Freelander 2 (LR2) How often are you changing gear/diff oils?

We have a 'new to us' 2010 FL2 so I'm trying to get the servicing up to date.

I don't think the oils have ever been changed. This is the Haldex oil I got out of it.



It's dirty but at least light gets through it.
This is the auto gearbox oil.


Even with light behind it, it's so dark, no light gets through.


I bought 10 litres to do a drain and fill but I think I'm going to have to do it again with another 10. I was quite shocked at how dark it is.

with the auto box I wouldnt drain and fill. Could do more damage than good. Just fill it and use it

J_D said:

with the auto box I wouldnt drain and fill. Could do more damage than good. Just fill it and use it

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I'm not sure what you mean. How can draining some out and refilling cause a problem? If I don't take some out, I won't get more in.

I meant to only do it once. I thought you had drained and I mean just fill it again.
the contamination is from some plates inside, a bit like a limited slip diff, With the existing contamination in the oil it gives the plates friction. So really clean oil, ie if you drain fill then drain fill again, wont cause any friction in the plates that then just slip, reducing drive.
Thats my understanding of it.

I think a torque converter is more like a hydraulic pump. Get the dirty burnt oil out of it. My schedule recommends 150k or 10 years for normal driving but less for offroad or towing. How many miles has it done?
Thanks for the pictures, great example of what happens if you don’t maintain your car.

Maintenance Check Sheet

JD Not sure what you're saying here

J_D said:

the contamination is from some plates inside, a bit like a limited slip diff, With the existing contamination in the oil it gives the plates friction. So really clean oil, ie if you drain fill then drain fill again, wont cause any friction in the plates that then just slip, reducing drive.
Thats my understanding of it.

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What happens with a new car with new oil? It doesn't slip, in fact I would f thought the opposite was the case, put fresh oil in so the transmission doesn't have to work harder than it should.
AlpineJim I presume with using 10 litres of oil you have done a complete flush which should be more than ample, if you want to be really careful then sure use another 10 ltrs but that's an expensive option.
As for the haldex and diff I change the oil on these every year, reckon with a 10 year old car giving it a treat every year won't harm it.

Hi. I bought a Fl2 second hand and changed haldex fluid twice in a row. The filter changed the second time.
Remember clean the filter of the pump.
it often gets dirty and forces the electric motor to work hard.
New fluid always is the best to care the componenets.
Good Luck.

JD - the oil it needs is 3309 ATF which apparently allows the box to select one gear and slip another so I think the cleaner it is, the better.
I'm doing another fluid change (10 litres) because after the first flush, I'm still not happy at the colour of it, it's still dirty.

STV - it's done 137k but is 10 years old. So the change was due now. I'm surprised that it's such a long time before a change is due though.

Snaggapuss - I managed to get 10 litres for £40, which I thought was quite enough. But, having seen the oil coming out, I'd rather spend another £40 than have to change the box if it fails.

Freespaña - yes, the motor filter was quite full. I'm a lot happier now that these things are getting done.

I've been doing some work on a Series, and I know from my D2 when I got it that people don't change diff oil or gearbox oils very often, if at all.
I think it gets overlooked. Either people don't look underneath and don't know they are there or don't know how to do it.
If they take their car to a garage and don't ask for it to be done, it doesn't get done.

Not all Land Rover drivers understand their machine, it seems.

This was the Haldex oil i got out of my car 110,000 at 13 years, but three years in my ownership.
1

Diff oil
2
Old & New for colour contrast
3

PTU Oil.
4

I will change these again come summer July 2021

Alpinejim said:

Snaggapuss - I managed to get 10 litres for £40, which I thought was quite enough. But, having seen the oil coming out, I'd rather spend another £40 than have to change the box if it fails.

Freespaña - yes, the motor filter was quite full. I'm a lot happier now that these things are getting done.

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Fair do's if you can get oil at that price, i'll pay that just for 4 litres, A good thread by the way.

Snaggapuss said:

i'll pay that just for 4 litres

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Jeez! and you drive a Land Rover? It must cost you a fortune in oil!
I joke of course. Newer models seem to have sorted most of the leaking problems of older models.

Alpinejim said:

Jeez! and you drive a Land Rover? It must cost you a fortune in oil!
I joke of course. Newer models seem to have sorted most of the leaking problems of older models.

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It's unusual for modern LRs to leak, which means old oils degrade, and are never "refreshed" by topping up with new oil.

So, after another 10 litres of ATF flushed through, this is the oil from the last drain off to set the correct level.
A lot clearer than after the first 10 litres.



I'm a lot happier now that it's done.
I got the PTU drained and refilled while I was at it so all fluids now done bar the PAS and brake fluids.

I don't know why my photos come out so big.

Alpinejim said:

I got the PTU drained and refilled while I was at it so all fluids now done bar the PAS and brake fluids.

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Don't forget the Haldex and rear diff, both need fluids, preferably done regularly.

LR say 150K miles or 10 years for both of these, which is way way to long.
Rear diff I'd do at 5 years, or 60k miles. Haldex is best done a (40k or 3 years), which is then in line with other vehicles which use the same Gen 3 or Gen 4 coupling.

Yes, they're both done already.

I agree that 10 years is way too long for all of this stuff.