110 extremely slow up steep hills even in 1st. Normal?

Hey guys, new to this place and if you guys can't help, then no-one can.

Just bought a new 110 - a monster of a Defender and I find I'm having problems getting up really steep hills.

Unless I get a decent run up and keep my revs high, very often I lose all revs and end up crawling along at about 2 mph till eventually I get enough revs to power into second. I've even been on one hill where I almost had to stop, put my hand brake on, build up some revs while getting my clutch to bite and then let the hand brake off before I could get going again properly.

It's like trying to get up a normal hill in any other car in third, only I didn't expect my Defender to have this problem in 1st gear.

I used to drive a 90 and never experienced this. The guy I bought it from told me that because mine has had its suspension raised by an extra 2" and has the big 110 tyres that this is to be expected.

A friend of mine recommended I have all my filters changed/checked.

Is this normal 110 behaviour?

Oh and this is her.

replace yer fuel and air filters, clean out yer sedimenter, remove the egr valve, clean out your intercooler and check your turbo hoses aren't de-laminating. A 300tdi should fly up hills. You definately have a restriction somewhere. Does it kick out any smoke while it's struggling? If so what colour is it? If there's no smoke or it's whiteish yer looking at a fuel fault. If it chucks out black smoke you're looking at a restriction in the air intake side of things.

Hmm no obvious smoke that I noticed. It is a 2 tonne warrior so I wondered if that would make any difference? But then with just me in it, I assumed it would, like you say, fly up hills.

Especially in first gear.

HairyArse said:

Hmm no obvious smoke that I noticed. It is a 2 tonne warrior so I wondered if that would make any difference? But then with just me in it, I assumed it would, like you say, fly up hills.

Especially in first gear.

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If you're getting no smoke I would say it's more likely to be lack of fuel. It could be as simple as a blocked filter or sedimenter.

It should. Along the flat what does it show on the speedo if you thrash it down the local bypass/dual carriageway?

Could be the injection pump diaphragm is stuck to the cover/split so you're not getting any extra 'on boost' fueling - piece of **** to check, just four screws.

Where are you?

Adz said:

Where are you?

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Half way up a hill!:doh:

Well I've been on the bypass once and barely got about 65. On the flat.

Apparently because my tyres are so large, I have to add an extra 10% onto whatever the speedo tells me.

I'm in Haworth near Bradford/West Yorkshire.

HairyArse said:

Well I've been on the bypass once and barely got about 65. On the flat.

Apparently because my tyres are so large, I have to add an extra 10% onto whatever the speedo tells me.

I'm in Haworth near Bradford/West Yorkshire.

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What size tyres are ya running on?

I'm not sure how you officially measure tyres but I just got the tape measure and they're 32" in diameter. It's also had the 2" suspension raise if that affects anything.

HairyArse said:

I'm not sure how you officially measure tyres but I just got the tape measure and they're 32" in diameter. It's also had the 2" suspension raise if that affects anything.

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there will be numbers on the sidewall of the tyres. Summit like 265/75/16 or 235/85/16 etc.

32" aint big.

Adz said:

Could be the injection pump diaphragm is stuck to the cover/split so you're not getting any extra 'on boost' fueling - piece of **** to check, just four screws.

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I dont really know my way around engines, but I wouldnt mind checking this on mine. How exactly do you check it, and where is it located please.

Thanks

285/75R16

They're 23" thick.

HairyArse said:

Well I've been on the bypass once and barely got about 65. On the flat.

Apparently because my tyres are so large, I have to add an extra 10% onto whatever the speedo tells me.

I'm in Haworth near Bradford/West Yorkshire.

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That's bollocks, who's been telling you that?

With larger tires, you SUBTRACT a percentage, not add it! You were probably barely doing 60mph, which is way too gutless for a Tdi of any kind. The 2" lift will make little to no difference at all to your performance.

Check that your brakes are not binding (they will get very very hot after a drive if they are) and, then after that replace your fuel filter and check that the air filter isn't blocked. Check all of the intercooler and air hoses in the engine bay for splits, cracks or holes where air could be escaping. Check that your intercooler (next to the radiator) is in good condition and is not split or damaged.

Aside from that, it looks like a very nice 110 - and welcome to the forum.

LeadFarmer said:

I dont really know my way around engines, but I wouldnt mind checking this on mine. How exactly do you check it, and where is it located please.

Thanks

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This is reference only - if you blow your engine up it's down to you

200 or 300 Tdi - only. Injection pump is on the drivers side of the engine just behind the timing cover. On top of it there's a square/rectangular plate held on by four slotted screws - undo the screws, they'll be tight. Carefully, WITHOUT TURNING THE DIAPHRAGM UNDER THE PLATE AROUND, move the plate off the diaphragm. If it's stuck to the plate it'll be obvious. Then check the diaphragm isn't split. If it is, replace.

Cheers,

im running 315 75 16 on my 110 it doesnt have problems getting up hills once its moving, but mine is a re-mapped td5, but the bigger the tyre the more rolling resistance you have

Worth checking the pipe which feeds from the T off the turbo to the top of the injection pump isn't split/blocked/full of oil too. No pressure through that and it doesn't push the diaphragm down and you get no additional fuel on boost.

23" thick?? They simply can't be that wide... do you mean 23cm wide?

Langers said:

That's bollocks, who's been telling you that?

With larger tires, you SUBTRACT a percentage, not add it! You were probably barely doing 60mph, which is way too gutless for a Tdi of any kind. The 2" lift will make little to no difference at all to your performance.

Check that your brakes are not binding (they will get very very hot after a drive if they are) and, then after that replace your fuel filter and check that the air filter isn't blocked. Check all of the intercooler and air hoses in the engine bay for splits, cracks or holes where air could be escaping. Check that your intercooler (next to the radiator) is in good condition and is not split or damaged.

Aside from that, it looks like a very nice 110 - and welcome to the forum.

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Shame you are completely wrong on this one.....

Use a GPS on the flat and compare the two - the bigger tyres probably mean you are nearer the real speed as most Defenders overread 10%.

crowmann said:

Shame you are completely wrong on this one.....

Use a GPS on the flat and compare the two - the bigger tyres probably mean you are nearer the real speed as most Defenders overread 10%.

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The OP was saying that since he had BIGGER tyres than standard, he should ADD 10% to his speedo reading, when in fact this is completely true.