LR3 Transmission Cooler Pipe Replacement (2005 LR3 HSE)

Sharing my experience as this was not in the service manual, and I couldn't find any write ups. I'm not a mechanic, this is just how I did it. My cooler lines were badly rusted and had weeping pinholes. I managed to replace them without removing the driveshaft or other major components. It took a lot of patience, constantly crawling back and forth from the transmission, to the wheelwell by the engine mount, to the inner arch lower side shield. Here's what I did...

Prep
1. Have a container ready to catch about half a litre oil.
2. Take pictures to make reassembly easier.
3. The connections were:
Two hose clamps at the radiator
10mm bolt holding a plate ("clamp") at the gearbox
8mm nut holding a plastic bracket to the upper sump behind the p/s pump
Two plastic clamps holding the pipes together: one on the sump bracket, one near the tranny above the cat.
4. The major choke points for sliding the pipes were:
The driveshaft and catalytic converter, the breather nipple on top of the differential, the steering input shaft, the power steering pump, valve and lines

Drain
1. Jack up the drivers side (NA) and little or no oil will leak out (ty Pete K).
2. Disconnect the top pipe at the radiator and let it drain down into the tranny for at least an hour or even overnight.

Disconnect
1. Remove the large skid plate and the front inner arch lower side shield.
2. Remove the two plastic clamps holding the pipes together. The clamps have a cap that keeps the pipes in place. Pry off the cap, then free the pipes (took some hard pulling). *It may be easier if the top pipe is left in while removing the lower pipe
2a.One clamp is on a bracket bolted to the upper sump behind the a/c compressor.
It's easier to remove the bracket after the pipes are out.
Its tight in there, you might need a 10mm universal joint to undo the bracket.
(I left the old bracket in place and reused it)
2b.The other plastic clamp is near the tranny up high, pry it off.

3. Undo the retainer plate where the pipes enter the tranny (one 10mm bolt).
Have a container underneath to catch up to a litre of oil.
The plate slides up the pipes and swings away off one of them.
The pipes may may need some prying, they're seated tight.
There are O rings on the pipes, make sure they came out too.
Let it drain to reduce the mess (less than a litre will come out)
4. Disconnect the breather pipe from the differential.

Removal
*It may be easier to leave the top pipe attached to the radiator to keep it up out of the way, and remove the lower pipe first to avoid getting them tangled. (I tried to remove both at once and they tangled with each other)
*Be careful not to catch any wiring.
*Options that could make removal easier.
#a. Disconnect the front driveshaft at the transfer case and differential. Unfortunately my driveshaft wouldn't budge.
#b. Lower the differential. Unfortunately, I couldn't remove all the bolts.
#c. Raise or lower the end of the transmission. Unfortunately my mount was froze.
#d. Raise the left side of the engine. I didn't try this.
#e. Remove the exhaust system (cats). I didn't try this.
*I think any of the above options could have made the job much easier. You only need an extra centimeter or inch of room. Unfortunately these options were bad for me due to frozen bolts. I had to manage without removing any major components (PITA).

1.Disconnect the lower pipe at the radiator (catch oil). (Top pipe should already be disconnected)

2.Drop the tranny end of the pipes between the driveshaft and the catalytic converter. I had to carefully rotate the pipes so their tranny ends point down. (I had to bend one pipe, it's tranny end was pointing up.) I had to keep the lower pipe below the upper pipe or they'd tangle. It may have been easier to leave the top pipe in place and remove the lower pipe first.

3.Carefully work the pipes out toward the rear.
I had to go back and forth from under the transmission, to the wheelwell by the engine mount, to the inner arch lower side shield. See "choke points" above.
At some point I had to rotate the pipes so their tranny ends point outboard.
I had to be jacked up quite a bit or they'd dig in the mud.

Installation
*Notice at a certain angle the new pipes form a straight line. Maneuver them within the clamps so one is above the other in a straight line, tranny ends pointing down.
*Make sure the new pipes rerun the correct route... there isn't much room if you get it wrong.
*Don't force anything. You'll have to gently twist and turn the pipes, feeling for obstacles, and checking them visually where you can.

1. I kept the two pipes together initially, to avoid entanglement with each other.
2. I taped the rubber hose ends together with a long strip of electrical tape, to keep them more or less straight.
3. Feed the rubber ends between the cat and the driveshaft.
4. Through the wheelwell, by the motor mount, you can see the nipple on top of the differential. This is a choke point. I had to reach in there and try to keep things inboard of the nipple. The other major choke points are the steering column, and of course the driveshaft and catalytic converter.
5. At some point (about half way thru) I had to seperate the pipes.
6. After seperating the pipes, I worked on the top pipe first, it has the tranny plate attached, and the longer rubber hose. I attached it to the top radiator when done to keep it up out of the way.
7. Work the lower pipe thru.
9. Attach the pipes to the bracket on the sump. (Lube helps)
10. Attach the pipes to the radiator and tranny (hose clamps and 10mm plate).
11. Attach the rear plastic clamp (tough to reach).
12. Make sure everything is connected properly, the hose clamps at the radiator are tight, and the pipes at the tranny are seated properly.
13. Once connected back up, check the oil level and add if necessary. (I only had to add about 1/3 litre).

This writeup was compiled from personal experience and various posts on the subject by 200TDi, abran, armalites, bbyer, Disco_Mikey, lynalldiscovery, Pete K, and threalassmikeg...many thanks! Couldn't have done it without your pioneering work!

 

This is great! About how long did it take you?

 

Sorry for the delayed reply, Rovin, been moving to a new house. Altogether the actual labor took several evenings and a full weekend. But most of that was figuring out how to get the pipes to slide out. I spent even more time looking for instructions or researching. Now that I know, I could do it in a day. In other words, it took 2 cases of beer, but could be done in a 6 pack.

 

Looks like a "Sticky" to me, great write up

 

I ended up quoting it like this.

Time Varies Transmission Cooler Pipe $238.00

https://www.roverparts.com/Parts/UBP500053G



Transmission Service Kit $290.00

https://www.roverparts.com/Parts/TRANSM100SKA

 

I went with those same pipes from AB, Rovin. They fit perfect. Earlier I did the kit with seperate filter due to a mech sleeve leak (the filter kit was not necessary for the pipes).