New Freelander Project - Codename SNAKE

Haha thanks hippo, appreciate the words. I have already done a full oil change with 5w40 as specified, bled brakes and topped up with dot4 and replaced power steering fluid. Where is the apeture for the transmission fluid? It's a manual not an auto just so you know. Rear diff oil, that's an area I was concerned about. The rear diff looks greasy like it's had an oil leak bit there's seemingly no sign of one now but there is a lot of grey putty around the seal. I'm not sure of what diff oil to buy for it so a link would be great if they are permitted on this forum. Could you provide insite into the EGR blanking? I'm still searching for conclusive proof of what it means for my landy. From my knowledge i would rather have an EGR than not have one but I know each engine works differently and this is my first landy. Any advise welcome

EGRs are frequently removed on these engines - mostly to avoid the intake side gunging up with oily soot deposits, but also to remove a restriction from the intake system to improve both fuel economy and performance.

I gather the new MoT will require all original emissions control gear to be present and correct and visibly not modified.

Depending upon the thoroughness of your local MoT centre, you may be as well to think about refitting the EGR - but I doubt you'll notice much difference in the way that the car drives

Thanks for the info. Ive decided that to read more into VCU and IRD failures to make a decision about 2wd conversion.y landy. Has a constant whirring sound during driving that sounds a lot like a rusty seized brake disc kind of noise. I know it's frowned upon here but it's simply to save the landy now whilst I'm low on funds so I can buy new parts if necessary at a later date.

Any idea on a used EGR for cheap? EuroCP is astonishingly expensive even with a 35% discount code!

I bet the best place to find an EGR will be the bay of fleas - hopefully from someone who's removed one and fitted one of these blanking kits - and you could probably sell your blanking kit on!

I would tend to agree with the others regarding 2WD conversions of Freelanders. But as a way of looking after the transmission while you wait for finances recover to the point to fit a reconditioned or new VCU and service the IRD/ rear diff, I would think that is entirely acceptable. Just let your insurance company know of the temporary change.

As Rob said. The EGR is removed to stop the build up of crud inside the inlet manifold. The EGR is actually fitted to reduce NOX emissions, no other reason. What happens is at certain points in the driving cycle, the EDC (ECU) opens the EGR valve. This is normally when cruising, and other light to mid throttle occasions. However as a turbo diesel engine puts on miles, the turbo starts to introduce oil into the inlet tract. This oil gets burned by the hot exhaust gas passed into the inlet by the EGR valve. The resulting oily soot cakes the inlet manifold and inlet ports. So this is why the valves are often removed. This modification will soon be part of the MOT, and will fail if spotted. In a perfect world, it's best to strip and clean the inlet manifold and EGR valve at the same time as the oil and crankcase filters.

Your oil leak looks like it's coming from the cam cover, which has grey goop on it. It's very unlikely to be the head gasket. The crankcase filter seal is another common place for it to leak. The crankcase filter being will also cause pressurising of the crankcase and oil leakage from the dip stick.

Unless it has 4 identical tyres, I'd be removing the propshafts, just to protect the IRD and diff. Definitely change the fluids in both items too. The IRD needs 1.1 Ltrs of 75w90 fully synthetic as it's a well stressed item. Also look for the old oil being grey, which indicates metallic particles from the gears and bearings.

The rear diff used under 1 ltr of 80w90, but standad mineral oil is fine for that. It's drained by removing the rear cover, so you'll need silicone sealer to seal it up again. Then fill to the level plug when the sealer has formed a skin.

I agree with Nodge, have never known or even heard of a M47 blowing a head gasket, and I have seen them with as much as 470,000 miles on the clock.

Crankcase is very clean other than some oil that has spilled. Under further inspection it looks to be new and just not cleaned up. The crankcase has some quick steel putty on it but there's no apparent leaks from that area. It's definitely lower down and around the head gasket area. As luck would have it I've already ordered a load of stuff from eBay including a crankcase seal kit that was £44.99 that has inlet manifold/crankcase/EGR gasket/exhaust manifold gasket and a load of others. New oils and air filters. New fuel filter ect

It Has 4 identical tyres and all look new to me. But I'd still like to do it as a rather be safe than sorry tactic. Do you know where I can get the blanking plate for the VCU from?

Where's the IRD filler? I can't see to see it. Going to grab a Haynes bible later

Hippo said:

There's no such thing as a bad Freelander

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except my one

Luke Winter said:

Thanks for the info. Ive decided that to read more into VCU and IRD failures to make a decision about 2wd conversion.y landy.

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VCU's can be fine at higher mileages if the cars been looked after correctly in terms of new tyres on rear first if only fitting 2 tyres etc mine was on 128k when i got it and I changed it for piece of mind with one from Bell engineering but it felt exactly the same to drive as it did before it was changed

The whirring could be any number of noisily things, he front disc guards rotted on mine and fell away touching the discs, could be rear brakes need a service or could just be a wheel bearing on its way out, noise does seem to travel inside freelanders! so check them before you get underneath it

If you do go down the 2wd mode I wouldnt bother with the blanking plate id just whip the prop off it you do choose to go that way and save up for a bell engineering one

Oh and from the look of the photos, invest in a wire brush and some tins of wax oil to protect it underneath

What's the fuel tank cradle like? They are prone to rusting to bits.

Col

Already have wire brushes, waxoil and tetraseal but I'm not getting to sealing anything until all the work is done. Might be a bit counter productive haha.

The discs are all good as are the pads. The disc guards are in a bad way but the whirring is so loud at 30mph that I suspect it's something a little more than that. I went up to 70mph yesterday and couldn't hear my passenger talking unless we raised our voices considerably. Im yet to do anything with the prop and VCU as I've been under the weather the last couple of days.

I've not played a great deal of attention to the fuel tank cradle as I've been working on the drop links today and the bloody infernal central locking fob that's a bag of shute. Every other time I want to lock or unlock the blasted thing stops working!!

Tomorrow is my day if the weather's good to get the prop done so I'll check the cradle, if needs be I can get another sorted.

Hi I'm new to here but not to my freelander. I purchased mine 2 years ago knowing it needed lots of work . but as it had 1 owner from new 03 model and un molested . with full service history. Less the last 25000 miles. Iv been 2 years in the making of it to what it is now and wouldn't change anything . I'm still making things for it it fabulous over 50 to the gallon on a run great to drive don't let anything put you off . forget any bad deal you may think you have move forward and make it yours like I have. Iv made a winch mount . made my own raised air intake . fitted g4 roof rack . sump guard rebuilt my vcu. doddle of a job . rear ladder . its like one of the family I wouldn't sell it for any offer keep with it

Yodaman said:

Hi I'm new to here but not to my freelander. I purchased mine 2 years ago knowing it needed lots of work . but as it had 1 owner from new 03 model and un molested . with full service history. Less the last 25000 miles. Iv been 2 years in the making of it to what it is now and wouldn't change anything . I'm still making things for it it fabulous over 50 to the gallon on a run great to drive don't let anything put you off . forget any bad deal you may think you have move forward and make it yours like I have. Iv made a winch mount . made my own raised air intake . fitted g4 roof rack . sump guard rebuilt my vcu. doddle of a job . rear ladder . its like one of the family I wouldn't sell it for any offer keep with it

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Good man! What fluid did you use when you rebuilt your vcu?

Col

Hi the eBay item number is 232642052853
I have driven I've 20.000 miles with it the 4 wheel drive is instant and the steering is nice and lite . I did the drain flush and weld the how up method I wasn't paying £370 for a new one .

Thanks Yodaman that's really helpful. I am already in the mindset that you make the best of a bad situation. Already I had planned a lot for my Larry. Including a new paint job.....That's why the thread is called Codename Snake

I'v done the prop and VCU removal for now and boy is Larry quieter now! The gear oil I dropped from the IRD was a mess and the new replaced oil has seemingly reduced noise too but that worries me that I'm going to need to have the IRD looked at soon. It's now had fresh changed oil in the Engine and IRD and prop removal and it handles and drives better.

I was looking into a VCU rebuild but the fluid was the hardest part to find. Now I can research it more and hopefully get that done one day.

Today I'm repaving my driveway. Yesterday i started it as larry is a little wider than my last car and my front garden is a water trap when it rains. He got stuck in the trench between the two rows of concrete flags I call a driveway and there was an almighty crunch when he slipped back in as I was trying to turn out of it. Not sure what the damage is if any but I got straight stuck into re laying the drive. Larry will get a once over when it's done

It does sound like vcu was seized they handle awful when the are but they do handle and drive better in 4wd with a fully working transmission. You may have managed to save your ird fingers crossed . mine is OK even after having had a seized one when I purchased it . they don't all self destruct automatically.

Yeah I'm hoping but this is the IRD oil I removed and the drain plug for the IRD. Theres clearly a lot of metallic particulates and it's a big worry



Well my optimism can only go so far it look likes you have been gold panning in the 1st picture.
If you don't want your car off the road to long I would be getting a second hand unit then re building that one then just swapping it over I keep a spare in the shed just in case.
On the bright side you know yours is defiantly on its way out . no more guessing

Devilish said:

I agree with Nodge, have never known or even heard of a M47 blowing a head gasket, and I have seen them with as much as 470,000 miles on the clock.

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Absolutely munched a HG on my last m47n bimmer - but only after moronically driving it 600 miles with a big fat crack in injector no.4, which became chronic leaker no. 1

On topic, doesn't look like a bad fixer upper there Luke now you know what you're in for, plenty of good info on here. Best of luck!