Hey guys,

Here's the deets before I get started:

99 Disco II - Stock
80K miles

Started noticing some rough shifting today for the first time today. Mostly during downshift from third to second. I think it actually skipped second. I have to admit, I keep up with oil and coolant, but haven't done much with the tranny. So it's time to replace the fluid and filter. I found an after market kit on Roversnorth for $27.50. My question is, has anyone had first hand experience with a kit like this? Are they as reliable as OEM? I only ask because I put an after market air suspension compressor on and it pulled too many amps. But this kit appears to be only a filter, gasket, o-rings and washers...not much you can mess up there. But I wanted to ask the pros first. Thanks guys.

Here's the link to the part: LAND ROVER PARTS - AUTOMATIC TRANS FILTER KIT - INCL: FILTER,O-RINGS,SEAL

 

Not sure about the filter kit but I haven't had much luck with aftermarket anything. For what its worth, the filter is metal mesh and easy to clean. I know the aftermarket pan gasket fits like crap and leaks like crazy. Factory gasket fit like a glove and 10k later it still hasn't leaked a drop. Ymmv.

 

So you have used the after market gaskets on your Disco and they leaked? Good to know PC, thanks. As for cleaning the filter, is that what you did? Just took off the old, rinse and repeat?

-W

 

Yes, the aftermarket leaked. It felt like it was a different rubber and it also needed to be stretched a little to fit right. I have to be honest with you, I did a reseal of most of the gaskets and hoses and used "kits" that contained many aftermarket gaskets/hoses. I have since replaced all of them with the factory parts. Nothing like doing a job twice.

I had already bought a filter kit before I took it apart. Dealer had done the last one. Didn't find out it was a pretty sturdy and easy to clean unit until I got it out. I put the new one in since I had it. It's the same metal mesh one that came out. If I was to do it again I would just check the o-rings and clean it.

On a side note, the dealer had used silicone on the pan gasket which I cleaned off. The pan gasket still leaked like crazy until I put the factory one on. It's sealed tight now. Hasn't leaked a drop.

 

I've had a different experience, and better luck, with aftermarket gaskets/parts (transmission pan and others) than "Photocrimes" apparently has.

"Photocrimes" is absolutely right to advise caution with aftermarket parts etc. Some are absolute cheap crap and some are as good or better than the original LR part.

I bought an aftermarket trans pan gasket from "British Parts Utah" (British Parts of Utah-Land Range Rover Sport LR4 LR3 LR2 Discovery Defender Freelander Genuine OEM Accessories Parts) and I've had no problems. I think it was an "Allmakes" brand part.
As "Photocrimes" said, this aftermarket gasket was floppy and it did require (negligibly more IMHO) more effort to install than the original rigid Land Rover gasket. But it does its job and was a lot cheaper that the original LR part.

My advice would be to check the forums for reviews of parts and/or compare the part warranty. If it's only warranted for 30 days and the norm is 6 months, it's crap. If it's lifetime, longer, or as long as the norm/LR warranty, it's worth consideration.

Another consideration about original parts versus aftermarket... as Land Rover and many auto manufacturers have demonstrated time and again, quality and longevity and performance are seldom the primary reasons for selecting parts etc. Ease of manufacture, price, being just good enough aka meeting minimally acceptable quality/performance standards set by accountants, and satisfying govt regulations are almost always the priorities. (Bentley, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, etc etc being some of the few exceptions).

Sure there's a lot of inferior aftermarket crap out there but there are also many aftermarket parts that are cheaper than and as good or better than the LR original parts. Some aftermarket parts are upgrades etc.

Cheers,

Thomas

 

I think all of the parts I had were from "Europarts" or something like that. Universally junk. I normally don't rag on a company because of one bad part, but I am not kidding when I say every part has failed or leaked.

Like I said, ymmv. I have been quite happy with my Mobil oil filter though. ;-)