Freelander 2 (LR2) Why Do We Have A Forum

I am new on here, I joined the forum, to get help and share information, I don't think the average member wants to hear the advice "take it to the main dealer"
Why post problems looking for solutions, if they don't mind paying the rip-off dealer price, why post in the first place.

Is it not possible to offer real help? by posting
(1) symptom(s) (2)How it was fixed, (3) who fixed it. (4) what cost.

Browsing I see many problems listed, that's all, I assume the vehicle, never got fixed and is rotting away in someones drive.
I think most members are seeking knowledge.
As I said I am fairly knew on here, I am in the South Kent Area willing to help if I can. I would like to meet other members that work on their vehicles to help each other.
Please fill in the Poll.

yelnats69 said:

Why post problems looking for solutions, if they don't mind paying the rip-off dealer price, why post in the first place.

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Some people come onto the forum with no intention of doing the maintenance themselves. Often to sound out people to see if the garage is just ripping them off. Its a fair use of the forum, even if they will be encouraged to have a go themselves.

yelnats69 said:

Browsing I see many problems listed, that's all, I assume the vehicle, never got fixed and is rotting away in someones drive.

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Bit like this one, wonder if its still coughing black smoke and missing under acceleration...

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/sick-freelander-any-sugestions.331606/

Fella didn't even come back and say thanks for the advice!

I’d say choices 1 and 5 are essentially the same option.

I’ve rarely seen the experienced members on here advise taking the car to a main dealer. It depends on the poster’s background - a proper DIYer is usually led through the diagnostic process and hopefully towards a fix (although many don’t bother to update the thread when/if solved). A complete newbie who’s barely looked under the bonnet is usually given some suggestions but advised to find a good LR independent in their area.

I try to stay away from the ‘do a thread search’ and ‘ever heard of Google?’ type answers - it fills the forum archives with dead ends. Exceptions would be oft-repeated advice like the one-wheel-up test for FL1s.

I’d also like to see a template as seen on many other forums:

Title: Help needed.
Post: My Freelander won’t start. What could it be?

Versus -

Title: [Year]2001 [Engine]Td4 [Problem] Cranks but won’t start.
Post: [Fault description]... [Diagnostics done] Garage read fault code P0xxx, checked fuel pressure all ok. [Parts replaced] Cam sensor [Other details] Recently jump started another vehicle.

Too many of the ‘answers’ to an OP are questions that should have been answered in the OP.

Why join, because its great, useful info, and some great people on here.
Dont have a big post count myself but read hell of a lot.
Dave

Not everyone comes back to tell us the end result. That dun't mean the Freelander were taken oft the road. They just fergot or dint realise we wanted to know. Some are reminded. Some then come back with the answer.

GrumpyGel said:

Some people come onto the forum with no intention of doing the maintenance themselves. Often to sound out people to see if the garage is just ripping them off. Its a fair use of the forum, even if they will be encouraged to have a go themselves.

Bit like this one, wonder if its still coughing black smoke and missing under acceleration...

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/sick-freelander-any-sugestions.331606/

Fella didn't even come back and say thanks for the advice!

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I hold my hands up to that one, mind you stomach cancer sort of took priority for a while,
In the meantime, a local indy, chucked parts at the car, injectors, glow plugs, throttle body, and low & behold it was a split Turbo hose, cost? almost 1k in parts.
been running sweet up to recently when timing belt, idler, and generator were replaced.
the generator was changed because the clutch failed, now I'm wondering if the generator is putting out enough?
by the way Idler and belt cost 175 pound, generator and belt, 275 pounds
car is showing no fault codes
Regards Stan

If you're logical, think through a problem and target what you are looking for, you can usually find the problem. I find some mechanics' approach of replacing parts until the problem is fixed rather depressing. And as has been said, that is also very expensive!

These cars are generally easy to work on - but you do need an extra tool (a good diagnostic reader) if you really want to track down problems and save your hair in the process

As for reasons for joining: its a combination of learning, making new friends and joining a terrific community of like-minded souls!

yelnats69 said:

I hold my hands up to that one, mind you stomach cancer sort of took priority for a while,
In the meantime, a local indy, chucked parts at the car, injectors, glow plugs, throttle body, and low & behold it was a split Turbo hose, cost? almost 1k in parts.
been running sweet up to recently when timing belt, idler, and generator were replaced.
the generator was changed because the clutch failed, now I'm wondering if the generator is putting out enough?
by the way Idler and belt cost 175 pound, generator and belt, 275 pounds
car is showing no fault codes
Regards Stan

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Ouch, hope the quacks have been better at sorting you out than the "mechanics" on your car.

It was through "service" like you experienced that I decided to do all the maintenance on my cars myself. I will use garages for specific jobs if my time and/or experience is lacking, but not many and I tell them what I want done rather than the other way round!

When you say generator, presumably that's the alternator. Is the clutch electronically actuated on the F2? Wonder how the clutch could kill the alternator.

GrumpyGel said:

Ouch, hope the quacks have been better at sorting you out than the "mechanics" on your car.

It was through "service" like you experienced that I decided to do all the maintenance on my cars myself. I will use garages for specific jobs if my time and/or experience is lacking, but not many and I tell them what I want done rather than the other way round!

When you say generator, presumably that's the alternator. Is the clutch electronically actuated on the F2? Wonder how the clutch could kill the alternator.

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Your are right, clutch can replaced on alternator/generator (spent 20 years in Florida) if you know how and have a puller, or if you bother to check when replacing the belt and idler.
Then that's expecting modern mechanics to know something.
Like you I want to take matters into my own hands, and I am desperately trying to get information and spread knowledge.
I am planning to get members help in creating a step by step guide to diagnosing none start situation.

Hippo said:

Not everyone comes back to tell us the end result. That dun't mean the Freelander were taken oft the road. They just fergot or dint realise we wanted to know. Some are reminded. Some then come back with the answer.

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My post was not meant to be taken literally, I have been guilty of not letting members know how my problems were solved in the past, but wouldn't it be nice to share the cure and fix costs in the future.

yelnats69 said:

Your are right, clutch can replaced on alternator/generator

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I think you mean the AC compressor. The alternator doesn’t have a clutch.

In the old days, Alternators just had a simple pulley, never heard of one breaking, new better alternators are now fitted with a clutch, that tend to break, quite often,
progress?.
do a search on eBay alternator clutch sell of about £50. and need a special puller to replace.
not a bad idea if they did not make them out of cheese.

Ah sorry - I was talking Freelander 1. Didn’t know the FL2 had a clutched alt pulley.

guineafowl21 said:

Didn’t know the FL2 had a clutched alt pulley.

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I don't know of any vehicle that has a clutch on the alternator. The FL1 and FL2 definitely don't. The only clutch on the auxiliary drive belt assembly is for the AC compressor, as you said.

guineafowl21 said:

I think you mean the AC compressor. The alternator doesn’t have a clutch.

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many do now
https://idpartsblog.com/2018/07/09/clutched-alternator-pulleys-are-important/

I don't have a FL2 but I am a nosy and inquisitive person that reads a great deal of the posts across all the range of LR vehicles.
Many of the problems voiced are common and repeated and often could have been researched by the OP with a few intelligent searches on the forum.
The forum is a great community of LR enthusiasts that is probably second to none in its scope and experience.
The creation of a "Fault Symptom", "Root-Cause & Fix" lookup table might be a great idea, but who gets the job of maintaining it?

jamesmartin said:

many do now
https://idpartsblog.com/2018/07/09/clutched-alternator-pulleys-are-important/

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I've seen the advertising blurb from makers of these one way clutchs for the alternator, but I've yet see a vehicle fitted with them. The maker's claims are almost BS, like trying to sell a product to fix a problem which doesn't really exist.

If it were a problem, alternators would have a short life, but the reality is they don't.

I'm pretty sure that LR don't use such one way clutches, but maybe they were suckered by the salesmen.

Nodge68 said:

I've seen the advertising blurb from makers of these one way clutchs for the alternator, but I've yet see a vehicle fitted with them. The maker's claims are almost BS, like trying to sell a product to fix a problem which doesn't really exist.

If it were a problem, alternators would have a short life, but the reality is they don't.

I'm pretty sure that LR don't use such one way clutches, but maybe they were suckered by the salesmen.

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i dont know if lr do but ive seen quite a few fitted and it is the future and probably is now, a charging alt requires a few hp so on over run is a hinderance which you can see with the auxillary belt and tensioner pulsating

The FL2 does have a clutch on the alternator. It can be changed. Said to reduce belt whip and make the belt run smoother.