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NinetyTD4



Member Since: 22 Apr 2011
Location: North
Posts: 397

Wales 2012 Defender 90 Other SW Keswick Green
Is my feeling right - mostly 2.2 Puma with clutch issues? Never forget: cars have owner, Landrover have field service personnel.
Post #591817 10th Jan 2017 12:54pm
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Morepower



Member Since: 08 Jan 2013
Location: Fife, Scotland
Posts: 630

New Zealand 
No all TDCi Defenders are affected

Regards

Tim It doesn't matter how bad it is, It can always get worse...

2013 Bowler 110 (Sold)
2016 Bowler 90 Rally Spec (Sold)
Post #591843 10th Jan 2017 2:48pm
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OldhamLandy



Member Since: 17 Oct 2013
Location: somewhere
Posts: 164

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
Had the rattling on idle on mine - 65 reg with just over 9k on the clock. New clutch installed with no questions asked under warranty - 500 miles on from the replacement and all is still good and rattle free on idle. 2016 Defender 90xs SW - Santorini Black with Silver Pack
2014 Defender 90xs SW - Corris Grey with Santorini Black Roof
Post #591845 10th Jan 2017 2:57pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17359

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
NinetyTD4 wrote:
Is my feeling right - mostly 2.2 Puma with clutch issues?


No, as noted above all Ford-engined Defenders have spectacularly inadequate clutches.

I find it somewhat ironic that after years of criticism over the generally unsatisfactory dual-mass flywheel/solid disk clutch arrangement on the TD5, Landrover was motivated to convert the TDCi from DMF to sprung clutch for the Defender, only to come up with something which is significantly worse than ever before! It rather beggars belief.

Much as I love my Puma Defender, it must be said that almost every aspect of the conversion to fit the Ford engine and gearbox was bungled to a spectaular degree, whether it is the fuel system (absurdly fragile with stupid component location), the general fit (nose cocked in the air resulting in transmission/lubrication problems), the conversion from DMF to sprung clutch, or the adaptation of the MT82 to fit the transfer box. All give every indication that the work-experience lad was sent off to do the design.
Post #591854 10th Jan 2017 4:02pm
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Jukathy



Member Since: 25 Jan 2015
Location: Berlin
Posts: 170

2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green
Hi Blackwulf

Transit engine/gearbox could be an advantage when you have your car repaired:
Standard engine
Standard components
Standard OBD
Good decision when it comes to reliability and easy to service imo
especially if you're away Smile

Best - Juliet
Post #593361 15th Jan 2017 8:55pm
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Bigboab123



Member Since: 03 Nov 2016
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 3

Scotland 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Sumatra Black
PLR are hopeless
Galyman wrote:
Started driving the 110 again today after bouncing it over the Pyrenees and the rattling has definitely not as noticeable but I am under no illusions that the clutch is on it's way out. Will need to take a call on what to do and as previously suggested, I will see if there are any other LR dealers who will look at it more sympathetically under warranty. Trouble is they are few and far between in Scotland so next nearest is in Kelso. Not sure if anyone has had any dealings so any comments appreciated.

Are there any alternatives to the LR made clutch that is likely to be more reliable?
 Life is a tangled up necklace of pearls....
Post #594424 19th Jan 2017 1:33pm
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NormanD



Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: Bristol
Posts: 286

England 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Santorini Black
Try these, seems to get good results on Facebook

Clutch Fix Ltd
Unit 4, Highfield Works,
44-50 Heaton Street,
Cleckheaton,
BD19 3TN
01274 877322 NormanD WE191

2015 110 XS Utility
2014 VW Caravelle 180 Executive
Post #594485 19th Jan 2017 4:15pm
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NormanD



Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: Bristol
Posts: 286

England 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Santorini Black
Try these, seems to get good results on Facebook

Clutch Fix Ltd
Unit 4, Highfield Works,
44-50 Heaton Street,
Cleckheaton,
BD19 3TN
01274 877322

apologies Double post NormanD WE191

2015 110 XS Utility
2014 VW Caravelle 180 Executive
Post #594490 19th Jan 2017 4:34pm
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Leeroy



Member Since: 01 Aug 2015
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 261

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 Adventure Phoenix Orange
Mine had a new clutch at 19k due to the same issues rattling but as soon as you depress the clutch noise disappears, Its started again so it will be back in this week.

Gutted when it goes in and I get one of them modern things Rolling with laughter Rolling with laughter


Dealership in Hull have been brilliant so far see how this week goes

Will keep you all posted
Post #594523 19th Jan 2017 6:15pm
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Galyman



Member Since: 20 Jan 2016
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 92

Scotland 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 HT Aintree Green
Would a RedBooster clutch servo increase the clutch life, does anyone know?

http://www.redbooster.com/
Post #596033 24th Jan 2017 8:47pm
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RFT



Member Since: 13 Nov 2010
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 678

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 130 Puma 2.4 HCPU Zermatt Silver
My 130 (with me from new) has done nearly 90k miles and not a problem with clutch, it pulls trailers, caries my camper over alps and for 4 years drove the A483 every 2 weeks to Pembrokeshire (several hundred gear changes per trip) and the clutch is fine. (Touch wood)
Then again I'm 50 been driving since I was 17, worked away from home 75% of my life, driven many many miles for work, (late on a Sunday and Friday night - all you contractors will know what I mean) hammered my cars until 100k minimum and I've never had a clutch fail on me.
I'm a mechanical engineer with significant experience in mean time before failure and asset management of oil refineries and my Dad who started his working life hammering out specialist brake linings and clutch linings for Gandy so ....
At the risk of being shot down in flames I do believe clutch issues are associated more with the users left leg than the designer of the power train. 130 Puma HCPU with an Artica 240LR Demountable Camper
Post #596076 24th Jan 2017 11:04pm
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LR90XS2011



Member Since: 05 Apr 2011
Location: bickenhill
Posts: 3641

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Galway Green
ref the last post I have never had a clutch fail in anything before, my BM has done 90k on first clutch and still good, my defender was rattling at about 5 k and replaced at about 10k is rattling again at 19k, you can however only hear it if you listen for it. I think some fail some dont however the design is clearly inadequate, I am gentle with the defenders clutch / transmission, dont ride it and it has only towed once.

I am also a qualified automotive and mechanical engineer. I suspect in most cases the clutch could rattle for many 1000s of miles and still work happily with loose springs, some people will notice the rattle and worry others wont, mine is audible in the garage not so audible when out of the garage.

I now consider it a feature but do monitor it as I dont want to trash the flywheel, as stated I will go Truck Fix or perhaps IRB when it gets bad DEFENDER 90 TDCI XS,

I hope everyone is well and your land rovers make you happy
Post #596085 25th Jan 2017 6:24am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17359

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
RFT wrote:
... At the risk of being shot down in flames I do believe clutch issues are associated more with the users left leg than the designer of the power train.


I think that there is more to it that that. I have been driving longer than you, and I drive everything from tractors to mobile cranes, vintage sports cars to HGVs, and I have NEVER had a clutch fail on me except in the Puma. I have never worn a clutch out (I changed my Disco 2 clutch at 130k miles due to flywheel issues and it was far from worn out).

I have also never had the clutch springs fail on any other vehicle than the Puma.

There can be little doubt that the Puma clutch driven plate was deficient to begin with and has steadily been improving with redesigns. My vehicle's first clutch was replaced at 2k miles, the second at 60k miles, and the third at 150k miles. the vehicle had 58k when I bought it, so the first clutch I had fitted lasted 90k. At that mileage it rattled badly, and when I removed it the springs were loose enough for one to be jiggled out from the hub. That is not the result of abuse, it is the result of the springs taking a permanent set. The present clutch is approaching 60k miles and doesn't yet rattle.

I cannot say for certain that the first owner of my vehicle wasn't a clutch-munching incompetent, but I do not believe that the extraordinarily high rate of clutch failures in the early TDCi Defenders to be solely down to driver behaviour.

It would be interesting to find out one day, though I doubt we shall, why LR decided to change from a DMF set-up as used on the Transit to a traditional solid flywheel for the Defender. It was a decision that bucked automotive trends at the time, when most manufacturers were, for well-understood reasons, opting for DMF solutions on high-speed DI engines. It may be that the poor performance and criticism of the TD5 DMF arrangement was the reason (ironic that we now think the once-hated TD5 clutch is quite good by comparison to the TDCi!), but it was precisely because of the difficulty in finding suitable spring rates for the hub springs, and doing so without resultant premature failures, that the DM flywheel was developed.

I have no doubt that driver abuse or misoperation is behind many clutch failures. I suspect that poor expectation management by LR is behind others, by which I mean that many recent Defender buyers are from the traditional car-buying sector and have an expectation that the Defender will drive like a car. However there can I think be little doubt that the life expectancy of the early driven plates was very disappointing.
Post #596102 25th Jan 2017 9:23am
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Mudspanker



Member Since: 31 Jan 2017
Location: London
Posts: 1

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Portofino Red
Bowler Defender clutch slipping
Hello all - Newbie here!
I have been reading various posts on 2.2 TDci clutches with interest. I have had my Bowler Defender 110 now for 1.5 years - it's a 64 plate (2015 spec) and has done just over 13k miles. The problems are as follows:

- Clutch slips / over-revving under hard acceleration (such as away from roundabouts) in fifth and sixth gears, usually only after 2-3 hours' driving.
- Clutch slips on steep gradients (such as Lynmouth or Porlock Hills) in 3rd gear and above.
- Clutch biting point varies considerably - usually after a period of idleness or when very cold. It usually returns to normal after a dozen or so gear changes.

What I have done so far is:
- Called Bowler and asked if their modified torque curve is too much for the standard clutch? They said they had not yet heard of a failure, but did offer me a heavy duty upgrade for many pounds. They did suggest I took it to a local dealer to have it investigated under warranty.

- Took it to a local dealer (in November 2015), who had it for two weeks. They acknowledged there were problems with the hydraulics and went through several stages of diagnostics. They ended up replacing the master and slave cylinders and asked me to return it if there were any further problems.

- It felt fine for the next six months, until clutch started slipping again on steep hills in Cornwall / Devon, so it went back into the Dealer in September. They drove it for miles without a fault and said that they could not do anything without there being a detectable fault.

- It has since started its biting point randomness again, most recently during the freezing weather this January (causing me to almost crush my neighbour's car when trying to leave the parking space). It is now back with the dealer.

My warranty runs out in November, so am anxious to have this resolved before then. Just wondering - anyone else had similar experience? There is no rattling on idle (yet).

All the best for now,


Last edited by Mudspanker on 7th Feb 2017 9:20am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #598009 31st Jan 2017 12:30pm
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ChrisWoods



Member Since: 29 Dec 2016
Location: Spreyton
Posts: 164

United Kingdom 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Aintree Green
My clutch has just been replaced at 92k miles. Started to notice a rattle at 88k. Friction plate was only half worn but the springs were getting loose. I don't mind doing the clutch every 100k miles. 2009 2.4TDCi XS Utility Wagon.
Post #599769 7th Feb 2017 8:33am
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