Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: Shuttering and Noises - 1998 Freelander 1.8 Petrol

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Gold Coast Australia
    Posts
    6
    Total Downloaded
    0

    Exclamation Shuttering and Noises - 1998 Freelander 1.8 Petrol

    Hey guys, having recently replaced the engine only 3 weeks after purchasing my very first car, a 1998 1.8l petrol Freelander, I am very dissapointed to discover that in the lower gears (mainly 1,2 and 3) the car is now shuttering. It makes a shuttering or struggling noise as i change in and out of these lower gears, and when driving in first gear. I'm only 17 Years old and no mechanic, so i have no idea what the problem is, nor does my dad. I have been reading around on the internet that this issue could be coming from either a tailshaft, or what is called and seized IRD or VCU? If anyone could please provide a little knowledge on what's going on here I'd greatly appreciate it. This car has been nothing but problem, after problem, after problem.

    Thanks in advance guys.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    18,474
    Total Downloaded
    0
    This sounds like a seized Viscous Coupling (VCU) and you are suffering transmission windup. Thankfully you do not seem to have damaged the IRD but will do so if you keep on driving it. DO NOT DRIVE IT. Check the VCU and if faulty replace it (about $1000 for the part). Or, if you are not worried about having four wheel drive take out the VCU and the two centre tail shafts - the Freelander will drive quite well in front wheel drive. If you are short of funds you can put in a new VCU later.

    It is easy to take the stuff out with basic tools and torx socket set - just a bit heavy.

    Garry
    REMLR 243

    2007 Range Rover Sport TDV6
    1977 FC 101
    1976 Jaguar XJ12C
    1973 Haflinger AP700
    1971 Jaguar V12 E-Type Series 3 Roadster
    1957 Series 1 88"
    1957 Series 1 88" Station Wagon

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Gold Coast Australia
    Posts
    6
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Thank you for the speedy Reply Gary. I have driven the car maybe....10km (just to get home) after these symptoms started to occur. In all honesty as soon as i can get the car up and running, I'm going to sell it straight away. So what your saying is a can turn this car into a Front weel Drive, by taking a few bits and peices out from the underneath?

    Thanks again.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    18,474
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Yes - simply unbolt the tailshaft (2 pieces) that joins the gearbox to the rear diff.

    The front needs a Torx socket to undo the bolts at the back of the IRD - the rest requires normal spanners. If both shafts are removed the VCU can stay in place as there is no drive to it.

    However I have described what it sounds like to me - you need to get the issue diagnosed. But taking out the tailshafts only costs time and if the issue has gone you have diagnosed the issue.

    Good luck with it.

    Garry
    REMLR 243

    2007 Range Rover Sport TDV6
    1977 FC 101
    1976 Jaguar XJ12C
    1973 Haflinger AP700
    1971 Jaguar V12 E-Type Series 3 Roadster
    1957 Series 1 88"
    1957 Series 1 88" Station Wagon

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Gold Coast Australia
    Posts
    6
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Thank you very much for shedding some light for me. My dad and I will unbolt and remove the tailshaft tomorrow morning when we have some light. Fingers crossed the result will be a fault free, front wheel drive freelander.

    Thanks again Garry, very much appriciated

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Gold Coast Australia
    Posts
    6
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Ok so Garry, this morning we removed the VCU and tailshafts, noise and grinding feeling is still there. This points to a failing IRD? Or more likley to be a failing gearbox?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    18,474
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Ok - as I said it is only your time you have lost taking off the tailshafts - I guess it is time to spend some money for a diagnosis. It could be anything - Ird, gearbox, completely dry CV joints or whatever. Leave the tailshaft off until this is resolved - one less thing to worry about.

    When you say shuttering - not sure what exactly to mean - are the gears crunching when you change gears and is the noise still there when driving in gear?

    Have a read of this thread - covers a lot of the issues that plague FL1s - look at the clutch issues as there can be problems engaging gears and this is discussed - is a clutch slave mount issue.

    Hopefully Woko, Camel Landy and aikendrum105 will be along soon. Both have experience with these cars and might be able to provide a different perspective.

    Oh - did you have this problem before you got your engine changed?? If not then clearly is related to the process of changing the engine. Clutch? Clutch release bearing, spigot bush (or its equivalent), is the clutch plate the right way around? What are oil levels like in the gearbox and IRD?

    Now that the rear tailshaft is removed can you describe in detail what is happening now - is the noise just when changing gears, in gears, accelerating, decelerating, turning, stopping - as much info will help.

    Who did the engine change - if a mechanic and the issue was not there before I would be taking it back.

    Other than posing a lot of questions I am short of ideas but the others may have some ideas.

    Cheers

    Garry
    REMLR 243

    2007 Range Rover Sport TDV6
    1977 FC 101
    1976 Jaguar XJ12C
    1973 Haflinger AP700
    1971 Jaguar V12 E-Type Series 3 Roadster
    1957 Series 1 88"
    1957 Series 1 88" Station Wagon

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hunter Valley
    Posts
    942
    Total Downloaded
    0
    If the car vibrates when under load I would check the RH engine mount. If its a noise like a card in a bike spoke, under load in higher rev range, you will need to get the exhaust checked. Does it effect the drivability of the car? Is it worse when cornering, accelerating, decelerating, braking? Did the noise improve when tail shaft removed or was it the same?
    What Garry has told you to do is a excellent way to check the IRD.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Gold Coast Australia
    Posts
    6
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Hey guys, thanks for the replys and ideas - keep them coming.

    @Garry - get ready for the FULL sotry - every minor detail included. The engine that came in the car when i bought it started to overheat all the time only weeks after I bought it, we replaced all the gaskets and a few other things like sparkplugs and leads, and were shocked to find out that the block had a crack in it. We then sourced a second hand engine from Triumph Rover Spares in Adelaide - Australia, (we live in QLD) The second hand engines have the timing belts and water pump replaced and are then bench started before being despatched. The car had no issues for aprroxiamtley 6 months. Yesturday during the day is when all this trouble started. I was in 5th gear travelling at around 80km, going up a slight hill and I heard a deep kind of rumbling noise, nothing felt any different, and the noise lasted for 2-3 seconds, didn't think anything of it. About 5 minutes later i was pulling into a carpark, then this noise returned along with a little clunk, followed by a grinding feeling - This grinding feeling feels different to the feeling you get when you shift without your foot fully pressing in the clutch

    I then drove the car straight home - around 10km away. In the lower gears, when in nuetral and when engaged it felt as though the lower gears were..... unstable is the only real word i can use to describe the feeling.

    At this point in time we have removed the tailshafts, taken the care not even 500 metres up the road, and this little clunk followed by rumbling or scraping or grinding occurs, when in gear. My dad was doing the driving after removing the tailshafts, he said when he was reversing back into the driveway, it was significantly worse.

    The car is now parked in my driveway, We are presuming from research we have done over the net that our issue is either a failing IRD, or Gearbox, we hadn't considered clutch issues.

    Our thinking is that we will try to source a new IRD unit, the cheapest we have found is through a local wreckers, who won't split the gearbox from the IRD unit, but will sell it combined for $750 AUD.

    Sorry for the life story, just thought I'd provide as much info as I can.

    Thanks again, Michael

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Gold Coast Australia
    Posts
    6
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by woko View Post
    If the car vibrates when under load I would check the RH engine mount. If its a noise like a card in a bike spoke, under load in higher rev range, you will need to get the exhaust checked. Does it effect the drivability of the car? Is it worse when cornering, accelerating, decelerating, braking? Did the noise improve when tail shaft removed or was it the same?
    What Garry has told you to do is a excellent way to check the IRD.
    @ woko, if by under load, you mean carrying or transporting heavy things? The heaviest thing that has ever been in there is my passengers.

    The noise (and feeling) DEFINATLEY occurs when taking off and is present (not quite as bad) when turning. We hadn't taken notice of it occuring when decelerating or braking, however we only drove about 100 metres - we didn't want to damage anything further.

    Yes - It affects the driviability of the car in a way that, it feels as though the gears are "fragile or unstable" I wish I had a more precise way to describe it.

    Thanks - keep the ideas/suggestions/diagnostics/longshots/theorys/whatever coming.

    Your help is very much appriciated.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Search AULRO.com ONLY!
Search All the Web!