pipe could be the problem especially if the "specialist" wasn't really one, but a new pipe made up as a whole should be as good as new, especially as they seem to be hard to get hold of. And I know they do cost a fortune. At least the ones for the power steering do.

Stanleysteamer said:

especially as they seem to be hard to get hold of. And I know they do cost a fortune.

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The market is full of them, just one example https://www.lrparts.net/ubp101610-d...pipe-right-hand-for-automatic-td5-diesel.html but if you google out the part numbers you'll get several hits and IMO for the sake of the geqrbox is not a fortune

sierrafery said:

The market is full of them, just one example https://www.lrparts.net/ubp101610-d...pipe-right-hand-for-automatic-td5-diesel.html but if you google out the part numbers you'll get several hits and IMO for the sake of the geqrbox is not a fortune

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"as they seem to be hard to get hold of."
I was going by what was posted earlier.
As you say, between £96 odd for a sh!tpart one and £146 for one that is "OEM" yes, not too bad.
Still stupid money for a coupla bits of pipe and a few swages.

Stanleysteamer said:

Still stupid money for a coupla bits of pipe and a few swages

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I agree ... albeit they should last for the vehicle's life unless it is hit

The problem is not the metal bit but the hoses between that and the cooler

MJI said:

The problem is not the metal bit but the hoses between that and the cooler

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Yep anything that flexes eventually wears!

Hydraulic hoses are silly money for some reason