Thread: Helppppppppppp

Thanks for the Info Gary however how do i check the viscous couplling? And what do i look for? Stefan

Gary is very accurate with regards to the car. I have a 1.8 and love it to bits. literally.

If you are concerned about it, check that is has the remote thermostat fitted to reduce cooling issues and has the new coolant tank and cap. Apart from that, the cars including engine are hard to break. If you do alot of mud work, check the timing tensioner occasionally.

Thea gearbox is tough (for the power it has), IRD units only fail if the mounting bracket cracks, so get that checked, and the Vicsous Coupling starts to wear out by the 150oookm mark. Not that it will be a problem, just less rear wheel power. You can usually pick the VC dying in poor rear tyre wear.

The only thing i have found with it is it has an intolerance to muddy water ...... but remove the plastic cover on the ignotion leads (it holds water) and check the timing system regualrly and you are sweet.

Everything expensive that breaks on the freelanders is usually due to the failure of something cheap. So regular maintenance is your best friend.

When people tell you to buy a defender, remember what its like to have integrated aircon, good road handling, comfy seats.... i could go on :P


I have had mine into almost every constituent part now, so dont hesitate to ask.

Cheers!

Has anyone ever thought of making a D Coupling device so its 2wd and 4wd when you need it ? How can i tell if it has a remote thermostat fitted? Cheers Stefan

while you pontificate over your intergrated air con and heater from the luxury of your comfortable seat supping a warm coffee from the cup holder in the dash lament on what it could be like if you had a bit more height to keep the belly out of the mud, the water off the top of the donk, enough room to fit a decent size set of tyres so you could have some decent gripping rubber on the rims and then a low range with a Center Diff lock to get the lashings of torque and power that the donk has got onto that slippery stuff instead of having to go around the long way...

Ponder also the fact that once youve gotten to where your going that clean up is a simple as opening the doors and applying the hose......

While your slaving away with the carpet shampoo and the vacume cleaner that laughing sound and crack thhhst noise you hear will be the defender drivers poping the tops on one of the many cartons of beer that we picked up dragging toymotors and pootrols out of the same bog hole you just knew you couldnt cross.

ahhh a defender, Earning the driver more than his fair share of the free beer and making life simpler in the aftermath.

Originally Posted by ShellNStef

Thanks for the Info Gary however how do i check the viscous couplling? And what do i look for? Stefan

Mark the front of the VC with a white line and mark the rear of the VC with a white line, so that both lines line up - then take the car for a short drive - if the VC is serviceable the lines should no longer line up because the VC has provided the required slip.

What I do is put the car in 1st and release the handbrake and chock the front wheels - jack up the drivers side rear wheel so it is off the ground. Either remove the rear wheel or just the little centre hub cap - put a large socket (I think it is 1 1/4") on the hub nut with a breaker bar or large socket bar. Take up the tension in a clockwise direction then apply a heavy but steady pressure in a clockwise direction to the bar - the wheel should very slowly turn which is the VC slipping. Steady pressure is required - jabbing at it will not work. I do this every 5000km.

Other symptoms can be odd tyre wear on the rear tyres - saw toothing. I never had this problem. As the VC is basically locked there will always be some tightness felt in the drivetrain when making tight turns however when reversing it is obvious but if the VC has failed - when reversing on full lock it will feel as if the handbrake is on and indeed indeed may cause the engine to stall - however a little binding is normal.

Garry

Originally Posted by ShellNStef

Has anyone ever thought of making a D Coupling device so its 2wd and 4wd when you need it ? Cheers Stefan

It is called a Viscous Coupling - despite all the hype a Freelander is really a front wheel - 2wd drive vehicle until when the front wheels slip then only then do the rear wheels engage fully. On the bitumin only 10% of drive goes to the rear wheels and this is just because of the inbuilt friction of the VC.

Garry

Best fix for a Freo is to accidently set it on fire, a News paper and ciggy butt does well, and claim the insurance lol.

Too much of a time bomb in my opinion BUT if everything is done I have heard they can be relativly reliable or at least as much as a TD5.

The 300tdi engines have their problems aswell but I think it is a lesser evil than gambling on a freo.

I have a couple of freinds that have had them 1x1.8 1xV6 and both had heaps of elec problems as well as the usuall engine replacements and VC replacements so hope you earn a good quid.

The Disco is a great compromise between the Defa and the freo, can do most of what a Defa can do but you have comfy interior great air con, elecy wimdows and nowhere near the problems of the freo.

The only plus's for a defa is more ground clearance standard and more luggage space and the hose out capability but all this is a trade off to comfort.

Ive made a mistake in buying a Jeep (ZJ Grand) which I lost nearly $10k in repairs and change over to a Carolla so dont feel bad, we all make mistakes lol.

Get rid of it and buy a disco, Freo's are for people who like public transport, walking and have freinds in the towing industry lol.

No offence guys but just do a search for freelander problems and spend the next week reading about horror stories like I did to find info for one of my freinds and it is not a good sign.

Send a PM to Justinc
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/z/index.php?z-profile=justinc

He's in Kingston, he fixes Land Rovers, probably seen it already.

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Simon