Freelander 1 Freelander 1.8 few questions- newbie so be gentle

Hello Troops. Introduction first.
My name is Lukas and last week I have aquired a 2000 freelander 5 door 1.8 petrol. Swapped it for my 2005 megane CC. Never had a 4x4 before and I am quite chuffed with it. My first land rover as well( yes I know that it's not a " real " land rover) but I like it. Car is in fairly good condition with not much rust on bodywork. Dry inside. It came with freshly changed headgasket and with only 2 wheel drive(which I am not bother fixing). Nice 5 door for growing family, dog and few bikes. It have its problems. But with only 80k and 12 moths MOT it's quite smart and well looked after. Have been looking on forum for answers but sometimes there is no single answer. So be gentle for newbie.
Few questions as follow:
Front window drivers mech have been attempted fixing with new runners and motor. Unfortunately someone botched it and it does not work. How easy it to replace cables and motor?
It does not have a low fuel light. I have opened a wee flap under rear seats and there is four cables going out from fuel pump with square fitting plug. I know that early models did not have reserve light facility but with four wires Ithink there is possibility to fit one. Bulb is in the dash which is even weirder.
Lastly it have an oil leak from somewhere on a drivers side of engine bay. I could not get free ramp today at my mates garage so unable to identify exactly from where.
I love it so far. It does run a bit rough on idle but i think service and clean will cure it nicely.
Hope my tread is not to boring and to long. Good to be in here. Been browsing forum for some time now but nice to drop in and introduce myself. Will try to get some pics in intro section.
Happy offroading and greatings from Scotland.

HI Lukas where are you in Scotland. I'm near Dumfries and both my wife and myself have the 3 door 1.8 facelift.

Hello. I'm near Edinburgh. Livingston. Been in Dumfries a long time ago camping.
I like 3 door but having family and mini convertible force 5 door choice. Never had a "jeep" like car and this is my first one. Great, roomy and high up on the road. Came with small problems but it's a 16 year old car so no bad.

oil leak: external oil leaks could be a number of things. It could be the cam cover gasket. It could be the cam shaft oil seals - a bit fiddly but easy enough to change. If it is the cam seals you will have to do the 4 of them [2 at either end]. If the oil has contaminated the cam belt you will most likely need to replace that as well - probably should replace the tensioner at the same time.

Freelander is a propper landrover. If yer want yer own ramps search for HippoRamps (TM)

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/hipporamps-how-to-guide.257760/


EGR3kqR

Thanks guys for help.
My mate running a garage so i can get access to a two post lifting ramp and other tools. Seen hippo ramps somewhere before.
Love my wee Landy. I think it's great. Fits all our bikes and wee man and a dog. That's enough for me. A little tweeks and will run like new.

Get the cambelt,water pump and tensioner changed unless you have history to say already done, it really should have been done with the HG but you need to be certain.
Rough idle could be the idle control valve and sometimes a squirt of something into it will sort the problem, I used WD40. I'm sure others will frown on that but it worked for me.
Could also just be electrics, the older K series had a distributor cap and rotor arm so probably the first place to look.
At that mileage I'd be surprised if the IRD had been damaged by an over tight VCU. It's probably more likely the support bearings failed and the previous owner just removed the prop shaft rather than fixing them. You could put it back to 4wd with a 2nd hand prop shaft but if doing that make sure you replace the VCU and support bearings. The car will handle MUCH better with 4wd as the K series Freelanders have chronic understeer and wheel spin in 2wd, the diesels are more forgiving.
Window regulators in Freelanders are a bad joke unfortunately. I suspect the PO tried to replace the wiring and kept the runners and motor. I tried that once in a front window and it failed within a week. Much better to keep the motor and just replace the mechanism although it can be a bit of a pig fitting the motor. I've done it a few times now and it seems to depend on how well the new regulator has been built as to how hard it is to get the motor in. The white toothed gear has to be perfectly centred for the motor to go in easily and that isn't always the case. If in doubt replace the whole thing, ebay is full of them as they fail so often.
Other than the normal stupid issues which you now know a few of Freelanders are great car and really nice to drive.
Good luck with it

Thanks again.
That's why is nice to get sign up to these kind of things. You can be pointed in the right direction and show things that no dealer or garage will.
Hope my luck will stay with me for time I keep my Landy. I do not get that people moaning at Freelanders. I think it's great...even with it's problems. Nothing I can't sort out myself. As far of I have seen they are great off roaders for beginners. Much videos online and real peoples reviews.