200tdi - Max 0.3 bar of boost :( Help please

Hello,

I need some help please....

1986 Land Rover 90 with a 200Tdi.

Noticed a lack of "power" last summer whilst pulling a twin jetski trailer out of the water on a steepish slipway - engine revs went up but no power.

It's not a slipping clutch and since last summer I've:

- replaced lift pump
- cut off the mesh filter on the bottom of the pipe in the tank
- bled the fuel filter
- replaced with new Silicone Turbo hoses
- repaced timing belt - and checked timing (all OK before and after)
- verified that the wastegate was not stuck

I assumed the problem had gone away as she drives OK but have not really put her under load (too cold to JetSki) but today I fitted a Turbo Gauge and am only getting a max of 0.3 bar of boost (both statis and in motion).

I shortened the wastegate bar by 3 turns and still max 0.3 bar - then I lengthened the bar by 2 turns (past it's original position) and still max 0.3 bar - have now put the bar back to where it was. The Turbo is spinning up can hear it and see it with the air filter hose off. There's minimal play in it as well.

I'm getting no smoke (black, blue or other) from the rear.

I've read that I'm supposed to be getting closer to 0.8 bar as standard which is quite a bit different from the measley 0.3 at the moment and would explain the lack of power noticed last summer.

I'm thinking stuck rod in the fuel injector pump but am very open to any other ideas??????

Help please

remove rod and hold waste gate shut and try it ,shortening rod lets turbo create more boost,check hoses and pipes

jamesmartin said:

remove rod and hold waste gate shut and try it ,shortening rod lets turbo create more boost,check hoses and pipes

Click to expand...

Do you think the wastegate is opening too soon? When I shortened the bar I got no difference at all with the boost level.

You need to shorten it a lot to get a result, I had to cut it down in the end. It still wouldn't boost enough so I added an external spring that increased the preload enough to get it up to 1 BAR.

OK - this is the first time I've had a gauge on the Turbo but am pretty certain that she ran much better prior to the end of last summer. I've owned the car more than 12 years so am thinking it's more something that's got stuck or worn rather than something that was not set right prior.

When I wound the bar in 3 turns there was no difference at all - the gauge shoots up to 0.3 bar then won't go any higher.

Will try winding it in a lot more tomorrow to see if that makes any difference or try disconnecting the rod and holding it shut - seems a logical way of ruling out the wastegate and actuator.

blocked intercooler?? just a guess, but easy to check, I do know they tend to get oil in them over time.

Thanks - think I'll flush the Intercooler through anyway just to be sure

Little update - before I dismantled turbo, engine, car and everything else I could find I decided to test the new gauge.

Fired up the compressor and set it to 1.5 bar and popped the nozzle in the feed pipe for the gauge.......and guess what.......0.3 bar......whacked the compressor up to 7bar and guess what ....... 0.3 bar before it blew the pipe off the end of the gauge, lol

So before I go any further I'm going to get another gauge and find out just how much pressure I acutally have.

Drove her today and got to 50mph going up a hill with less than "0.3 bar" on the gauge and pushed the pedal to the floor - heard the turbo spin up and felt it boost up with pretty good acceleration - certainly didn't seem "down" on power - dying to know what my actual boost value is.

Have you checked the air intake hose on the turbo isnt perished?

Yes the one between the air filter and turbo is fine and all the others are new.

See my last post - as now I'm not even sure that there is a problem

Also for info - I ran the compressor's air through to the wastegate actuator and the bar moved fine when the pressure was increased - good news there then

Update:

Dismantled the gauge and fixed the problem.

Test drove with the wastegate arm at the length it's been for the last 13 years and .... 0.7 bar

Re-set the wastegate bar to the standard +3 turns (3mm) from "pop on" (as per the video) and got only 0.5bar on the test drive

Note: The original length of the bar was +12 turns (9 more than the "standard" +3 or 3mm).

Set the bar to +15 turns (12 more than the 3mm) and again only 0.7bar

So now I'm even more confused but am thinking fuelling...I'm getting no black smoke at all but am pretty sure she's down on power.

What's the advice....take the fuel pump apart and check for the "famous sticking rod", order new fuel pump or order new injectors ?????

why dont you just remove actuator rod from waste gate and hold waste gate shut with a spring etc, is guage accurate ?

Will arm the misses with some pliers and give it a go - gauge accurate...very much doubt it but at least it goes higher than yesterday, lol

All sorted - gauge was defunct - now running a comfortable and powerful and confirmed 1 bar of max boost

LVC said:

All sorted - gauge was defunct - now running a comfortable and powerful and confirmed 1 bar of max boost

Click to expand...

a lesson, never assume the new bit works properly

cheers for finding the thread and updating us, too many folk sort the problem and never come back to saw what sorted it in the end, making the search sorta fruitless in the future

timtheenchanteruk said:

a lesson, never assume the new bit works properly

cheers for finding the thread and updating us, too many folk sort the problem and never come back to saw what sorted it in the end, making the search sorta fruitless in the future

Click to expand...

Yes - lesson learnt

I agree it's real frustrating when the searches only find the problems not the solutions - so happy to resolve at least this issue for the next LR owner with a similar problem. Now onto trying to fix the Freelander issue

burn it, issue solved.
better still get a guy down the pub to burn it for you

lol - I have thought about it, but if I do that then the misses will either want to drive my 90 or the Impreza and I don't fancy giving her the keys to either so guess I'll just have to fix it.