About to attempt my first DIY oil and filter change on my TD4. I've read every thread and watched every vid I can find for tips and warnings.

I've noted the advice about buying a new cap in case I wreck the old one and that it's impossible to get a torque wrench anywhere near it in such a confined space.

I'll be using a 27mm flex head ratchet spanner as generally recommended but may also buy a flex headed, long handle socket wrench as used in the best video I found.

Is this bit of kit also worth getting (same as the photo on the first post in this thread)?



Intuitively this seems perfect for minimising the risk of shearing off the plastic hex cap, but

a. will there will be room to get this on as well as the spanner when working from below (I don't want to have to remove fan housings and hoses)?

b. if the hex nut on the housing is 27mm, how come after adding this extra thickness, it's still 27mm? Freelander 2 2010 [MY2011] FA 2.2 TD4 XS

Don't over think it. The 27mm flex head ratchet spanner is all the tool you need. The housing, although plastic is very robust. They are fitted to literally millions of cars. I have done oil changes on a multitude of cars with variations on this style of oil filter housing and have never once damaged or had to replace one. 👍 Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Thanks - that's reassuring. I spent my career over decades organising and managing lots of things for national companies and 'being prepared' and 'failing to plan is planning to fail' have become mantras  Freelander 2 2010 [MY2011] FA 2.2 TD4 XS

Having done my first oil filter change, I'm thankful for all the advice on here. My takeaways are

1. I used a 27mm ratchet spanner from Amazon.
2. It did the job but I had to get my elbow above the inner 'bumper'(?). I tried to remove this to make life easier but without success.
3. Next time, I'll use a long-reach, flex-head, ratchet wrench to do the 'heavy lifting' and need to think how to avoid splashes on arm, glasses, hair and ear when removing the filter .
4. It was tight all the way out but easy to re-tighten with some 3 in 1 on the cap threads.
5. It felt obvious when it had gone full way to the flange and I gave it one more tweak - couldn't get a torque wrench anywhere near it, even if I had one.

I bought 6 litres of Millers XF Premium 5w30 C1 oil; which was perfect to get the stated 5.9 litres in the car and the rest over my skin and clothes. Next time, I'll take Jules' advice and buy Smith & Allan Momentum C1 F 5W-30.

So, replacing the oil plus oil, fuel, air and pollen filters cost me £104 excluding the one off cost of a few new tools. The cheapest online quote I got (Click Mechanic) was £254 for all this. A local garage wanted £116 just to do the fuel filter.




The saving will be greater next time as Smith & Allen oil is about 60% cheaper if I buy 20 litres. I will - no going back. Freelander 2 2010 [MY2011] FA 2.2 TD4 XS

Well done. We are always happy to help those who help themselves. Jules