Trans service on high mileage D2

[Rockbeard]

My disco has 156,000 miles on it. The tranny shifts and pulls just fine, but the pan gasket has some seepage and i want to reseal it. What's the general consensus on servicing higher mileage trannys? Should I:
A) change the gasket/filter and refill with new atf?
B) just fix the gasket, leave the old filter in it, and put the old atf back in?
C) fix the gasket, put a new filter in, and put the old atf back in?
D) fix the gasket, leave the old filter in, and fill with new atf?

I wanna lean toward option D, if the filter isn't too bad. I know that sometimes guys have been burned while servicing their trannys with higher mileage. some have done a service, or a drain and fill, and then a fine working transmission just turned into a not so good shifting one. So, feel free to share your knowledge and experiences. I await your responses eagerly! thanks!

 

[jymmiejamz]

Option A. If your transmission is only working because of the old fluid, then you will need a transmission soon anyway.

 

[discostew]

Ya do that . Option D. The only way enough shit could get in the filter to restrict it would be if something was failing. But I've been having trouble with some of those little clamping blocks and bolts that go thru them. If your from up north figure some extra time or some new hardware.

 

[best4x4]

I just did this on my 02 D2 with 159K on it. Transmission was shifting fine, but the transmission pan gasket was starting to seep like yours.

I did "Option A" and I just used some Valvoline DEX III compatible fluid and it took 7.5-8.0qt.

I found it easier to assemble by installing the two center mounting blocks/bolts, and then moving the pan slightly until all the blocks were in place. I also power washed the blocks and pan while I had it apart because it was covered in mud/grime/oil. Also while you have it apart make sure to remove the magnet from the pan and clean it.

 

[Rockbeard]

anyone else gonna chime in? i was hoping for more responses and experiences. So best4x4: did that work out for you?

 

[Rocky]

Option A. Zero doubt in my mind. If you go D you'll look at the thing laughing at you and the Rover gods will ensure you'll be replacing it within weeks.....

 

[K-rover]

I did option A last year. Truck has 186,000 miles and no issues before or after the service.

 

[stu454]

I chose Option A back when I had my '01 D2. Also, no issues before or after. I don't recall the mileage when I did it.

 

[best4x4]

Zero issues

 

[Rockbeard]

well it seems that option A is the popular answer so i'm going with that. you see the only reason i'm a bit wary is that it's got a lot of miles on it. at my shop, we got bit on the ass once after servicing a jaguar transmission that had about 130k on it. it shifted ok before, but after the service it's shifting was crap and would rev way too high before shifting gears. customer was pissed. he traded the car in as is almost immediately. i just didn't want that to happen to my beloved disco. thanks for all the input guys!

 

[best4x4]

You're only changing out half the transmission fluid when you do a drain/fill and filter change. That shouldn't affect anything. I've only heard of issues on older transmissions after going to a quick lube place and having the transmission fluid flushed.

 

[K-rover]

You're only changing out half the transmission fluid when you do a drain/fill and filter change. That shouldn't affect anything. I've only heard of issues on older transmissions after going to a quick lube place and having the transmission fluid flushed.

Yeah dont "flush" the trans. Just replace the fluid, and filter.

 

[discostew]

I think flushing out the trans fluid is better than messing with the filter. It's the stupid ass cleaning chemicals they put in the trans first that fucks them up. Why would you need to add cleaning shit to a super high detergent fluid anyway?

 

[discostew]

You're only changing out half the transmission fluid when you do a drain/fill and filter change. That shouldn't affect anything. I've only heard of issues on older transmissions after going to a quick lube place and having the transmission fluid flushed.

Anybody cheap enough and stupid enough to let jiffy lube do this deserves to have a fucked up trans. Those stupid ass kids might have filled it with the wrong fluid. Or maybe even washer solvent

 

[discostew]

well it seems that option A is the popular answer so i'm going with that. you see the only reason i'm a bit wary is that it's got a lot of miles on it. at my shop, we got bit on the ass once after servicing a jaguar transmission that had about 130k on it. it shifted ok before, but after the service it's shifting was crap and would rev way too high before shifting gears. customer was pissed. he traded the car in as is almost immediately. i just didn't want that to happen to my beloved disco. thanks for all the input guys!

That's cool. Just make sure you gets that filter o ring in the right position and don't over or under torque it. Then when your done cut open that filter and notice how there's nothing at all in the filter.

 

[jymmiejamz]

Anybody cheap enough and stupid enough to let jiffy lube do this deserves to have a fucked up trans. Those stupid ass kids might have filled it with the wrong fluid. Or maybe even washer solvent

We have a Range Rover in the shop that had the brake system filled with motor oil.

 

[discostew]

We have a Range Rover in the shop that had the brake system filled with motor oil.

Are you just going to flush it out? Oil wont hurt anything. Or do you think it would?

 

[best4x4]

Exactly Stew!!! Jiffy Lube is HORRIBLE!!

Had a company Astro Van they performed the radiator flush/transmission service on... Idiots filled the transmission with Dexcool and the radiator with ATF...... Needless to say I didn't run any service calls that day lol.

 

[Rockbeard]

i've found motor oil in customers' brake reservoirs before too! i wonder what people are thinking when they do stupid shit like that? needless to say, after quoting an abs module replacement along with calipers and a total flush, they ran away screaming and cussing their brother in law for doing the stupid motor oil bleed in the first place. any Rover owner worth their while should stay away from jiffy lube, valvoline instant oil change and the like.

disco stu knows what to do!

 

[mlnnc]

There should be no problem with a simple trans fluid drain and refill, as opposed to a full-service flush. It's my understanding (although I'm no expert) that a full flush of a trans can free up crud better left alone. That won't happen with a simple drain and refill regardless of whether or not you drop the pan to replace the gasket. The Land Rover maintenance schedule shows replacing the filter only once, at some relatively low mileage. Perhaps the thinking for that is that manufacturing debris gets caught up in the filter but after it's changed once that's not an issue.

We've had our DII since it had a little over 20,000 miles on it. For the next 80,000 miles it was my wife's daily driver and it was serviced elsewhere. After that I started getting my hands dirty again. I finally drained and refilled the ATF 3 1/2 years ago at 120,000 and I dropped the pan to replace the filter then because I didn't know if that had ever been done. It's due for a fluid change again now but I don't plan to change the filter again. Ever.

As best4x4 wrote earlier a drain and refill replaces only about half the fluid. The rest remains in the torque converter and elsewhere, so you're just freshening it, not replacing it completely. RAVE says it takes 19.7 pints to fill from dry, and DiscoMike's major service sticky over on LRF says it takes 6 quarts for the drain and refill. If those numbers are correct you'd be replacing more like 60% of the fluid with a drain and refill.