LR4 Transmission Fluid Change: Pan Swap Option

[Michael Gain]

The clunk may be more electrical than mechanical. There is a TSB for this behavior. It basically reprograms the TCM to adjust for rpm and ambient temp. I have attached it, and the transmission oil change procedure (pg.4) for your reference. As @gsxr stated, there is a large drain plug on the bottom of the pan. It is plastic and you need to be careful when reinstalling.

 

[gsxr]

The transmissions are not sealed, nor "filled for life", despite the factory manual claim. Severe duty means crawling in city traffic as much as crawling rocks in Moab, or towing anything. So unless the truck spends its entire life cruising freeways with nothing in tow, it should have the fluid changed every 30kmi. YMMV, etc. Screenshot below is from the 6-speed with the V8, I believe the 8-speed is the same, but perhaps others could confirm.

There is a drain plug and a fill plug, and a specific procedure to check fluid level at a precise temperature. There is no dipstick (cost savings measure, very annoying).

 

[txfromwi]

The 2013 LR4 has the 6 speed transmission, it has a fill and drain plug - confirmed by looking at it.
The pan has 21 bolts - per the internet.

The 2016 LR4 has the 8 speed transmission, I can't see anything without taking off the shroud, which I will likely not get to for a few days.
The pan has 13 bolts - per the internet.

This string is dealing with the 6 speed transmission, which I will get to eventually, but my immediate concern is the 8 speed.

The service bulletin for the 8 speed sounds like what I am feeling, but it's hard to imagine that 70+ degrees and 800 rpm match the condition summary.
I will run it until it's fully hot and see if the problem goes away - if it only happens when cold then this might be the fix.

They couldn't have just left in the V8 and the 6 speed...
All three of us prefer the V8 in the 2013 !!

Will call Atlantic British tomorrow, no pan kit for the 8 speed on their website, but I do see ones from Rimmer and Blauparts.

I found a Rover procedure for the fill on another thread and it specifies 30C-50C for the appropriate temperature which Rover monitors through the code reader port. I know my $75 code reader can give me some live data, but will check if I can see it tomorrow.

Thanks for the pointers!

 

[DaytonaRS7]

I found a Rover procedure for the fill on another thread and it specifies 30C-50C for the appropriate temperature which Rover monitors through the code reader port. I know my $75 code reader can give me some live data, but will check if I can see it tomorrow.

Thanks for the pointers!

alternativly you can use a infrared thermometer and aim it at the pan. itll be close enough. just have your target temp a few degrees cooler since the pan wont be as hot as the fluid.

 

[txfromwi]

The clunk may be more electrical than mechanical. There is a TSB for this behavior. It basically reprograms the TCM to adjust for rpm and ambient temp. I have attached it, and the transmission oil change procedure (pg.4) for your reference. As @gsxr stated, there is a large drain plug on the bottom of the pan. It is plastic and you need to be careful when reinstalling.

Pardon the stupid question, but in the Service Bulletin, I assume that the SSD system they cite is the IID Tool that I will likely be buying...
And what's the deal with the Midtronics power supply....

And, since the ECO battery is dead, and there is so much that seems to be interconnected, will the harsh shift from P to D, maybe be "fixed" with a new ECO battery?

Thanks

 

[gsxr]

I think "SSD" is the dealer tool. IID is aftermarket but should handle most of the same functions. For the trans work, the live data showing ATF temp is very useful.

The Midtronics power supply is an industrial-strength solution to keep full voltage with the engine not running, and the ignition on for long periods while using the diagnostic tools.'

Good question about the Eco battery - I have no idea, but it seems like a good idea to start there for grins.

 

[Lgibson]

A dead ECO battery did prevent our 2015 from passing emissions testing, however improbable that seems. Does your idle slow down after a few seconds when the O2 sensors warm up?

 

[txfromwi]

Alot of items seem somehow to run through the ECO battery - I doubt that the ECO battery affects the transmission, but I thought I would ask.

Our local inspection shop here in Houston passed the truck even with the ECO light on. Might be your regulations require no idiot lights to be illuminated.

On the shift. It's not bad bad, but it's just harsher than it should be. Yes, we wait until the RPM has come down.

 

[jlglr4]

@txfromwi - I’m guessing you don’t see any signs of a transmission fluid leak, and sounds like the software update is the most likely issue. But in case you end up finding low transmission fluid level, there are two TSB’s relating to transmission fluid leaks. LTB01296NAS2 concerns certain 2015-2016 transmissions where a leak develops as a result in a defect in one of the castings. Not sure how big a leak it causes, but as I understand it, this leak was very tough to track down before they knew the cause. I could see this one flying under the radar of a prior owner. The other (LTB00378NAS2) concerned the transmission fluid cooler lines wearing through at a particular bracket. I think that would cause a bigger leak that you would for sure spot, so not likely your issue, but thought I’d mention it anyway.

 

[txfromwi]

No signs of a leak anywhere, but then again, it would have to be large to have noticed it with my casual look abouts.
I will take a much closer look...

And then, there you have it! The 1st TSB above, LTB01296NAS2, includes our 2016 LR4 VIN and that may explain why the dealership was so agreeable to replace the transfer case under warranty. They never said anything about the transmission fluid, but this one is decidedly worth serious inspection. Looks like a very first pass would be to top up the transmission fluid and do the LTB00855NAS1 reset. Then the pan swap at a later date after I pay off the IID Tool...

I will update once the top up and reset have been completed.

MANY THANKS!

Dan