Ok so I finally got around to my wife's TD4 - the one mentioned in this thread. Didn't start with the gearbox, there were other things I had to fix first - namely the fuel tank support bracket was rotted out and I had to rebuild it, since a new one cost more then I'm willing to spend (at least in my country) and the ones I've found at salvage yards were barely any better.
Then I replaced all the exhaust supports (the rubber ones) and the clamp holding the muffler to the exhaust since it was also rotted out and the muffler was dangling around. Since I had to remove the rear subframe to get the fuel tank out I also cleaned all the rust off said subframe and gave it a coat of feruginol (local rust removing compound), primer and high gloss black.
Now back to the main issue - the gearbox won't go into 5th. Apart from that, I noticed after driving the car for a day that revs are very high and it shifts late into the rev range (3000-3500rpm) as if it was in sport mode, and it shifted rather violently, especially when cold. Now we have a 2nd freelander, a 2000 non facelift, also a TD4 automatic, with 370k km on it but very well maintained - that one shifts at 1500-2000 rpm when driving around town normally or 2500-3000rpm when flooring it - so the late shifting my wife's facelift is probably not ok right?
After I spoke to a friend who owns 2 TD4 non facelifts and works at a land rover indy shop, I checked the gearbox selector cable (all fine) and then warmed the car up to check gearbox oil level. He mentioned that with the gearbox oil at 35-45C, I should go trough the gears holding each for about 3 seconds, then put the car in park and with the engine running remove the overfill bolt near the selector cable bracket.
I was expecting low oil levels, especially since I found ATF dripping from the side of the transmission housing, but to my surprise oil was pouring out like it was a regular drain plug. So far I removed 1.9L of ATF and it keeps coming with a steady stream. At this point my friend said the gearbox was probably grossly overfilled with ATF (fluid looks new) witch would explain the leak at the side of the gearbox and why it would rev so high before shifting. After removing said 1.9L of oil I took the car for a test drive and surprise - it shifts correctly now! While driving slow it shifts at 1600-1700RPM, and if I press on the accelerator a bit harder it will shift at 2000-2500rpm - just like our other freelander. Gear shifts are also perfectly smooth now.
Problem is - still no 5th gear. At one point while driving the car seemed to switch into 5th (revs went down from 2500 to 2000 rpm at 80kph (50mph) and went up again a second later...
So letting ATF drain from the oil level plug definitely improved things, but I'm reluctant to drain any more... The manual says to drain from the level plug until very little to no oil comes out from it - I'm still getting a steady 3-4mm thick stream of ATF, despite draining 1.9L....
What are your thoughts?
Should I continue to drain oil until little or no ATF comes from the level check plug? Could 5th not work due to overpressure in the gearbox due to too much ATF witch damaged the solenoid for 5th gear?
Is there any danger in draining trough that plug until no oil comes out? I'm asking because I think whoever put ATF in this gearbox did not pay attention, saw 8.5L mentioned in the manual and put 8.5L in despite it only taking 3.5-4 when changing the oil (due to part of it being contained in the valves and torque converter)....
