Rockhoppers 2006 Land Rover Freelander 1

[rockhopper]

Fitted the switch that enables me to change the state of tune on the go yesterday. So I have normal, Eco and power for when I want it. Works well!!!

I'm also in the process of cleaning the inside and outside of the car. Using Autoglym interior cleaner which is bringing up the carpets and all the vinyl nicely. The Autoglym Vinyl & Rubber care then finishes off the vinyl & plastics inside and out nicely. The leather cleaner does a great job and the leather balm protects it.

Still to do the front passenger carpet and seat as well as the boot and rear seat and door cards. The 'used' smell is disappearing.

I'm really enjoying driving the car. It is comfortable, and has a reasonable turn of speed, talking of which it is deceptively fast, you arrive at a bend or junction, and realise you are going faster than you thought. Partly to do with the lack of engine braking at less than around 1600rpm, and because it is quieter than the Yeti.

The car has General Grabber AT tyres fitted with a fairly aggressive tread pattern, which are a little noisier than summer tyres. They are 225/55/ R17.

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[mdk1]

Looks very nice Mike,

Do still miss my Landys,

You will find that the Freelander can get along way off the beaten track, and all sorts of off road bits are available, once you start......

[rockhopper]

Looks very nice Mike,

Do still miss my Landys,

You will find that the Freelander can get along way off the beaten track, and all sorts of off road bits are available, once you start......

Looks even better today.....

The local Eastern Europeans washed the car and I then put on some super resin polish and then some extra gloss protection. Went over the black with vinyl & rubber care. Looks amazing.

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[rockhopper]

First challenge last night.......

A turbo hose split.

Loadsa black smoke & very little power - more of a D4 as the T was blowing through the split :lol:

£15 spent & 5 mins or less and the car is now performing like it has never done before for me.

Very common part to split. I will replace all the hoses methinks.

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[domhnall]

The joy of land rover ownership eh? At least an easy fix. If only my yeti was so easy to fix

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[rockhopper]

The joy of land rover ownership eh? At least an easy fix. If only my yeti was so easy to fix

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Oh yes...... The joys.

:lol:

I enjoy driving it more than the Yeti as the seats and ride are more comfortable and I'm sitting another 100mm higher. Now the performance is sorted it is reasonably quick as well.

Lots planned on preventative maintainable.

New VCU (Viscous Cpupling. Unit)

Change gearbox oil

Replace all turbo hoses

EGR removal

K&N air filter

New fuel filter

New discs & pads

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[domhnall]

I enjoy driving it more than the Yeti 

 

Shhh! You'll be banished for heresy! 

 

[rockhopper]

I did qualify my comment!!!!!

The Freelander isn't as nippy and doesn't handle as well.

But I'm into comfort, not going round corners too fast :lol:

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[rockhopper]

I replaced the EGR with a bypass today.

 

I also have booked it into Bell Engineering to have the VCU & bearings replaced on Thursday.

 

I also ordered some LED's for the interior and the front side lights, and a 2006 sales brochure 

 

I'm getting there, but I have only had it 3 weeks.

 

It's been too wet today to deal with the carpets. They still need a good vacuum & clean.

 

But what I have done to the interior now has made the smell go away. It had that used car smell.

[horn3t]

Why do you need a sales brochure for?

[rockhopper]

Because I can be a little *nal at times and like to know all I can about my car... :lol:

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[horn3t]

Thank you very much for your explanation. I like to keep them too, so I was wondering if we have same reasons for it.

Have a nice evening!

Edited 10 September, 2013 by horn3t

[rockhopper]

I drove up to Bell Engineering today and they fitted a reconditioned VCU and bearings. They are the best people in the business as far as I can tell for all things to do with Freelander 1 transmissions- the IRD (intermediate reduction drive), the VCU and the rear diff.

I was told that it had never been replaced, so done in good time.

I can now reverse on full lock without the car coming to a halt or stalling -it's an auto :lol: it also felt a lot freer as well.

I don't have a trip computer, but it was about 2/3rds empty after 390 miles, so I expect when I fill up it will be a reasonable fuel consumption as well.

The car feels great now I have done all these mods, and still some left to do in due course.

Mike

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[rockhopper]

The Freelander is going well.

Feels so much better with the new VCU.

Fitted a Witter detachable towbar today. Just waiting for the electrics to arrive. Simple to fit. 8 bolts. All I had to do was remove 3 bolts holding one side of the towing point. No bumper removal.

The electrics when they arrive will be just plug & play, but will have to remove the side trim to get to the plug.

Sorted out a speaker in the o/s rear door that wasn't working. Just needed the contacts cleaning.

Need to source a new plug for the tweeter as it was broken. The Subwoofer has blown, so probably won't replace it, but will enjoy the extra storage space under the boot floor now that it has been removed.

I've upgraded the interior lighting to LED's and fitted some CREE LED's to my side lights so I can use them as DRL's.

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[horn3t]

Is it possible to see the CREE LED's fitted? I am interested in how they look like...

[rockhopper]

Here you are: at night, with the interior as well lit up with LED's

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[rockhopper]

Ps. That is just the CREE's!

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[horn3t]

Thank you very much for the photo, they look very impressive! So, you’ll be more visible and spare the main headlights bulbs at the same time. I like the interior, too. 

[rockhopper]

Thanks.

 

Here they are in the day in the drizzle!!

 

 

[rockhopper]

I also managed to source some steering wheel audio controls for my system, they are quite hard to find and only one company I have found supplies them. In Car Tech.

 

I fitted them today and the controls now work. Yippie!!!

[rockhopper]

I replaced the PCV (crankcase pressure valve) with the Dyson type from a BMW and fitted a Pipercross air filter. Struggled to get the cover back on.

 

Then found the snow cover hiding the fuel filter. Located the bolts. Undid the easy one, but the other one was fairly well rusted up and took about 45 minutes to undo! The rear part of the metal strap had come away from the base which didn't help. The rivets had corroded. Then I pulled off the earth lead from the filter housing and it fell off.

 

Panicked!!!!

 

Rang Land Rover to discover they want £385 plus VAT for the whole assembly.

Decided I would look into it a bit more rather than shelling out loadsadosh.

 

Bought some Hammerite and some long rivets. I have painted the straps after wire brushing them. Tapped the captive nut and used a die to clean up the threads on the bolts. I could not find a new earth , so bought some stereo removal keys which will do the trick once cut to size.

 

I then assembled everything today. Then put it back on the car. It is now purring beautifully.

 

So, changing the fuel filter is an easy job........ Well maybe next time :lol:

 

should replace every 12,000 miles.

 

It didn't look like I had been done for years!

 

 

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[horn3t]

Well done for quick thinking and nice repair :strong: . If I should guess - probably it was never changed before this attempt?

Edited 26 September, 2013 by horn3t

[rockhopper]

Well done for quick thinking and nice repair :strong: . If I should guess - probably it was never changed before this attempt?

 

 

 

Thanks.

 

It certainly looked that way.

 

The car was running beautifully this evening, so I guess I got all the pipes the right way round 

[rockhopper]

A little update:

A BMW 'dyson' cyclone crank case breather has been fitted along with a Pipercross air filter.

New shiny red silicon turbo hoses fitted.

New drilled and grooved discs and EBC pads fitted.

Now it goes and stops well.

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[bilun777]

Nice... :p