DEFENDER2.NET - View topic - Defender Td5 gearbox R380 Driving style

↓ Advertise on Defender2 ↓

Home · FAQ · New Posts · My Posts · PMs · Search · Members · Map · Calendar · Profile · Donate · Register · Log In

Home > Td5 > Defender Td5 gearbox R380 Driving style

Page 2 of 3

Print this entire topic ·

charisme1

Member Since: 23 Oct 2019
Location: Paris
Posts: 39

rallysteve wrote:
Sadly its a fairly common quirk of the R380. The synchros dont like to be rushed!

Hello rallysteve. Thank's for your speedy reply. Did you have a chance to drive an R380 from new ? Does it need a momentary pause on neutral before upshifting to 2d and 3d even from new ?

12th Jul 2023 9:00pm

charisme1

Member Since: 23 Oct 2019
Location: Paris
Posts: 39

Mike c wrote:
Having owned 3 LR with the r380, the description above regarding changes, matching revs and feeding it into gear is spot on, once mastered you will be fine

Bonjour Mike C, Thank's for your speedy reply. Did you have a chance to drive an R380 from new ? Does it need a momentary pause on neutral before upshifting to 2d and 3d even from new ? Without high reving on the changes and being gentle on the gas ? Cheers !

12th Jul 2023 9:03pm

Screbble

Member Since: 26 Apr 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2100

2004 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Zambezi Silver

I have never driven a vehicle with an R380 from new. I’ve never experienced any issues with mine over approx. 40,000 miles of ownership. Mine is standard mated to a TD5. I use LR MTF94 and change it more frequently than the service schedule suggests. I don’t drive quickly or aggressively. I think they are fine - notwithstanding that yours may have currently undiagnosed faults/issues.

13th Jul 2023 6:12am

charisme1

Member Since: 23 Oct 2019
Location: Paris
Posts: 39

Hi Screbble. Did you try to drive it like a normal car, hireving and up-shifting quickly ? I have this issue/fault (if it is one) only upshifting from 1st to 2d, and 2d to 3d, only when I rush the gears with high rpm. Never when downshifting. Many thanks for your input

13th Jul 2023 7:21am

andy2111

Member Since: 17 Oct 2021
Location: Kent
Posts: 365

I have a reconditioned R380 gearbox and can drive it almost like a normal car. When it gets really hot the gear change gets a bit clunky but it does not need me to pause briefly when shifting. TD5 hardtop to Puma inspired Poptop - my build thread

2002 110 TD5 Hardtop ¦ Full Puma interior ¦ Carpathian grey / Santorini black ¦ X-Vision-X poptop

13th Jul 2023 8:19am

Mike c

Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Maldon, Essex
Posts: 928

charisme1 wrote:
Mike c wrote:
Having owned 3 LR with the r380, the description above regarding changes, matching revs and feeding it into gear is spot on, once mastered you will be fine

Bonjour Mike C, Thank's for your speedy reply. Did you have a chance to drive an R380 from new ? Does it need a momentary pause on neutral before upshifting to 2d and 3d even from new ? Without high reving on the changes and being gentle on the gas ? Cheers !

Hello charisme1, no I am unable to comment about an owned from new r380. 2004 Defender 90 Td5 CSW
2002 Discovery 2 td5 GS (gone)
1994 Defender 90 300Tdi CSW (gone)

13th Jul 2023 8:36am

Screbble

Member Since: 26 Apr 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2100

charisme1 wrote:
Hi Screbble. Did you try to drive it like a normal car, hireving and up-shifting quickly ? I have this issue/fault (if it is one) only upshifting from 1st to 2d, and 2d to 3d, only when I rush the gears with high rpm. Never when downshifting. Many thanks for your input

I don’t tend to rev too highly, but I’m not consciously not driving like a ‘normal car.’ I haven’t really thought about it properly, but I might pause slightly when passing through neutral. I can’t say I’ve noticed anything unusual when upshifting.

I’ll need to go out later and pay attention!

Having said all that, I still don’t think it feels fundamentally different to the other cars in our household (which aren’t Defenders!) but maybe I’ve just got a good gearbox…

I hope you solve your problem

13th Jul 2023 7:04pm

murph81

Member Since: 11 Sep 2022
Location: Ireland
Posts: 63

I have noticed this issue with my 110 lately, the gearbox has only done 56k miles from new.

13th Jul 2023 11:57pm

charisme1

Member Since: 23 Oct 2019
Location: Paris
Posts: 39

Hi murph ! Did you change the oil ? As your gearbox seems new with only a few miles on it. Or maybe this a characteristic behavior of R380. Means not to high rev while up shifting quickly on lower gears. Maybe box needs to be gentle with it, with a pause on neutral for a second and no agressive rpm. Anybody here drove a R380 from new that can comment ? Thx

14th Jul 2023 8:48am

LandymanStefan

Member Since: 30 Aug 2017
Location: Surrey
Posts: 881

I recently had a bit of a snatchy/rough box at high rpms, much more noticeable after my remap. I changed the fluid (Granville mtf94) to genuine Land Rover mtf94 and have had a huge improvement. It’s not so buttery when it’s at high temps so I’ve recently fitting a gearbox cooler and I’m hoping that’ll keep the shifts smooth and potentially stop the oil from being cooked.

14th Jul 2023 12:39pm

geobloke

Member Since: 06 Nov 2012
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 4410

Fitting an R380 cooler has certainly helped protect the oil in Miffy

14th Jul 2023 12:41pm

NickMc

Member Since: 01 Oct 2014
Location: Norn Iron
Posts: 1624

I wouldn’t give granville oil to my worst enemy, it’s not regarded as a good product

14th Jul 2023 1:46pm

Screbble

Member Since: 26 Apr 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2100

Whereas I WOULD give it to my worst enemy

14th Jul 2023 6:04pm

murph81

Member Since: 11 Sep 2022
Location: Ireland
Posts: 63

charisme1 wrote:
Hi murph ! Did you change the oil ? As your gearbox seems new with only a few miles on it. Or maybe this a characteristic behavior of R380. Means not to high rev while up shifting quickly on lower gears. Maybe box needs to be gentle with it, with a pause on neutral for a second and no agressive rpm. Anybody here drove a R380 from new that can comment ? Thx

Haven't changed the oil in my ownership, have only put 2k miles on it so far but I will be doing it soon once I sort some good quality oils.

I have tried shifting a bit more gingerly today, hard to know yet.

14th Jul 2023 8:45pm

Procta

Member Since: 03 Dec 2016
Location: Sunderland
Posts: 5166

Re: Defender Td5 gearbox R380 Driving style

charisme1 wrote:
Hi everybody & Greetings from Paris !
I own a defender TD5 year 2003. If I up-shift quickly with high RPM from 1st to 2d, or from 2d to 3d, I feel a crunch/grind in my hand (not so loud to hear it in the vehicle, I can just feel it with my hand).

If I leave the RPM/rev normal, and leave a 1 second pause on Neutral between these gears, all is fine.

No crunch when downshifting. The gearbox runs with new MTF94 oil.

Is this a normal behavior for a R380 ? Are we supposed to UP shift slowly with these gearboxes, losing momentum ?

Losing momentum is not an issue on flat road, but annoying climbing a slope.

I was wondering if this is a characteristic of the R380 gearbox even when it was brand new back in 2003.

Many thanks for your help and feedback !

Julien

yeah these boxes don't like been rushed, i always sort of pause as you say to get the best changes. learned this with the 300 TDi.

Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back

Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it!

15th Jul 2023 1:37am

Page 2 of 3

All times are GMT

Jump to

< Previous Topic | Next Topic >

Posting Rules

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum