Project: The impossible utopia - Freelander S TD4 3 door (2002)

[weemac]

Despite chasing my tail for a suspected boost or fuelling issue for weeks, I've managed to make the most significant improvement so far. All with a few strips of old bicycle innertube. We'll get to that, though. Best get the last couple of week's jobs logged and out of the way.

Eagle eyes may have spotted an alternator in the background of some of the earlier IRD photos. An intermittent battery light that I'd chalked up to 'atmospheric conditions' (see post 14) finally reared its head permenantly. I was able to temporarily recover it by hitting it with a hammer but that's not a long term solution

Decided to pull the alternator off and check the brushes. This is what I found...

So it's out with the old...

...and in with the new.

Battery light now goes out and stays out

 

[weemac]

Got the new drop links and ARB bushes on. What an improvement! With the knocks on the front end dampened, I get a real sense of the knocking from the O/S rear Very easy jobs these and decided to have a little clean up while we were at it...

Got the alignment close enough, about 5mm closer to the strut on the O/S but nothing fouls so I'm happy. We'll see how it they settle in.

ARB bushes are a bit of a pain access wise. Mostly done by feel, not sight. Could not be bothered to drop the exhaust downpipe. Also, gave the brackets a clean and paint and fitted new bolts with decent heads. A couple were a bit sketchy to remove so best we didn't refit those. 13mm heads should make it waaaay easier next time. The original 10mm headed bolts are quite long and the reason for this becomes apparent when fitting the new bushes. They need to be compressed into place under the bracket. However, with so much excess being wound through the captive thread, you're fighting a lots of rusty bolt to get them out if they've been in there a long time.

Much, much better now

 

[weemac]

So, the following is clear evidence that I'm on a very steep learning curve

Had time to investigate the engine's trailing mount or stabiliser thingy that's connected to the IRD. Was very loose and I could rock the whole engine and gearbox easily by hand. The larger bush just pressed out by hand so that really wasn't doing anything to stop the engine rocking back and forth. It's proper money for a new one so, for experimental purposes, I've wrapped a few layers of bicycle innertube around the old bush and pressed it back in with the vice. I might clean up / paint the mount and add a couple more layers but this is the largest improvement to the vehicle made so far. It really could do with new engine mounts all round imo.

It no longer lurches about on gear changes, offers way smoother acceleration and deceleration than before and doesn't judder to a halt when I switch the engine off

The clutch is still slipping above 2,000rpm, in 3rd, 4th or 5th gear when asking the pedal for full power. I initially put it down to a too much fuel or too much boost. My investigations and fettling have obviously proved me very, very wrong

Now to figure out how to DIY an engine hoist

 

[weemac]

I was fortunate enough to get to play with another Freelander this week and make some comparisons with my own. It's an 06 plate facelifted 5 door but the TD4 is similar enough to mine to gather some useful info.

It was a very familiar experience so that was in a way, reassuring. The crankcase pressure is the same or similar to mine. As is the high clutch bite. It had the obligatory 2K misfire and was no quicker or slower off the mark. I did manage to recreate the same clutch slipping I experience by changing into 5th, achieving 2,000rpm and booting the accelerator. Rev counter shoots up to 3,500rpm without any increased road speed then settles down and begins to pull away.

 

[weemac]

Last little update before I test meself with the clutch job. Track rod ends done. Meyle "Better than OE" [apparently]. Was well worth the time spent but forgot to take pictures. Much less crashy and although there's still a slight knock on full left hand lock, it's super smooth. I almost don't notice the cattle grids, now
Getting the old ones free was a bit of a faff. I did remember to take a photo of that muppetry.

Also, pulled, cleaned and regreased the brake caliper guide pins. Well, P.M.W did. The lowest one on O/S was seized solid. Marginally better braking now.

As it was a Sunday afternoon, had to have the wheel alignment checked at me local ****Fit. Apparently I got the toe pretty close using me reference marks and eyeballs but somehow put the steering wheel on the **** O/S rear looks a bit cocked aswell.

On ter clutch....

 

[weemac]

Got the clutch job completed on Monday afternoon. The truck is transformed and I feel confident enough to hitch the trailer on now. Needed the entire bank holiday weekend as we tackled a load of cleaning, rust treatment and painting at the same time. I was gratetful of the good weather. Photos to follow...

Edit: Many thanks to @Alibro for his comprehensive list of jobs. Very helpful.

 

[weemac]

Part I - IRD removal...

 

[weemac]

Part II - Dropping the engine...

 

[weemac]

Part III - Gearbox removal...

 

[rob_bell]

Good work! You've been busy!

 

[weemac]

Good work! You've been busy!

Indeed! Was quite a task given the lack of lifting equipment. I thought my need to pull the head at some point to remove the one snapped glow plug was gonna be a big deal but in comparison, it seems a trivial, tinkering job. More images to follow. The teardown was the easy bit!

 

[rob_bell]

Looking forward to the next update

 

[Steve in Antrim]

Nice use of bungee cords! Makes me glad I have an engine hoist.

 

[weemac]

Nice use of bungee cords! Makes me glad I have an engine hoist.

Cheers Steve. Credit to @Alibro for his virtual help. Bit of an abuse of my climbing gear I'll admit but it got the job done.

 

[Shimsteriom]

Great thread.
I do like it that you take the time to photograph stuff.

 

[weemac]

Great thread.
I do like it that you take the time to photograph stuff.

Thanks Photographs done properly to honour the forum. Well worth doing. I don't rush through things so it really isn't an inconvenience and makes great reference for me. I'm no mechanic so it's good to look back and see if I've made any major errors.

 

[LUKBENPHI]

re the miss fire has it had the fuel pressure sensor wiring tsb done? mine kangerood all over the shop till I changed the sensor and harness ? There's a sticky on the TSB in the FL section with the date from when I did it

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rov...200932?hash=item46852f9d64:g:D8gAAOSw989b0Knn

 

[weemac]

re the miss fire has it had the fuel pressure sensor wiring tsb done? mine kangerood all over the shop till I changed the sensor and harness ? There's a sticky on the TSB in the FL section with the date from when I did it

Short answer: No but thanks for the heads up.

Long answer: Would very much like to get the upgrade in time, though. Had to repair the wires to the fuel rail sensor soon after I bought it after I noticing they had been trapped/severed between the air manifold and block (you can see the rejoined wires in the rubber grommet). It made quite a difference to the drive. Mine misfires at 2K in neutral under no load when cold. Haven't been able to detect anything when warm under driving conditions but I have no diagnostic equipment for live data, etc. I've been reading through Nodge68's thread on the subject and will now investgate the thread you mentioned since he's decided to get rid of his TD4 and may never get to the bottom of it. Been putting off a thermostat replacement for a while or R5 one in the top hose in the hope of improving things. With MOT looming, thinking I should get it done soon to make sure the emissions are tolerable.

 

[LUKBENPHI]

they tend to fail lower down also where the wire crosses the top of the gearbox due to heat

Be worth ruling out the wiring before delving deeper, if that dont cure it you could be looking at a duff injector

 

[weemac]

they tend to fail lower down also where the wire crosses the top of the gearbox due to heat

Be worth ruling out the wiring before delving deeper, if that dont cure it you could be looking at a duff injector

Indeed. Had a good poke about when I had the gearbox out the other week. Nothing of note. But I'm afraid I'm already well and truly down that rabbit hole Pulled and cleaned the injectors already and pots 3 and 4 twice! The subsequent leak off test results always showed consistency across all four injectors. It seems the injector tips were getting dirty very quickly and nozzles blocked. Coincidentally, diverting the crankcase breather into a catch-can has helped the misfire and the rough idle has not returned.