I have messaged Phil, yes. Like all of us I suspect he is a very busy man at this time of year. 2007 Vogue TDV8 with 255/55/20's fitted

So. Progress, of a sort.
Battery reconditioned and charged. ad one last try at doing recalibration of hi-lo sensor and clutch with the IID. No luck.
So attached my original hi/lo sensor and shift motor to the orig t/box then attached the car t/box loom to the orig t/box once it was positioned close underneath the car. Still shows same faults which reappear once cleared by IID.
Tried the calibration procedure of the hi/lo sensor and wahey you can hear noises as the solenoid clicks and the selector motor turns. IID confirms it's done. Then did the clutch calibration on the IID and all is electronically back to normal. No dash warning, no flashing hi/lo lights, no lack of terrain response. Because the car thinks that the transfer box it is cabled to is actually fitted.
Then spent an hour switching the shift motor and the hi/lo sensor back onto the new box "just on case", tried the calibration sequences several times which did not work, one click from under the car is all, and we're back to electronic Christmas tree....

Then after removing the looms temporarily and battery off I put 12v direct into the shift solenoid on the new box and it definitely energises and de-energises. I removed it's bolts and it did not fall off (which if it had been incorrectly fitted it may well have). I did not remove it totally as it was sealer'd on and I have to think about warranty etc. What I have conclusively proved is:- If for example I had bought a s/h tbox - and the selector shaft turned by hand - I could fit it and calibrate it with IID as effectively that was what I've done by looming up my old box on the floor. Also proved that we haven't somehow disturbed wiring to the box/module or somehow made an error on the gearbox wiring loom bush sleeve side-job we did as all errors/faults went away when the car was connected to the newly calibrated old t/box on the floor.

The only conclusion that I can draw is that the box has been delivered locked/seized in terms of the selector - due to mis-assembly. I spoke to an ex-master tech for LR this afternoon who works locally ish (and is booked solid for weeks). Asked him "should I be able to turn selector cog/shaft?" His answer was that he'd never tried to - why would he? They fit a new box then via T4/Testbook they'd "tell" the car it had a new transfer box, it would do all its calibrations etc.

So in the morning armed with the knowledge I now have I will firstly call Allmakes tech section "should I be able to turn this selector by hand, and if not, why not?". Then a conversation with the supplier who took two weeks to get the box to me in the first place. It does look like it's gonna have to be a hire car to go up and see the parents in Newcastle at New Year - which is damned irrritating - and I will be looking to the supplier for something. Doubt they will play - but they should do. 2007 Vogue TDV8 with 255/55/20's fitted

Good luck with it

at least you now know you aren't going mad...... There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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So, to bring this to a conclusion.....
Both Allmakes and the t/box supplier insisted that the box could not be wrongly assembled. The supplier eventually admitted that they had subcontracted the supply out to Allmakes as they themselves had a parts supply chain issue. The box that came to me was actually the 2nd that had been despatched by Allmakes, the first had arrived (in error) at my original supplier.
With everything that had gone on I insisted on a further box being supplied. With a stroke of slight luck, the 1st Allmakes box had not been sent back to them so the supplier agreed to courier it to me overnight. That was on the Thursday before Xmas so being realistic I went ahead and hired a car that night. Paid extra to be cancellable just in case.

Woke up remarkably fresh Friday morning after lots of commiseratory beer. So out I went to the garage, and whipped the old box out. I say whipped, it wasn't that quick. For a start, I had to try and get it high enough to get the ramps back under the wheels. That was (NOT!!!) fun......, and a bit of a by myself, but I was in the situation I was in and the box had to come out at some point so I figured just get it done. They're not that heavy, 44kg, but when its on your chest and you're trying not to drop it as you wriggle out from underneath etc......
My valeter was here at the time doing the other motors, remarked "that car is scruffy". Great. Cheers mate. Can't get it out of the garage for you to clean it. Brilliant Very motivating. Anyway, out the box came.........

Ffwd to 4pm, just cracked open a beer, doorbell, courier, "Sir I have a pallet for you but its 440kg and you have a gravel drive so I can't deliver it, can you rearrange?"
"Like hell, get out of the way!!"
"Sir......holy Jesus how is that possible????" as I grabbed the pallet and lifted it out the truck!!!

So I spent the Friday night trying to get the box in without damaging myself, the car, or the box. Soon as I unwrapped it and had a feel of the selector cog I knew it was going to be okay, but even so I had a squeaky bum the entire job. Lovely to do alone, and with various injuries present, but I had the benefit of adrenaline, and 3/4 of a bottle of Estrella Galicia helping me!! In the box went. Everything checked and double checked. Neighbours passing saying hello (and no doubt muttering about what a crazy git they live next to or similar). Battery on, car itself as usual with all the same warnings as the first time

Plugged in the IID tool and tried to calibrate the hi-lo sensor - tool says procedure successful but car still in crazy electronic hell mode. Cue large sigh, emotional face, and the urgent draining of aforementioned beer. Then decided just for the hell of it to try and calibrate the clutch pack with IID (again this had never worked previously). Lots of click-clack noieses, and this time, when it asked me to start up and put it in low range, it seemed to want to work, same for high range. Cue dropped Estrella bottle on floor and appropriate glass shards to sweep up

All seemed to be good. So I decided with trepidation to see if she actually wanted to move. She did. So partly down the ramps she reversed, then out came the jacks and off the ramps she came. Triumphantly..... Decided to do the hi-lo sensor again as a belt and braces thing - all went well, don't know if that was necessary or not but I did it anyway. Confirmed the car would move forward and backwards, then put her in locked high suspension mode and checked the levels - drained about a half litre of atf out as we'd filled it at a slight angle and cold.

A quick tidy up, bite to eat, then out we went for a drive. A near silent one. Quite incredible how noisy that bearing actually was even at 25/30mph, when you then drive one with a new bearing/box. Confirmed all terrain responses etc working, final drive into the garage to ensure all not leaking etc. And thats it.

I don't really know what the moral of the story is here. Except that sometimes new parts can be faulty, especially like major assemblies which of course are all refurbished not new. End of the day, if Allmakes had sent the box to me correctly the first time (box 1), it would have been put in and away we go without the hours of about diagnosing (including by a LR master tech).

Oh, and your IID tool IS capable of calibrating a replacement transfer box - without it you cannot finish this repair!!

She's getting a looksie over tomorrow now that I've used her around and about then its time for a near-silent journey up north. Hopefully......

Thanks to all contributors for your support  2007 Vogue TDV8 with 255/55/20's fitted

Hooray! Good work and at least you can start the new year with a running, quiet vehicle.

Excellent Story ,and very well done Jonnyboy ,respect to you for sticking at it .Many a lesser man would have thrown the towel in !

Nicely done

If your transfer box weighs anywhere near the same as mine then fair play to you. I had to enlist my neighbour to help me bolt it in position as it was like trying to lift a small car up up under a big car !

Well done. ______________________________
Vogue tdv8 08MY poverty pack - wow

A bit late but I can confirm we had a near-silent journey up to Newcastle and back. What a difference it made, hard to believe. Passed MOT this morning perfectly as well so that s a win  2007 Vogue TDV8 with 255/55/20's fitted

Sweet success. 👍 ______________________________
Vogue tdv8 08MY poverty pack - wow

Massive relief I did it with a whole 1/4" of snow on the ground  2007 Vogue TDV8 with 255/55/20's fitted

Nails !