I've cut back on miles/year on my LR3, but not because I don't trust it, only because I'm on an airplane more often now. Wouldn't even blink if I went back to the days of 20K/year that I used to do if needed. Now 147K purchased new, with drivetrain still working perfectly. Ask anyone that rides with me, I'm not nice to my Rover on the highway, or off-road. For years I split the miles between multiple cars, just to avoid any one of them gaining super high mileage.

 

That's good going and I'm not saying such milage without a full flush isn't possible, but my comments are based on reports from very many other owners on other forums (though I do admit they're mainly TDV6 and TDV8 owners.) who needed to get new torque converters and transmissions that more frequent oil changes could have prevented.

Before I had mine mega-flushed I was starting to notice a little slip. Afterwards it was gone and it was noticeably quieter too. Obviously everyone will have different experiences. But I'd rather spend a few hundred $ on an oil change than a few $K on a TC and gearbox.

 

When I say Race Truck, I mean in the European sense of the term where the race in on the Autostrada etc.

My theory is that BMW designed the 3 to duke it out with the Audie's and Merc's. Running just the 7 Series was getting boring.

My best/worst experience is driving into Rome on the A1 maybe five years ago - seems the Autostrada keeps getting wider - like about nine lanes one way and everyone except the Iveco's cruising a minimum of 140kph and where 160 kph (100 mph), was more like it and too tiring for me.

I was driving a Renault Scenic, (small mini van body 4 door hatchback 1.9L turbo diesel FWD with a 6 speed manual - a real go getter believe me), but not up to the Fiat 500's that were routinely bouncing by me on their 13" rims - what a spectacle - seems they are the hopped up Abarth models.

Anyway, into this mix one often sees the Discovery 3 and 4 at the head of the pack. I do not think our average Ecotec pickup could keep up the pace. One also sees the odd Lexus 4Runner, but the SUV of choice for the AutoRoutes etc, is the D3 and D4 - they hold their own at speed - all three tonne of them.

They can also stop and maneuver, and that is the catch - to beable to stop or change lanes at speed.

In Italy, rather than go over or around the hills, they go thru them.

This means curved tunnels if you will believe - you are half in the dark coming around a curve and everyone is stopped - all very bright red tail lights in front of you - now that gets your attention - you do stay awake when driving - texting is not an option.

Anyway, it is that sort of driving that one discovers why our brake discs are so big and why LR does not want you milling them; also why you keep to the stock tyre sizes - so you can dodge at speed.

Bye the way, if driving to Rome, stick to the two lane A12 and E80 along the west coast. It was good enough for Caesar, and all you meet there are the 3 wheelers - much more fun, and of course, scenic.

 

Alright, Alpha, I don't really know if I got a flush or a "mega flush" but it was at the dealer and I definitely asked them to flush the hell out of it....just didn't change the filter so I don't know what percent of fluid I got. Maybe I will address that soon.

 

houm_wa, do you know how much fluid they charged you for? A Mega-flush takes in the region of 11Lt (19pt).

 

The term mega coupled flush has no measurable amount associated with it.

At 11 liters total, I would call it a micro attempt at a flush.

The trans holds 9.5L/10 QTS. on a petrol model. A drain, filter change, and refill will take 7-8 quarts.

So that means 2-3 quarts are held up in the TC, Valve body, etc.

I would think you would need to run at least the entire trans capacity through the trans to attempt to get rid of all the old fluid, but there would still be some left. Then you need to refill with fresh fluid.

So a flush, in my opinion, would have to use closer to 20QTS/19L.

This is just a guesstimate.

 

Check out this link in it the commentator states that they use around 12L (21pt, 12.6 US Qt) to compete the procedure. A basic fluid change or top up after a filter change requires only 4L (7pt, 4.2 US Qt) that leaves 5L (9pt, 5.4 US Qt) in the TC and oil cooler. The workshop manual states the dry TC, gearbox and cooler hold 9.5L (16.7pt, 10.0 US Qt)

The process removes up to 99% of the old oil from the torque converter (TC) and gearbox and oil cooler and puts in nice fresh clean oil. If your gearbox and TC are not giving any trouble (and you’ve 75K+ on the clock) then you're almost certainly going to put longer life into them and avoid having to dig deep to buy a new one or if you are experiencing some slippage you may just catch it before replacement is needed and maybe breath new life into the TC.

However, a word of warning, some owners have complained, on other forums, that the mega-flush ruined their boxes.

That's just not possible. What can happen is, the worn clutch plates in the box continue to ‘perform’ due to the contaminants, in the old oil, between the plates providing the friction needed. When the new oil displaces the old oil and these contaminants are flushed out and the owner discovers that their box is screwed. It's not the flushing that broke the box, it just exposes the true state of a box that was running on borrowed time.

 

Interesting link. Thank you

I was incorrect earlier when I said 7-8 quarts for a fluid and filter change, its actually just over 6 quarts, closer to your numbers.

Im still not convinced that using 12.6 US QTS in total will leave you with 10 US QTS of 99% new fluid in the trans.

 

Even if it was only 90% that's still a heck of a lot better than the 30% achievable by refilling just the sump. Also remember the flush is done under pressure and the extra 2.6 quarts ensures they have got as much of the old oil out as possible.

From my own experience of having it done I would recommend it.

 

I commute ~45 miles a day in mine up and over a small mountain pass. I started on smaller than stock 245/60/18 street tires and switched to 275/65/18 Duratracs. I too did not feel any detrimental performance effects going 2.5" bigger. I noticed a hit on MPG, but honestly I don't know how accurate the before number was due to the tires being undersized.

The only thing I'd be concerned about putting that many miles on is the amount of Premium required, but I guess I put on about half that myself...