Hi guys, I'm a new FFRR owner since yesterday.

I bought a black 53 plate 4.4 V8 autobiography yesterday with 113k & fsh mostly dealer. I bought it with a gearbox fault & needing some TLC but I felt being an autobiography it was worth it. The fault is a suspected oil cooler blockage & leaking cooler pipes. It's gives the overheat message on the display, I knew about this so obviously didn't pay market value & factored into the price worst case scenario of needing a recon box. It had also put the engine light on which he told me about & the owner said the diagnostics showed "low voltage to fuel pump" & "speed sensor" the light was cleared & hasn't come back on since.

Trouble is on the way home it chucked up some other faults.
It gave "transfer box neutral" & "Air suspension inactive" now the suspension is locked to one setting which I think is motorway mode. Now I had checked the suspension when test driving it & it performed no problem, no noisy compressor or anything. Also the vehicle drove great for the first 60-70 miles back.

On arriving back I noticed that the engine seemed to be making a faint knocking sound when warm or what sounds like it but can't quite pinpoint it. Didn't make the noise this morning when cold. I looked underneath again even though I was aware of the gearbox oil leak all on the bottom but when I checked the drips back home it seemed more like engine oil than gearbox oil. It's the only thing I didn't check when buying as the owner said it was gearbox oil so I didnt bother to touch it. He said he topped it up for me & gave me the rest, told me he had to top it up approx every 500 miles hence why it never got used much. I've looked at the engine & there looks to be oil all over the block & lots of drips on the floor, looks to be quite a serious oil leak.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. 2004 RR 4.4 V8 Autobiography

Last edited by PaulM on 8th Mar 2015 4:06pm. Edited 1 time in total

Hi and welcome.

I don't have a petrol, but I understand they suffer a bit with the rocker cover gaskets. You need to get all the oil off to see where it's coming from. The PCV hoses at the back of the engine are also prone to collapsing with age. The air suspension is a "hard" fault, ie it will not clear without a reset tool, even if you fix the issue.

You could put some cardboard under the car and look at the drips to see what oil it is coming out ?

I'd get the gearbox sorted sooner rather than later, as one small issue tends to turn into a big one.....

Make sure the battery is fully charged and in tip top condition, as our beloved cars throw up all sorts of messages when the voltage gets low.... 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

Welcome to the cruel world of FFRR ownership!

Sounds like you have bought yourself some problems

Transfer box neutral is something to do with the transfer box - High/Low range. Does this all work OK? Could be that is just faulted due to other things going on, but will likely drop you into Air Suspension Inactive for safety reasons?

The ECUs are all chained together so a fault in one may generate a fault in another, and then another, and so on. You need a good diagnostic tool to figure out what is causing the problem. (Some recommend IIDTool BT or Faultmate if you have the cash)

Battery and alternator problems can also help to throw all sorts of messages

Gearbox leaks are usually bearing seal related, but could be cooler pipes, or sump?

You will have to do some cleaning up to see if you can find the engine oil leak and gearbox leak, then others will come along to give advice on likely fixes or outcomes. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

When my td6 went air susp inactive and transfer box select neutral it was caused by a front ABS sensor being knackered its a simple place to start

^^^^ see what I mean (ECU chains)

And that is the great thing about this forum too  .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

There isn't much that "The Collective" on here hasn't seen, in one shape or another. 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

The engine oil leaks are either the rocker cover gaskets or the PCV hoses - lift the plastic engine cover off and towards the back there are some rubber pipes running across the top of the engine - these deterioate and turn to mashed sponge - if they are gone then you will be leaking oil down the back of the engine as it will be a fine misty spray of warm oil. Current Fleet:-
2018 Discovery 5 3.0 HSE
2021 Ford Ranger Wildtrack
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt 5.0 V8
1993 Defender 90 200TDI Pickup

Gone - not forgotten
2016 L405 4.4 SDV8 Vogue SE
2012 L322 4.4 Westminster
2004 L322 4.4 V8 Autobiography LE
2000 P38 RR 4.0 HSE (ex Clarkson test car)

Ok a little update on the RR, I has a good look at it Sunday & you can see it's had work done as the front engine cover has been removed. The problem is the cowboy that did the work must have used the old gasket as there is sealer all round the gasket, that looks to be one place the oil is leaking from. The other is one of the breather pipes on the top at the back of the engine wasn't even connected!  2004 RR 4.4 V8 Autobiography

That pipe at the back could have blown off because the PCV valve is bunged up... this causes crankcase pressure and lots of leaks, there is a how to in the Wiki..... Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Paul what part of Warwickshire you in may be able to help with the fault reading and clearing .

hi

Check your battery voltage

then check this must do's:

http://www.rswsolutions.com/index.php/mkii...-pcv-parts

http://www.rswsolutions.com/index.php/mkii...-pcv-valve

http://www.rswsolutions.com/index.php/mkii...olant-hose

Cheers l=Oo\________/oO=l l:OolΞΞΞΞΞΞΞloO:l

Current
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L SDV8 - 2013 - Indus Silver, on Almond.
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L V8 - 2002 - ex-2003 G4 Challenge Event Vehicle, Stage 3: Australia
RANGE ROVER HSE 4.4L V8 - 2004 - one-of-one Overfinch
RANGE ROVER P38a 4.0L V8 - 1999 - ex-2000 TReK Event Vehicle: South Africa

Previous:
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L TDV8 - 2012 - RANGE ROVER 3.6L TDV8 x3 - RANGE ROVER Td6 x1 - RANGE ROVER Classic 3.5L V8 x1

I'm in Coventry hex.

Engine light on now too 2004 RR 4.4 V8 Autobiography

Me to and the odd thing is I am paulm as well lol
Pm me your number and you can pop round and I will stick it on the diagnostics for you

This is what I love about these forums - the collective knowledge and the willingness to help fellow owners
Don't think I would be much help though but if anybody need any demolition related advice please ask

Babagee
(Ian)

Yes Ian, that's what I love about these forums too. The sense of community & willingness to help, Land Rover forums are top of the list for this too

Pm sent hex. 2004 RR 4.4 V8 Autobiography