Hi all, this is my first post...please forgive any noob schoolboy errors!

So, we have a 2011 SD4 HSE with a DPF. It started to develop an intermittent drop in revs at idle. It goes from 950, where it should be, to 900 for about a second.

Please bear with me, this is a bit of a ramble, but I'll get back to the idle issue, honest injun!

The chap that services the 2011 FL2 (and our 2005 FL1) fitted a new Bosch fuel filter, which make a big difference to the engine responsiveness, but not the idle issue

It then went to the local 4x4 specialists who checked all the error codes and reported no obvious cause. They did only charge for 30 mins labour so no complaints.

I then spoke to another local mechanic, a FL2 owner, who suggested fuel/exhaust system & air system cleaners. It's had two bottles of Cataclean in the tank and two cans of Wynns down the air intake. Still no improvement to the idle problem.

It's just a question of trial and error from here on in I decided.

Sooooo...while we're in lockdown I decided to invest in a Haynes manual and start doing some detective work & servicing on my everyday car (the FL2) for the first time in a *long* time.

How hard can it be, I naively asked myself? So far I've fitted a new starter motor, which is not the easiest job for a home mechanic, but I got there in the end. I've also swapped the cheapo air filter for a fancy K&N one (that's the motorcyclist in me).

Next job, oil & filter change.

The Haynes manual makes it clear that these cars need *very* specific fluids. Not just cheap 5W-30 from 'the Asda', no sir! This is also apparent from lots of the threads of this forum. So, I've got 6L of Shell Helix Ultra 5W-30 that meets Ford standard 934-B as specified in the Haynes manual. About £10/l delivered from Germany via eBay.

Now the bit you've all been expecting : no amount of YouTube videos prepared me for the abject horror or trying to remove the old filter housing. Making the most important service item so hard should never have been allowed. No sir.

With XL hands and 'normal' tools you've got no chance. So, I've borrowed a 27m ring spanner with a bend in it from my servicing chap. The recommended swivel head ratchet spanner has been ordered. You still need to get the black plastic lower trim and (intercooler?) hose out of the way to get a decent run at the filter housing. I couldn't figure out how to remove the lower black plastic trim so I've wedged a small plastic spirit level between it and the cross-member to push it down a bit.

After what felt like an eternity I got the filter housing off, but obviously the old black oil ran all down my hand and arm and almost made it to my shoulder. That's despite having (obviously) drained all of the oil. You live and learn. I left it off last night and called it a day.

Having read more forum posts this morning, I'm going to try and remove the lower hose before I put the filter housing back on. Seems like a good idea, now that I know it's not full of expensive and/or dangerous fluid.

So, now you've all had a good laugh at my oil change woes, back to the idle issue, like I promised.

Top of my list of potential causes is the ATF fluid. The car is 9 years old and the Haynes manual recommends changing it every 10 years. I've ordered 5L of Smith & Allan ATF fluid (£30 off eBay) that meets the required AW1 spec. Once the oil change is finally complete, I'm going to do the drain/refill method and gradually replace the ATF with new stuff.

The idle issue goes away when I put the gear in 'P' rather than 'D', hence my suspicion that it's a transmission issue, not an air/fuel/exhaust issue. As the ATF should be replaced every 10 years it won't do any harm anyway.

Right, back to that pesky oil filter housing...

27 mm flex head ratchet spanner makes it easy
Welcome BTW  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)

so firstly i wouldn't put a K&N filter anywhere near one, especially if its oil impregnated as the oily film ends up all over the AFM.
Have you fully charged the battery to see if it stabilises the idle.
Smart charge systems will vary the idle speed by up to 150 rpm depending on state of charge of battery and the demand on the electrics. Ac switch on will increase and decrease idle speed between 25 & 50 rpm to compensate for load on the pump.

fault code reading is for amateurs.
Live data information is required and experience, both of those will put an experienced person in the right direction.
the trouble with fault codes is that every sensor has to have a parameter so fuel pressure could be dropping or increasing but not enough to trigger a fault code, and even then it has to happen several times in quick succession.
pending faults is where to look for fault code that may be flagged but not yet triggered, and my pet hate is those that just clear code anyway and wait to see if anything comes back. little do they know they will have deleted pending and reset fuel trims and learn values so then no history or information to go by. Jaguar x-type sport gone
Jaguar x-type 2.2d sport one of my best cars ever sadly gone
Freelander 2 GS auto 2008 most unreliable ever ! gladly gone
Freelander 2 GS manual 2013 only time will tell !

Thanks for the feedback...it's somewhat of a surprise that a K&N filter could be problematic

I'll try charging that battery like you suggest.

It is possible to do the oil filter from underneath with just the undertray removed but you do require the 27mm swivel head rachet spanner.
An alternative is to lift out the radiator fan assembly. There are two sensors under the slam panel, take the screws out and just push them out of the way. Take out the large electrical plug at the fan assembly. The fan assembly is located and secured by four plastic clips, gently prise them open one at a time as you lift the assy. Its a little easier if you have a second person pull the top radiator hose slightly out of the way followed by the air con hoses next to the washer bottle.
Personally I don't do the filter this way, I just noticed how much room there was whilst I was doing something else.

As for your idle issue, does your oil pressure light also come on when the revs drop.?
I had a similar issue some time back and I was advised by another member to change the oil filter again, even though it was a good quality one and fairly new. Apparently there is a valve inside the filter which can fail and cause issues. Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

Like a good noob I read a lot of posts on attacking the oil filter from above v below. Like all these things the 'right' answer is 'whatever works for you'!

I have XL hands and a low tolerance for mashed up hands/forearms. I looked at both methods and decided to attack from below, especially as I have invested in new axle stands.

Regarding the idle issue, it's intermittent and nothing like the (in)famous hesitation/judder/fault. The car runs like a charm, aside from that one issue. No oil lights or any other lights come on.

The battery is on charge and is drawing 4 Amps. We might be onto something here!

Anyway, looks like I've 'misplaced' (chucked out) the new oil filter https://www.freel2.com/forum/images/smiles/icon_bigcry.gif

As said, 27mm swivel head ratchet spanner from underneath with just the lower pan removed. Re the idle speed - it’s not a sudden load on the alternator that’s causing it is it? You do get that when the a/c or cooling fan comes on on a few cars. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

The best advice I can give you & I think most of the other FL2 owners would agree don’t go aftermarket parts always buy factory oil, air & fuel filters as non OEM are well documented to give problems.

Makes sense. I'm so used to buying aftermarket parts for old motorbikes I overlooked the fact that car dealers supply service items for not-so-old models.

Lord Oxton, how did it work out for you on the intermittent miss? I read with interest as I have exactly the same fault as you describe it. I know others talk about sudden electrical load but put the gearbox into P or N does seems to stop it and I have a 9 year old SD4 too !!

I just wondered as the ATF gets old the fuel saving function of the auto box being left in D at traffic lights etc doesn't work properly ??? With mine it often falters just as I come to a stop but as you say it's a second or less. Whilst sitting there it may well continue to miss or not, as it feels fit!

LordOxton wrote:

Hi all, this is my first post...please forgive any noob schoolboy errors!

So, we have a 2011 SD4 HSE with a DPF. It started to develop an intermittent drop in revs at idle. It goes from 950, where it should be, to 900 for about a second.

I followed dunckley201 finely written Dump and Fill method this weekend and I can report that intermittent drop in revs at idle whilst in D or R is cured. I've changed 3.75 ltrs with Smith & Allan AW-1 so far. Gear changes are smoother and no funny whiney noises. My car is 2011 SD4 with 99k on clock. All I can say is this job should have been in the service schedule a bit earlier say 7 years or 75k??

Well thank sounds like a result! I will look for that article and give it a go! Thanks for the heads up.