Thread: Hey guys contemplating buying a freelander 1

The K1.8 can be troublesome and has a lot of updates to prevent head gasket failure. If all the updates are done they are not a bad engine. Diesels are a brilliant engine.
Pre 2001 they had IRD issues, being the ratio between front and rear was to great and the VCU seized, causing the IRD unit or rear diff to fail. Easy way to check the VCU is to reverse with the steering on full lock. If it feels like it is slightly binding up it is normal, but if you need to work the engine to get it to move the VCU is seized.

I agree with Woko, I would not buy a 1.8L petrol motor at all because of it's bad reputation, however the TD4 diesel motor in the later model FL1's has a very good reputation!!!

Hi Mate, we have both a 1.8Kseries petrol and an Lseries early diesel model. (how masochistic are we)

Our 2000 K series had already broken it's previous owner financially and emotionally when the usual thermal shock / burst hose overheat dropped the liners and toasted the engine. It had also had it's IRD b0rked after the PO put different size tyres on the back wheels - and then did it again later when the VCU seized up.

The engine was rebuilt by the PO's LR mechanic with some internal mods to the liners to help them stay positioned if an overheat occured, and then all the preventative modifications done (MLS gasket, stronger oil rail, relocated thermostat etc). The car's now done 50k km on the new engine, and all seems well - but we still treat it as more of a 'when' rather than an 'if' it will fail again. We bought the car super cheap and after two years it doesn't owe us anything.

We bought the early diesel for a song recently and actually prefer it a lot over the petrol - loads more torque really suits the car much better than having to rev the petrol harder for the same effect.

We'll shortly go back to only needing one car and will either keep the diesel, or sell both and plump for a later td4 - and that's my advice - if you can stretch to one grab the TD4, otherwise an earlier L Series diesel with the later IRD and a new VCU.

GarryCol posted a great tip about checking for the early or late IRD - in 5th gear at 100kmh - the early will have the engine at about 3000rpm, the later IRD will have it at about 2600rpm.

I hope that helps a little !

Cheers,

Don't!