Member Since: 19 Nov 2014
Location: Southampton
Posts: 29
D3 Auto Stuck In Gear
I had a call for help from a friend earlier. She has an 05 D3 HSE that she totally neglects - never serviced, filthy, full of hay and very tatty. She was reversing with a heavy horsebox on muddy ground "when it went bang and stopped". She couldn't take it out of reverse and by the time I got a call, several others had tried and the battery was flat.
I have left it on charge until tomorrow, but will take a spare battery anyway. I couldn't see any fluids or shrapnel underneath, but it is pretty well covered in mud. I can put the parking brake on and drag it to cleaner ground and hose it off for a visual. The engine was starting OK till the battery went down but the gear lever will not move.
Any suggestions please as i don't see anything in the searches?
8th Jan 2017 4:20 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
The search function won't find anything as the mods don't like D3 neglect murders being organised on the open forum. Best to arrange a contract killing via PM.
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 19 Nov 2014
Location: Southampton
Posts: 29
I should get some photos of it - shocking doesn't even start to describe it. She proudly says she never locks it as no-one would steal it due to the mess! Seats, floor and dash are a tasteful mix of fag packets, sweet wrappers, crisp packets, coffee cups and hay. There are seat covers, though as expected, that aren't on properly and ripped to add the general air of neglect...
8th Jan 2017 5:13 pm
Skynet
Member Since: 23 Jul 2014
Location: Melksham, Wiltshire
Posts: 868
Neglect? That's Series and Defender standard treatment! Dave
D3 2006 HSE, Cairns Blue - gone
D4 2016 SE, White
Beneath the grime there may be a perfectly good D3....BREXIT - done properly.
Right now ...We need Government - not Politics
Save the Dipstick Flagbearer-keep it simple, less likely to fail campaign-agenda items:Starting Handles, Acetylene Lamps.
Founder: Dipsticks-R-Us Inc
D3 HSE-perfectly formed, passenger friendly...has real DIPSTICK
Jag XK-but sadly no DIPSTICK...HUGE design fault
FL2 has DIPSTICK..."real comfort in rear seats"
VW Golf wondermobile (?)..has real DIPSTICK
Morris Minor..original DIPSTICK technology..and a real KEY.
8th Jan 2017 6:03 pm
geoffsnook
Member Since: 13 Jun 2014
Location: south wales
Posts: 3169
Bang and stopped usually mean expensive Discovery 3 se gone
Range rover sport supercharged here:)
8th Jan 2017 6:18 pm
Maxc
Member Since: 19 Nov 2014
Location: Southampton
Posts: 29
She just called me to say the last service in the book is 5 years and 26,000 miles ago! It is on around 80k miles so I assume the belts would have been changed on age rather than mileage. I asked her to bring over all the docs so I can check this out. I see she can get a used gearbox for £500 so at least things don't look terminal.
8th Jan 2017 6:27 pm
geoffsnook
Member Since: 13 Jun 2014
Location: south wales
Posts: 3169
£500 sounds cheap eor a box for a disco 3 Discovery 3 se gone
Range rover sport supercharged here:)
8th Jan 2017 7:11 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10363
Has anyone fitted the gearbox from the s type ? 2.7
8th Jan 2017 7:33 pm
Maxc
Member Since: 19 Nov 2014
Location: Southampton
Posts: 29
Is there any advantage to this? There are plenty of D3 and even D4 auto boxes, including the converter on eBay for c.£500. Although I have way too much on, I'll probably get suckered into fixing it so a straight swap will be ideal. I'll introduce it to new oil and filters at the same time! I imagine the brakes are probably shot, so the list could be a long one.
8th Jan 2017 7:48 pm
geoff.
Member Since: 24 Jan 2010
Location: West kent
Posts: 8531
u may need to swap out the mechatronic unit so may not be just a trans swap
8th Jan 2017 8:03 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10363
No advantage.
Go point Geoff.
8th Jan 2017 8:52 pm
Maxc
Member Since: 19 Nov 2014
Location: Southampton
Posts: 29
Geoff, is the valve body/mechatronic unit electronically coded to the vehicle? I rebuilt the auto box on my F150 Raptor - a (built under licence) ZF unit virtually identical to the FFRR unit and was able to swap to an upgraded, programmable body with no problems.
One of the first checks will be the trans fluid so any bits or swarf would lead me to change the whole system as a matter of course.
8th Jan 2017 9:13 pm
Maxc
Member Since: 19 Nov 2014
Location: Southampton
Posts: 29
A bit of an update - I dragged it out of the mud (with the parking brake on) and changed the battery. The dash came on, clearly showing it in R, andt the lever is firmly stuck in that position. I was surprised it started as most/all autos need to be in P or N - I'm assuming this is the case with the D3? It behaved as if in neutral, but there was a definite transmission rattle and no drive, so I shut if off quickly.
A look underneath showed nothing obvious so it looks like an internal issue and warrants a box change. I just need to qualify if the mechatronic is coded to the car so I can source a box and associated parts. Can someone confirm this please?
9th Jan 2017 6:46 pm
Maxc
Member Since: 19 Nov 2014
Location: Southampton
Posts: 29
I though I'd better follow this up - all fixed! I found someone local with an RRS gearbox that was perfect for the job. They bought it last year and found a damaged mechatronic unit on the original - sounded like offroading damage as there was a very bent sump. I cleaned the D3's mechatronic unit as best I could and fitted it with a new sump, seals and fluid that came with the box - £300 well spent! I was happy to see no swarf or particles in the broken box, so it was a good bet that the valves would be ok. It all went together easily and works properly with no recoding needed. The worst part was seized bolts on the crossmember and I had to cut one off whilst dismantling.
I've also used up my own spares stash, giving it a an engine oil change, new brake pads all round and a front ABS sensor. the owner is planning to get the belts done ASAP so it should carry on for a while yet.
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