96 4.6 Clunk slowing down when autobox shofts from 2nd to first

Just driven home from work, slowing down once on the estate, change down from 2nd to 1st noticed a clunk. Took it a bit further around the estate only does it some times, and only going down the box from 2nd to 1st. Any ideas?

Can't feel any slack in the props etc, can't feel any play in the drive when switching from
D to R either.

Going to do a filter change on the autobox, transfer box and diffs tomorrow and see if I can find anything nasty in the fluids.

Why not put a bottle of Lucas Transmission fix in G/B when changing fluid/filter? works wonders for old sticky bits in box, about £15 on the bay

Cheers Druim will give it a try, I see it has had good reviews.

I am a sure the autobox has been out before I think, I had bell housing bolts missing and loose when I came to get the engine out last year. Fingers crossed it just needs a filter change or its some slack somwhere else.

Always check the ATF level, its just above the top hole, too much. when cold and shifted through the gears. Looks clean though.

cljcars said:

Cheers Druim will give it a try, I see it has had good reviews.

I am a sure the autobox has been out before I think, I had bell housing bolts missing and loose when I came to get the engine out last year. Fingers crossed it just needs a filter change or its some slack somwhere else.

Always check the ATF level, its just above the top hole, too much. when cold and shifted through the gears. Looks clean though.

Click to expand...

Mine does that, I think it's just general play in the transmission, transfer box chain, diffs etc. I can't find anything specific

cljcars said:

Cheers Druim will give it a try, I see it has had good reviews.

I am a sure the autobox has been out before I think, I had bell housing bolts missing and loose when I came to get the engine out last year. Fingers crossed it just needs a filter change or its some slack somwhere else.

Always check the ATF level, its just above the top hole, too much. when cold and shifted through the gears. Looks clean though.

Click to expand...

Well, lets hope someone haven't "forgotten" something else when it was out,
before i added the fix in a bottle i really thought the box was rubbish, but now smooth as silk, does take a while to fully kick in, 500 miles +, i've done 2K by now think i got full effect

Coming from an x5 with same G/B as the L322 this box is many times better now, and i bought the bimer new.(Complained to dealer with deaf ears - quite normal sir, best G/B in the world sealed for life - my a...) (Sorry for rant)

I have the dipstick to fill through and overfilled a little, won't recommend it - but mine is fine (Changing again soon with correct level & half a bottle of Lucas)

Update, changed diff oil, front was good, back still had some white Crap, water, from the dunking. This is the third drop of oil now. Did the front, then flush the back again. Transfer box had a little white in, but much better.

Dropped the autobox fluid next, checked all the bolts around the sump first to make sure it would come off. Atf dropped looked clean, but it did have a dark tint, and a small amount off grey coating on the base of the sump. Cleaned it all, changed the filter o-rings etc. Small amount of debris, minimal in the filter gauze. Filter torqs cap screw had been rounded, 3/3 drive on in with great push up managed to free it off. Seriously too dam tight, who the hell does these things?

Put it all back, filled to max, started and ran through the gears, checked level. Dissapeared from the dipstick, filled again ran and put in neutral to measure. Took quite a bit more to get the level when in neutral running.

Drive home, clunked once, then stopped, seems ok now.
Datatek, your right, I think the clunk comes from the slack in the drive train when the box drops down faster than it should, that's my theory anyway.

Will have to get some of that Lucas transmission stuff next and see how it performs.

Think I will do the rear diff again in a couple of weeks.

Its play in the transfer box somewhere, just got it up on the ramps, grabbed both output props when in neutral and found play. Doesn't do it when in park?

Is there a chain in there and tensioner I could change?

doesnt that tell you t/box is okay if play goes when gear box is in park ,the morse chain in box has no tensioner ,gear box will move when not in park

I thought that, but sound is definately comming from the transfer box, Found this vid on youtube, this is the same problem I have.

But doesnt give a diagnosis.

If autobox is in park you would think it would still do it?

Range Rover P38 Transfer Box Noises - YouTube

if slack goes when auto in park its not t/box ,does it clunk when you put it in d ,and into r then d

Yes I am mental. Put in on the ramp again.

It does it in park. All gears.

so you have quite a bit of play in t.box with gear box in park ,could be a few things in t/box althougth there is some from new ,theres no adjustments only replacements,quite an interesting box to pull in half

I am thinking its the chain because there is no whine or noise at all, the box shift to low easily and the VC seems to be working ok, not seized anyway.

Where is the best place to get a chain from?

try 01507343401 they used to build them for lr might have some in and might not but worth a try,chain has blue link to ensure its fitted right way round

Are you sure the rubber damper is ok on the end of the rear propshaft ?

Didn't notice a rubber damper?

Thanks for you help chaps, much appreciated.

Oh sorry the dse has a rubber damper at the rear prop where it bolts to the transfer box , would of thought the petrols have to , my mistake if not.

cljcars sorry mate damper is on rear front end of rear prop i presume yours has one,is it badly perrished. i knew there was one ,has been ages since i had a look underneath my car. rave dosen't show it.

The rear prop just bolts straight to the handbrake drum I think, the clunk comes from inside the transfer box. I have just drained another 3 litres of atf out of the autobox and put some lucas transmission fix in. I am thinking that the perhaps the autobox is downshifting roughly ocasionally causing the clank. It does it up the box from first to second when cold sometimes (no clunk just bit of a surge when shifting compared to normal smooth, being a bit critical, its just not as smooth as it should be)

Will see how it gets on.

Left work after dropping 3 litres out and refilling with Lucas stuff and new atf I had left 2 litres. Still got the surge after a few few 100 meters. Then got on the motorway, the final drive came on at lower speed, hmm. Came of the motorway and slowed down to a stop at the lights after 5 miles, waiting for the clunk, nothing! Drove around the estate, trying to induce the clunk. Nothing, already the shift up the gears has smoothed out from first to second. So far so good noticeably smoother shifting. Could it be this stuff has worked? Smoothing out the gear changes? Let's wait and see.