Apparently I lost 4-wheel-drive.
First diagnosed as broken diff.

They opened her up and 2nd diagnoses: need new diff, gearbox and the connection between the two.
Cost: about 2/3ths of what it is worth if it was still ok. Dealer price of course.

What to do? Any suggestions? Are there alternatives for the gearbox (like ashcroft for defenders)...

PS dealer says it works just fine as a 2x4 now, so cost isn't really necessary.
Personally I find it driving badly now, wheels spinning with hardly touching the power.

Do you know exactly what has happened to cause this? I'm having difficulty imagining what can have gone wrong to leave the car needing a new gearbox, diff (front or rear?) and 'connection between the two' (does that mean the power transfer unit?) whilst still leaving the car driveable in 2wd.

It might be worth getting a transmission specialist to have a look at it - a dealer will just replace things, whereas a specialist will fix where possible.

Not an expert but that doesn't make sense to me, if you lost those bits you wouldn't have any drive. More likely transfer box, rear diff or Haldex. Transfer box is at the front £800 approximately to replace, the rest is at the back. The gear box, front diff and 'The connection between the two' are at the front. I would get a second opinion.

Encouraging - thx - will get a second opinion

zone30 wrote:

wheels spinning with hardly touching the power.

They are absolutely sure it's a 2x4 now. And I feel it spinning it's wheels when hardly putting power on.
PS we got stuck on a dirtroad which was hardly mentionable before. So I'm 100% sure it's 2 wheel drive now.

Someones been under the car and stolen the propshaft??

Apparently the IRD is connected with the gearbox by means of a toothed flange-connection. This connection rubbed the teeth of each end. Not sure if these are repkaceble but the dealer made me believe you need to replace both gearbox and IRD-box.

What is IRD? Is this not a flanged halfshaft-like setup???

Landiroamer wrote:

Someones been under the car and stolen the propshaft??

zone30 wrote:

What is IRD? Is this not a flanged halfshaft-like setup???

The power transfer unit (transfer box) is driven from the right-hand side of the differential via a crown wheel and pinion arrangement. So I still don't see how the gearbox could be involved. Unless, perhaps, they replace the gearbox and diff as a single unit? In which case I'd definitely suggest talking to a transmission specialist who may be able to effect a repair rather than a complete replacement.

Something still doesn't sound quite right, or perhaps there's something else we don't yet know about.

Tomorrow I get a phone call from a technician explaining what's what. Will know more then and confront him with the appropriate questions.

PS to me the gearbox still shifts as smooth as silk.

This is the latest:

1. All the teeth of the sleeve have gone.
2. All the teeth of the outgoing axle of the IRD have gone.
3. most of the teeth of the outgoing axle of the gearbox have gone.

So hence the replacement of both.

So what could be the source of this issue: possibly the haldex. So if that hase gone, another extra cost.

New I'm looking at a bill of 6500 pounds on a 8000 pounds woth of car. (8000 euros on a 10000 euro car)

Looking at alternatives I have sourced parts reducing the bill significantly:
Haldex: approx 750 pounds (900 euro)
iRD: approx 550 pounds (675 euro)
Gearbox: approx 1000 pounds, IF they can find one. (1250 euro)
Insalling: approx 400 pounds (500 euro)
These are all revised parts, not take-off salvage parts.
So in total (worst case) 2700 pounds (3325 euro) ... I can live with that as the car is to be used for at least several more years.

Of course if the haldex is ok, it would save me 750 pounds (900 euro) making it very doable again.

The gearbox is still an issue as it is a manual. Haven't yet found one. May even be a salvaged part.
Did however find a revisor willing to do it for 1200 pounds (1500 euro), so that's still an option, but adds 200 pounds (500 euro) to the bill (plus I wont have the option of using the car for a while, meaning spending money on a hired car as well)

And the UK may be an option, if someone can help me with that idea...? I don't know if LHD or RHD as effect on the type of gearbox or if they are the same.

So are we saying that the haldex was stuck on resulting in you driving on normal roads with the transmission permanently "wound up" and since the Freelander doesn't have a centre diff it has ruined the transfer box/gearbox connecting splines? 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Might be worth talking to a gearbox specialist like the following to see if they can help.

http://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/

http://www.reconditioned-gearbox.co.uk

http://www.bristoltransmissions.co.uk/landrover/

I had a gearbox problem last year (couldn't get it into 5th) and I believe that the LR dealer sent it to the last one on the list. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE