If you really want an oil that is produced by only a single company in a single place (so counterfeiting is not a problem), here is an oil that meets our box specifications.
Even says this in presentation, compatible with LR002748.
http://www.ravenol.de/en/products/usage/d/...fluid.html

Alex, just read your last note on the Ravenol product, interesting to note a couple of deviations to the Mobil Spec

- It appears to be a synthetic or semi-synthetic product whereas the Mobil (and Millermatic ATF) are both mineral based, I know that transmissions can be sensitive to this difference whereas engines are generally not and in most cases benefit from a Synthetic based product.

- It only references the JWS3309 spec in relation to the Toyota transmission, and a different JWS spec for other boxes.

- The full Ravenol Spec (in the referenced pdf) only covers two items and the not the detailed spec as quoted by Mobil and Millermatic so difficult to know how fully compatible it really is to these other two products, whereas Millermatic ATF SP111 seems to match the Mobil spec item for item.

As a matter of interest would you be happy to use it as a replacement to the Mobil product, the price is certainly more attractive.

Here is a link - in Romanian, sorry - but it tells you about other specifications too:
http://www.ravenolromania.ro/produse/ravenol-atf-t-iv-fluid/

Alex, many thanks for that, it looks as though specs are roughly equivalent with the Mobil ATF 3309. I have spoken with a local LR Specialist Garage and they have stated that would probably be the fluid they would use for the FL2 Aisin transmission. Also its probably the fluid that Aisin use on their transmissions since I am sure they wouldn't refine their own. Prices seem to vary enormously depending upon where you buy it, but from Ravenol UK direct it runs at about £8/ltr which is 30% less than Mobil. Land Rovers price for their LR002748 ATF is nearly £30/ltr. so it does question what the actual ATF product is behind the Land Rover part number and why this huge price difference.

Just buy the proper genuine stuff.

It's a similar topic that comes up with the Range Rover gearboxes, and ends in me quoting an email text from the gearbox manufacturer (zf) on why using the correct original spec oil and not an equivalent is required. I'd need to go digging it out to find it again.

Whilst some of the specs may match from an alternative, not all of them will, and as a result, over long term, the box will befitting the difference between what it expects as fluid and what it actually has.

Definitely my last submission on this topic. Have read the Land Rover User manual that was shipped with the car (not the Haynes manual) and it does state that ESSO JWS 3309 should be used in the transmission. The tech spec for the ESSO product and the Mobil product (both Companys are subsideries of ExxonMobil) are identical and since the ESSO product does not appear to be available in the UK I assume the Mobil product should be the same or identical fluid (3309 being the key spec) and safe to use in the Aisin TF-80SC transmission. I guess I have to believe what Land Rover say.

Why last submission? Tell us about how it will work after change!
I, for one, changed the oil using Mobil 3309, and from the bar code on the bottles, it's produced on your country, UK. (50xxxxxxx)
It works flawlessly. Smooth changes and proper behavior, both cold and warm.

Alex, hello again, maybe just one more after this. Interest to know the procedure you used to replace the ATF, was it the dump and fill procedure repeated a number of times to dilute the original fill or did you flush through the oil cooler connections ?. I do plan to use the Mobil ATF 3309 as per your recommendation.

My car has 70K kms (43K miles).
I am using the partial dump method.
Drop the oil, around 3 liters in my case, and then fill the same quantity but also verifying that it's the correct refill quantity, because many said that it takes around 4 liters. But I didn't emptied the cooler with compressed air so only 3 liters exactly on my case.
No second exchange after a while because I am doing the car's service at 12000km or 1 year whichever comes first and I've decided, because of the easy procedure, that I will drop and refill 3 liters at each service, at each 12000 km.
In a way it's like exchanging the entire oil at 48000 km, but only progressively allowing in this way the box to easy adapt to the new oil which, in a way, remains "fresh" and with the same parameters more uniformly during time.

Alex, my wifes has done 90K miles so I shall use a similar technique only I shall repeat the dump and fill after short driving intervals about 3 times. I plan to dump into a clean container and then measure the quantity that came out (using my wifes kitchen scales) and then refill with the exact amount so that I can refill to the nearest few mls.
Did you ever follow the level check procedure ? I have read a brief description of this procedure which most people seem to avoid since they believe it needs a garages special equipment to measure the fluid temperature (which I believe should be around 60 deg.C) before they perform the level check. If the only critical parameter before the actual check is the fluid temperature, I don't see why this cannot be taken from the external casing using a contact or infrared thermometer just before the check.

Yes, I've verified the level.
After I've filled 2 liters, I've started the engine and then I've started to add the last liter.
At the end of that liter, so 3 liters in total, the oil begin to drip out. So the oil was filled correctly at the factory.

I have the means to read the oil temp through OBD2 port and I can tell you that for 60 deg. you just need to drive about 5 miles normally around the block, without being aggressive. In other words, to get the engine at normal operating temperature and then drive 1-2 miles more. Then you can start the exchange procedure.
For the sake of experiment, I have an infrared thermometer and when the oil temperature read through OBD is 60 deg, the temperature read on the casing, around the drop plug is about 50 deg. C. So don't worry about temperature. Reading it on the casing will be just fine.
But, in my opinion, this temperature stuff is just a little overrated, because the dilatation coefficient is small and a few milliliters more or less when the whole quantity is 7 liters, doesn't matter. Not to mention that when driving that oil is moving a lot in the pan and, again, +/- 100 ml is in no way that important. Think about it: 100ml over 7 liters is about 1.5%. Way within reasonable tolerances. So...

And another thing...
Some are saying that if you are long overdue (2x-3x normal exchange periods, exchange period that is around 40K miles for other Aisin box equipped cars) it's better to not do a full flush because the detergent agents in the fresh oil will dislodge some deposits on the valve block that were accumulating there during functioning. This is why I took that decision of that partial flush at every service.

Alex, very interesting and helpful observations, I will certainly do this as a gradual process giving the box the chance to settle into the new dilution level of the fluid after each dump and fill.

Hi Portculislr,

I've previously done my own ATF changes, and I just wanted to say that using the "level plug" didn't work for me. Alex and I have briefly discussed this in my original post. I can't explain why it worked for Alex and not for me. My vehicle is an MY10. May be level plugs have changed at some point, I don't know.

The problem I encountered was that 3.8L of ATF drained out but I could only pour back in about 2L before it started to run out of the level plug again. At this point I refitted the centre plug, added another 500ml (as per instructions) warmed the engine up to 60C (used OBD tool), undid the centre plug expecting to have to add more but the ATF began to FLOW out in quite large quantity. So in the end I measured what came out originally and replaced that exact same amount.

To date I've done three ATF changes, and very happy with the result. And just like Alex, from now on, I'll be doing partial change with every service. I've reached this conclusion after seeing the colour of the ATF at 38000 Km.

But you can do some preliminary work to get an idea for whether the "level plug" option is likely to work for you. When you're ready to do the ATF change;

1. Make sure you can undo the filler plug first
2. Warm the vehicle up to 60C or close
3. Unscrew the centre plug. I theory, with the engine running, you should only see a slight drip of the ATF. If the ATF begins to rush out you'll know the level plug option is not for you. Measure exactly what came out and replace with new.

I hope this helps. MY10 TD4 SE Auto

Impact, many thanks for the helpful thread you have just submitted. I have read the 'level check' procedures doumented in both the Haynes manual and also the VADIS (Volvo) procedure for the same (TF-80SC transmission) that they use in one of their vehicles. They say basically to overfill by about 0.5 ltrs, bring the ATF temp upto around 60 deg.C and while the engine is idling, shift through all selector positions stopping for 3 secs at each and then while engine is still idling remove level plug to allow excess fluid to run out. When it stops, this should be the correct level, so its interesting to hear about your own experiences that don't appear to agree with these.
I am going to use the 'dump and fill' (with fluid slightly warmed up) and fill with precisely the same amount that comes out. My only concern is that the levels are already correct before I start these series of procedures. The tranny has done about 90K and does appear to be functioning perfectly (we've had the car for about 2K miles now), the area around the engine and transmission is perfectly clean so I am hoping there has been no fluid loss during its period of existance.

Don't forget, the ones that will decide to do this: You should check the level, and eventually add more, with the engine RUNNING!!
And while the engine is still running you should screw the center plug.
Otherwise, if you stop the engine a lot of oil will flow out - the oil that it's normally circulated when the engine is running.