My 2007 TD4 auto is showing a few signs of gearbox trouble on the horizon. The 'dump valve' type noise when it changes gear, which I'm led to believe is something to do with the valve body and it's not as smooth as it was. I'm expecting to change it at some point in the near future.
Has anyone changed an earlier auto box for a later one? I've seen plenty of low mileage auto boxes for sale from 2011-2013 at decent prices and I'd rather have the modified valve body of the later box to avoid the irritating noise. I'm trying to find out if they're interchangeable? What ancillary parts are needed and whether or not the ECU needs a software modification.
Cheers

Mines done 180k and is a 2008 auto - I asked the same question earlier this year, with no definite answer.

So I chickened out and changed the oil, and by changed the oil I mean,
(1) warm gearbox,
(2) drain 3 litres (that's all that comes out),
(3) put 3 litres of fresh oil in,
repeat 1-3 several times

In total it took 18 litres (7 litre gearbox capacity!) before the oil was the same colour coming out as going in.
Massive difference. OK it takes a couple of days before the gearbox learns it has new oil in but the difference is VERY noticeable, even to passengers. With the old oil it had got so bad, that the downshift from 5th to 4th would wake sleeping passengers.

Seriously if yours has done more that 75k then the oil is no longer fit for purpose, and you are probably increasing the wear rate.
LR are right, there is no service interval for the oil, they expect the car to last 150k, and it does - but it can last oh so much longer with proper care and intelligent servicing Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

Cheers Andy. Mine's done 97,000 miles, presumably on the same ATF, so I figured I'd be better changing it and looking after a newer one. According to Freelander Specialists the later box, 2010 onwards doesn't supersede the earlier one so there's probably some complication or other. If I can't find out for sure I'll do a fluid change.

Eventually what mine was doing was taking too long to change gear.

The sequence goes along this line:
gearbox decides that it need to change gear,
Engine cuts power,
gearbox changes gear,
engine resumes revs.

Now if it takes too long to change gear, the engine cuts, then revs high to accommodate the drop from 5th to 4th, but the gearbox isn't in gear yet, so the engine red lines. If you are "lucky" the gearbox actually grabs then gear just before the red line with an almighty bang, if you are "unlucky" the gear change fails, and you are left with a disconnected transmission.
Bloody great if you are changing lanes with a van on the back, going up the brew into Leeds.
The only solution at this point is to swear, let the revs drop, move gear lever to left and select a manual lower gear. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

And an oil change fixed that?

You wouldn't expect that changing the gearbox oil would make any difference, it's a sealed unit so no oxidation and there are no combustion products so we can only assume that the cr p in the oil is minute metal particles which affect the viscosity and are a sign of mechanical wear. Or am I missing something? 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Yep, you will be missing a few quid out of your back pocket to keep her in tip top condition Dorset. Changed all my manual oils and happy to do it as the cost is minimal compared to any early failure.

http://transmissionrepairguy.com/when-to-c...ion-fluid/ FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

Luckydan wrote:

And an oil change fixed that?

dorsetfreelander wrote:

You wouldn't expect that changing the gearbox oil would make any difference, it's a sealed unit so no oxidation and there are no combustion products so we can only assume that the cr p in the oil is minute metal particles which affect the viscosity and are a sign of mechanical wear. Or am I missing something?

The mechanic I use has invested in a machine that changes the transmission oil in cars, I believe it flushes the box out. He was telling me that customers can't believe the difference in the car after the gearbox oil had been changed, also fixes some issues that the customer has brought the car in for. Black MY2013 SD4 GS Auto, Wood Company Armrest, Freel2 sticker.
Gone MY2010 Freelander 2 Manual TD4.e S, Alaska White.