That is hardly the point. Gears are never high tech, neither is the consequence of getting metal shards stuck in them.

 

It's a work-around, obviously the PTU was designed to have a drain hole, but somebody at volvo or JLR went cheap on that. JLR just expects you to buy a new one at the fluid-change interval.

 

The unit is not designed or made by either Volvo or JLR, so there goes that story...

 

Are we seriously worried about a small amount of Aluminum destroying the gears and bearings of the PTU.

Here is a picture of the STEEL that I collected from a rear differential using a strong magnet.




And here is another picture I found where I cleaned the magnet on a sheet of paper



I collected a lot of Steel particles from my rear differential in fact it is significantly more than the small amount of Aluminum that may have gone into the PTU.


I can’t comment for your LR2 but for mine steel gears will not be slowed by aluminum shavings.


Good luck

Paul

 

Wishful thinking, Paul. Unlike you, I have seen first hand what aluminum shavings can do to the insides of a helicopter transmission, which is built to withstand forces orders of magnitude than an LR2 driveline. I also know exactly what happens when steel comes in contact with aluminum -- it's called dissimilar or galvanic metal corrosion. If the gears crush the aluminum, it is dispersed inside the unit and will begin to corrode the surfaces of the gear. Give it enough time and a failure will happen.

At any rate, forget about the interactions and exchanges of electrions... why in the world would you drill and tap a drive housing without first disassembling it to properly deburr both ends of the hole? IMO and that of any serious and properly trained mechanic, that's just stupid. Good luck indeed.

 

I found one more interesting picture

2008 LR2

2015 328i (only Land Rover owners that have been converted into mechanics know to check this)


Note: the comparison isn’t fair, this is likely the 10th time that I cleaned the magnet for the LR2 and this is the first cleaning of a larger magnet for the 328i




Once again this is STEEL

I can’t believe we are having this conversation about Aluminum


LOL


Paul

 

Because some people rely on more than just dust on a piece of paper to validate long-standing approaches to basic practices like drilling and tapping holes, Paul.

 

I love Dimple magnets!

 

It’s not dust it’s STEEL that’s why it adheres to a magnet.

If I was adding 10 ounces of Aluminum powder and expecting it to work the your point would be valid.

But only a very small amount of Aluminum entered the sump if any.

Think Milligrams not ounces. An amount so small that if it were placed in your hand you couldn’t feel it but you could see it.

it is such a small amount because almost 100% of the Aluminum was carried away by the oil as the hole was created with a full sump of oil

If we were adding micrograms of Mercury and we were concerned about Transgranular Stress Corrosion Cracking then you would get my attention.

If you are going to argue that Milligrams of Aluminum in gear oil will destroy the gear box then I am going to need to see a published paper that backs up your assertions

And you rejected my photographic evidence but at the same time asserted that you know.....but you provided no evidence.

For a large gear box like you would have in a helicopter the amount of Aluminum that we are talking about (single digit parts per million) would require significant magnification to see that it was removed.

What actual evidence or references do you have?

 

No, but they ordered it and apparently took the "no drain plug" option.