kajtzu wrote:

Sounds like the ATF hasn’t been changed. I think there are at least three camps of thought:

1. Don’t do anything
2. Change filter, change ATF
3. Change ATF

There are also many camps of thought on how the change of ATF should be done:

A. Drop pan, new filter and pan, add until full again
B. Mega flush
C. Filo flush
D. A but several changes of oil to dilute

Myself I took option 3-B. Plenty of threads with differing opinions. Read some/all and form your own.

Also there are other places you might want to change fluids:

- coolant, change date; if you can’t tell the date it can be tested; change interval is 10 years
- brake fluid, change date; if uncertain, either change it since it’s supposed to be done every three years or test the boiling point
- rear diff
- front diff
- transfer box
- when was oil changed; oil/fuel/engine air/cabin air filters

Next the other stuff:

- when was AC last refilled with refrigerant
- brake hoses; change interval is 6 years
- auxiliary drive belts

You could get a maintenance sheet for the D3, try to determine what has been done and then attempt to determine what hasn’t been done and go from there.

Note I listed only the time interval, the maintenance sheet will also have the recommended mileage interval between changes. It’s ehichever comes first which matters.

Good luck.

XDAndy wrote:

If you’re in the West Midlands, then Bodsy is not too far from you.

He has an auto box flushing machine and does a mobile service.

Would be worth dropping him a PM to ask.

My understanding is that although LR said ‘sealed for life’, they actually meant “flush every so often”, and ZF apparently recommend flushing even more often! 150k is definitely ‘up there’ as regards changing the ATF.

My Guess is that if your auto box is changing smoothly and you want to keep it that way, would be worth changing the ATF.

Must check out my brake hoses though !

Lrstaylor wrote:

Did a full engine service on mine including new oil pump found the front belt had been changed but the rear was original, nothing else needed doing as recent new brake pads and service before my purchase but i still checked everything and i mean everything.

Will be stripping the fbh shortly as its duff

lynalldiscovery wrote:

My view was, if its got fluid in it change it, plus all the belts, been good for four years so far.

ClassikFan wrote:

IIRC 150,000 miles is LR's definition of lifetime for auto transmission fluid. Defifnitely time for a change. If the gearbox is working fine don't push your luck and risk a big bill for new torque converter and gearbox, get a megaflush done asap.

Pete K wrote:

wrote off in accident or failure?

Make sure you update your profile with new details. e.g age.


With the engine running on a cold engine, you could remove the gearbox level plug (drivers side) and get a small sample of oil out.

Refit plug BEFORE turning engine off.

If the fluid doesn't look black, I would leave it.

At 150K with a smooth gearbox, it must of had work before!