2.0 TD Running very poorly

Hello all, I'm Gez. We purchased a 2002 Freelander 2.0 TD Auto back in November 2010 which has been spot on until yesterday when we took it to an idiot mechanic for a service. We moved to Adelaide from the UK in November too, and Land Rover garages aren't around like they are in the UK, so we were limited with choice. The Freelander had a full service history, so we wanted to keep it up. It was booked in yesterday for new oil, filters, and a general check over.
At 11am the guy phoned me up and said he'd removed the air filter to clean, but when he came to pull it in to his garage to change the oil, it wouldn't start. He said that he'd moved the injector wires to access the air filter? But he couldn't think what else it would be, so he was going to get an auto electrician to come and look at it. I thought he was ringing to apologise that we wouldn't be getting it back for the time he said he'd be done. Anyway, 3 hours later he phoned back and said his electrician had gone all through the car and decided that it was the diesel pump that was faulty? He wanted over a thousand dollars to replace the pump, and $270.00 for his time spent on it! The car has never missed a beat in us owning it for 6 months and ran perfect until he got his hands on it.
He said that he tapped the pump and it started working again, but could go at any minute, so did we want it replacing? He still hadn't done the service either. When I got my breath back, and told him that the car was fine before it went to him, he got shirty and said pay $220.00 and re book it for the service. I was at work, so my wife walked round to the garage for an explanation, he became very aggresive and told her to **** off with the car, the key was in the ignition so she jumped in and drove off very shaken up.
Now the car has no power, and changes gear very poorly, the power drops in and out, which is really frustrating. This is our first Land Rover, and I don't know my way around the engine very much, but I do have a basic understanding of things under there. Obviously we won't be going back to the moron over it, so I hope you guys can throw some ideas as to what it might be, and what I can try out myself.
Sorry if I've gone on a bit. I would appreciate any help at all.

Regards, Gez

I assume when you say it's a "2002 Freelander 2.0TD" you mean a Td4? If so then I'd be getting someone to verify that the air filter cover has been replaced properly. It's held on with 5 allen key bolts; the front 3 are easy to get to, but the two at the back are tricky. The cover has to go back and sit exactly in position otherwise the bloke wouldn't have got the back two bolts screwed down and there could be air being drawn in from under the cover rather than the intake pipe which connects to the RH side of the air filter cover (make sure that's been reconnected too!).

Mine is a manual, but I'm guessing an auto is the same and no way do you need to move the injector wires to get the air filter cover off, so I'd be checking that they are all secure and in place too. The injectors sit on top of the engine in front of the air filter cover. They may also be under another plastic cover, or they might be exposed by taking a big acoustic cover off - it varies, but the newer they are they tend to only have the smaller cover.

This might get to the bottom of your low power issues - it could also be turbo or intercooler hoses. They are the usual suspects for this sort of thing, often accompanied by lots of black smoke.

Why it wouldn't start though I'm not sure. It could be the bloke disturbed the fuel pump in some way while trying to get he air filter apart. Not sure where the fuel pump would be on yours. Someone else will know though.

Hope that helps. I'd get learning your way around a Td4 if I were you. Loads of information here - just search or ask.

Thanks Craig for putting up your reply, it is the TD4 mate. I have found a split in the intercooler pipe, he must of caused it when he removed the bits to clean the air filter I guess. Until I get a replacement, I have taped it up. This has cured the loss of power, but it is still throwing black smoke from the exhaust, which I'm hoping is something to do with the hose, and will clear up at some point.
As you say, I'll have to have a tinker around and get myself familiar with things.

Cheers again, Gez

hi gez....black smoke and lack of power are signs of the hose failure so should be back to normal once you get one. it might be worth you downloading a copy of rave and having a look through it, the td4 is pretty easy to work on for basic standard maintenance (fluids and filters) and theres always the pages of info on here.....

Great news, thanks for the heads up. I've ordered a new hose, picking it up tomorrow, so should be back in business. Also got a new crankcase breather filter to fit, as I've seen on here that they can be an issue.

Cheers, Gez