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The gearbox is a rugged unit built to take the
heavy loads that are demanded of it. It is among the most difficult
part of the Land Rover to work on and involves dismantling the seat
unit to remove it for repairs, so it’s essential before you buy your
Land Rover that you ensure the gearbox is in good working order.
Potential gearbox troubles include oil leaks,
jumping out of gear and noisy gears, all of which indicate a high
mileage vehicle or one that has led a hard life. Check underneath for
signs of a leak; and listen particularly well when the vehicle is
driven in first gear, as this is likely to be the noisiest of all
gears. The all-synchromesh on first and second gears, first gear even
chipping teeth in extreme circumstances.
To check the common tendency for second and
third gears to jump out of mesh, select each gear in turn and, whilst
moving at a reasonable speed, dab and release the accelerator quickly
a few times; watch the selector to see if it jumps out of gear. If all
is well, stop the vehicle and select reverse gear, then sharply backup
for a few yards, listening for knocking noises from the gearbox. These
usually indicate chipped teeth in the gear train.
The transfer box is invariably trouble-free
and rarely causes any problems. To check, however, select high and low
ratios in turn to ensure correct operation. The four-wheel-drive
selector should be checked by depressing it on the move in high ratio;
then stop the vehicle and pull the red control back into low range.
The yellow four-wheel-drive selector control should pop up smartly if
all is well. If it doesn’t the answer could be mud and corrosion;
but it could be Trouble! You’ll need to take a look underneath.
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