Morning all, Firstly hello all, and secondly sorry for long first post.

I don’t know if any one can help with the below fault it’s driving me mad.

2010 TDV8 3.6 L322
67000 miles

Back in February before lock down I had the battery and alternator change vehicle as the Altenator had failed and the pulley bearing was making an awful whining sound under load.

However since all the above has been replaced the car has developed a Judder up hill between 30-40 mph and car seems to stutter/judder like it wants to stall but keep the power down it pulls like a train. I have no DTC’s present in any of the modules on the vehicle and no fault or warning lights display on dash.

I have replace top two inter-cooler hose back in October and had the transmission filter, sleeve and oil changed all genuine ZF and all was smooth as silk back in December. The independent I use regularly have said all modules are all up to date an non require adjusting. This has always been run to bp ultimate diesel. How ever before the battery and alternator went the gear changes were seamless and was driving like a dream.

I am at a loss as to where go with this now. Any help pointers would be appreciated. I have looked and looked though this form and cannot see a similar faults Other than torque converter. So apologies if I have been blind and not seen it when using search bar.

Thank you.

Torque converter

the torque converter is not electrical, so does not throw up any faults on a scanner

however, if you find a clear road and accelerate as gently as possible holding a constant throttle position and you don't notice any difference to the noise/vibration when you pass through 56mph then I think it's unlikely to be the torque converter causing the problem.

At 70mph on the motorway the LUC (Lock Up Clutch) should definitely be locked solid, so if you release the throttle just a little, the engine revs should stay constant and not suddenly drop, this all assumes your LUC is OK


also it could be the torque convertor seals. vibration can be caused by an oscillating effect, basically pressure within the TC drops due to the worn seals, the valve detects this, opens and repressurises the TC, closes, and the cycle keeps being repeated many times a second and that feels like vibration going uphill in low gears. The TC locks up above 56mph and is less noticeable, not even audible most of the time

Last edited by pcourtney on 28th Jun 2020 11:24am. Edited 2 times in total

Thank you for the reply both of you, Should a torque convert really be failing at such low mileage? Vehicle has never towed And has no tow bar fitted.On a straight flat bit of road the revs stay constant even with cruise control on 60-70mph revs stay around 1700-1800rpm no bouncing or fluctuating.

well its 10 years old, I would get the TC seals changed first, and go from there

Was it warm and with the AC on? This can give a surging sensation when accelerating slightly especially uphill.

pcourtney wrote:

well its 10 years old, I would get the TC seals changed first, and go from there

Before you head down the gearbox out route to tackle the torque converter, it might be worth getting the prop shaft joints checked. Albeit on an earlier, petrol L322, I thought I had a failing torque converter. Had the gearbox refurbished and the vibration was still there. It turned out to be the prop shaft centre bearing (which Courtney on here suggested - ace forum member 👍).

I wish I’d got the more accessible bits of the transmission inspected by some one who knows their onions, it would have saved me the cost and hassle of the gearbox refurb.

Good luck getting it sorted. 2004 L322 4.4 V8 Vogue Bonatti Grey
(205,500 miles and counting.......)

Check all the obvious mechanical joints first.

Prop shaft bearings, cv joints, driveshaft UJs

A quick visual and shake should point if there is a bit of a problem With any of them.

Have had a centre bearing go on our hilux and it feels a bit like you describe and is a cheaper place to start and it can be seen without taking anything to bits. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

How about a 'mega-flush' of the gearbox?
I know you said the oil & filter has been changed on the 'box, but, that only drains around 60%-70% of the fluid in the gearbox. A 'mega flush' I believe takes 99% of the oil out.
Worth a punt rather than taking the 'box & TC out.
I had a 2.7 TDV6 Jag that would 'chunter' coming out of a roundabout getting up to 3rd-4th-5th etc turned out to be the TC & this was before megaflush came on the market.

Let us know how you get on. 2012 Orkney Grey Westminster 4.4TDV8 with Ivory interior.........nice!
Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Just one Montesa now, 349 White Wonder
Austin A40 Farina MK2
1975 Morris Marina 1.8TC

You mention that you have no DTCs present. Does that mean you have your own diagnostics kit, or did you get them read at a workshop? If it’s your own kit it would be worth checking to see if it’s capable of reading and recording live data, in particular the engine speed, turbine speed, transmission output speed and TC LUC solenoid current. If so, you could record these parameters during the vibration and analyse them (or I’d be happy to do it for you), which would tell you if it’s the torque converter lock-up clutch causing the issue. If not, it would allow you to eliminate it from your enquiries.

Click image to enlarge

*** doh, just saw you've already replaced the intercooler hoses - good luck sorting it! ***


Check the two large intercooler hoses for splits (top of the engine, you cant miss them) - very common fault

I spent a couple of weeks worrying my TC was on the way out and it turned out one of my hoses was badly split
(second time one split we were travelling from Chester to Edinburgh for a long weekend - amazing what duct tape will fix!)

You need to check them carefully as they tend to split on the underside so cannot easily be seen  2007 Zermatt Silver TDV8 Vogue SE - now sold but was a great car!

It sounds like "cattle gridding'. RRPhil is the expert. I had this after my local indy changed the gearbox oil (2008 MY TDV8 116K miles at the time) shortly after I bought the car. No problems before that. Went back to them and they put in additive to sort it out. Now at 135K and it occasionally happens again, especially when the car has been driven for a while.
I have been considering having STA transmission specialists in Aylesbury take a look at it. I would be interested to know via this thread what data I could gather using IID tool to shed light on cause. Previously a 2008MY Tonga Green Vogue SE 3.6 TDV8

Bristol Transmissions get good feedback. Not too far from Wiltshire  Gone to a good home: 2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE Buckingham Blue with Ivory and clear glass = "Rory"
2025MY Defender D350 90 in Silicon Silver on coils
1974 Series 3 Lightweight = "Millie"
Many, many other Landies over the years
My preferred specialist: www.glenrands.co.uk
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RRPhil wrote:

You mention that you have no DTCs present. Does that mean you have your own diagnostics kit, or did you get them read at a workshop? If it’s your own kit it would be worth checking to see if it’s capable of reading and recording live data, in particular the engine speed, turbine speed, transmission output speed and TC LUC solenoid current. If so, you could record these parameters during the vibration and analyse them (or I’d be happy to do it for you), which would tell you if it’s the torque converter lock-up clutch causing the issue. If not, it would allow you to eliminate it from your enquiries.

Click image to enlarge

Phil