I recently bought a 2002 4.4 L322 with 69,000 city/motorway miles on it. Just had full service with all fluids and filters changed, new belt and tensioner, brakes etc. When I asked how to use the low ratio control correctly my indie mans face dropped a bit and said he hadn’t checked it and went on to say if I’m going to then do it near him (or another indie) as they often seize in low ratio if it is not regularly exercised. Any views on whether this is common? Is it an easy job to take the motor out for cleaning?

theres a great 'how to' by joe90 [tim] in our wiki that will help you.. ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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There are only 3 bolts holding it on but you do need to be a bit careful if you took it off as the screw that is turned by the motor locates in the end of the shaft I have shown in red and if you were to push this shaft in and the took out the screw it would be transfer box out but this is unlikely to happen.

You could remove the motor and turn the screw and push / pull it a bit but i don't think it would get stuck. The motor electronics normally fail though causing all sorts of errors.

There is also a calibration procedure if the motor is removed.

There is also a transfer box neutral procedure as well which you could try if it did get a bit sticky which is used when towing it.

If you want to change to low or high, put it in neutral and flick the switch and cross your fingers. Don't rev the engine when you do it. You should get a chime and the range will be displayed in the dash

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

If you flick the switch and get stuck in LOW, it is possible to remove the motor and wind the transfer box back to high ( I use an old motor I took apart).

Take care with the tightening of the three mounting bolts, they can easily start to strip the alloy casting of the transfer box

There are some videos on youtube by powerfuluk on how to bench test the motor

Biggest problem tends to be the potentiometer, for which I believe there is still no part replacement, and if you dismantle the motor (commutator/windings end) all the magnets are likely to fall out as they will have become unglued.

Then there is the ECU (tucked away behind the battery) but these are usually well behaved.


Finally, do you really need LOW? (Worth asking yourself before you go through all this hassle!) .
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

Thanks very much chaps, that’s really clear instruction.
Do I need it? Good question and no, not really, but I don’t like facilities that don’t work! (The analogue TV annoys me, I’ll probably never watch it but it’s on the upgrade list). I think I’ll leave all alone until the summer and try it then.
Does anyone have a view on whether this failure is common and expected or strikes only the few unlucky? I was warned about the same thing on my old p38 but it worked fine. That said I’m feeling unlucky right now so I ain’t touching it yet!

Quite common if not regularly used. Search the forum and you will turn up quite a few threads about it.

Mine used to work then one day, went into LOW and would not come back out again. Spent ages troubleshooting to no avail. Wound it back and have left it.

There is enough grunt in the TD6 and with 4x4 to tackle most things, don't go up or down mountains / off road.

Agree, good to have things working  .
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