300tdi 110 down on power

Hi guys,

I know I'm not a massive poster on the forum but you guys have got me out of a few sticky situations with fault finding multiple temporary breakdowns over the last few years! Oh and also helping find my old 90 when it was stolen - twice!

So, I've now got my dream defender, I've had it about 4 months now and it's always been a lot slower than my old 200tdi 90. I would be happy with that but my new one is fitted with uprated alisport intercooler and a variable vein turbo from turbo technics. After a lot of reading apparently the engine should be pulling like a train - but it's very sluggish and almost useless up hills.

I know there are a lot of threads on this but I seem to have replaced everything that has been suggested (lift pump, fuel filter, checked vacuum hoses etc.)

It has also just got back from a head gasket and skim.

I've now found however that I have a rather large exhaust leak on the down pipe from the turbo around the engine mount. I have a decat fitted with a flexi section and it seems to be interfering with the bracket for the engine mount?! Which has pretty much sliced a huge hole in the side of the braided section.

Would the make that much of a difference to power and torque? I have ordered a new decat pipe, but this time without the flexi bit but it also is puzzling me why this part would be rubbing at all as surely it should be designed to bend round everything?

Any help would be appreciated.

It shouldn't be making much different if any. And as you've said, with the VNT and uprated intercooler it should be going like the clappers!

I'd check that the VNT is operating correctly. If possible, fit a boost gauge to see what the turbo is actually producing under load. It should be anywhere between 10 and 18 PSI under full load, depending on how it has been set up. Being a VNT you'd also expect to see the boost level rising from quite low engine RPM.

De-lamination of intercooler pipes? This, or any other defect with the hoses/pipes will cause them to collapse and restrict air when you need it most.

Thank you, I rigged up a makeshift boost gauge on my last defender with odds and sods from work, so I'll be able to do that once I get the new downpipe fitted.

Just out of interest how powerful do you think my engine should be? I'm defiantly not looking for speed, after all it's a defender! I'm just looking for the torque and pulling power I think I should have. Any slight incline and I can't see much beyond 50...

Also re the hoses, they are all new silicone ones so hopefully that shouldn't be an issue.

I will check them to make sure though as assumptions are the cause of most f-ups!

Forbes said:

Thank you, I rigged up a makeshift boost gauge on my last defender with odds and sods from work, so I'll be able to do that once I get the new downpipe fitted.

Just out of interest how powerful do you think my engine should be? I'm defiantly not looking for speed, after all it's a defender! I'm just looking for the torque and pulling power I think I should have. Any slight incline and I can't see much beyond 50...

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It depends entirely on how it has been set up, but I would hope to see about a 20bhp increase with mild tuning, an uprated IC and a VNT. Probably around the 130bhp mark would be expected.

It should pull through the gears and happily sit at 70+ up hill and down dale I'd have thought.

Pretty good chance something isn't quite right. It doesn't have as much power as my old standard 200tdi 90.

Might seem trivial, but i'd check the throttle cable adjuster. Could be going slack. Don't over tighten if loose though.

Right - managed to hook up a boost gauge after work today and I can confirm it is boosting properly, just not producing and power.

I've also replaced the fuel filter and checked all the hoses for delamination (all fine). All the injectors are working on as I've cracked the nuts on the and they are spewing out fuel and the engine note changes slightly when releasing each one.

I've checked the intercooler pipes and they are hard at higher revs so the turbo is working shoving air into the engine alright.

So as you may think I'm pretty stumped now. I've even disconnected the snorkel as there might have been restriction in air intake but it made no difference.

A pal of mine who has a 90 drove mine today and couldn't believe the lack of power.

It's foot on the floor basically all the time and it struggles setting off and uphills especially.

Any more thoughts?

I bought it from a chap who got it from a marshall from Billing, as it's fairly recent to me perhaps some of you might know the vehicle and no more about the set up than I do.

Reg is P347 LKJ and is a black 110 with roll cage etc.

One that happened to me. There is a small pipe that leads from the turbo to both the fuel pump and the turbo wastegate. Check it for leaks. If it is leaking, as mine was, the fuel pump isn't being told that the turbo is boosting and so doesn't send the extra fuel.

boguing said:

One that happened to me. There is a small pipe that leads from the turbo to both the fuel pump and the turbo wastegate. Check it for leaks. If it is leaking, as mine was, the fuel pump isn't being told that the turbo is boosting and so doesn't send the extra fuel.

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Thanks - I hope it fixed your issues. That's where I placed the pressure gauge for the turbo and all the readings were okay. Would there still be a possibility of a hole if the correct pressure was present?

no smoke issues? difficulty starting? lift pump working properly? check by seeing how much fuel it squirts out

Forbes said:

Thanks - I hope it fixed your issues. That's where I placed the pressure gauge for the turbo and all the readings were okay. Would there still be a possibility of a hole if the correct pressure was present?

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follow that pipe to the pump side. this is where you can do fuel tweaks and all that.

if you carefully remove the housing and whilst keeping the diaphragm position mark it so you don't much the settings up.

then check it for oil and to see if the pin is sticking.

go have a look at the tweak guide and you'll see what i mean

here's some pics http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/sluggish-disco-not-any-more-146991.html

I adjusted the pump for extra low down grunt but it didn't make any difference so I've turned it back down now. I fitted a brand new lift pump too just a couple of days ago. All tested and working properly.

It doesn't start as quickly as it used to though. It feels like you have to give it some revs and I little bit more time on the starter. Only when it's cold though, otherwise it starts just grand.

Sorry - meant to say as well, no smoking issues at all.

Forbes said:

I adjusted the pump for extra low down grunt but it didn't make any difference so I've turned it back down now. I fitted a brand new lift pump too just a couple of days ago. All tested and working properly.

It doesn't start as quickly as it used to though. It feels like you have to give it some revs and I little bit more time on the starter. Only when it's cold though, otherwise it starts just grand.

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did you mark the settings? i'm wondering if you ballsed it up and are now running too lean.

It was running really bad even before I fiddled with it. Marked it all up and made one and a half turns clockwise, kept it like that for a few days with no noticeable change so turned it right back to the original place.

Forbes said:

Thanks - I hope it fixed your issues. That's where I placed the pressure gauge for the turbo and all the readings were okay. Would there still be a possibility of a hole if the correct pressure was present?

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Doh. I did read that you'd checked the pressures too.

And yes, it makes a huge difference.

Intruiging. Do you get any smoke at all under acceleration?

When was the cambelt last changed? It's possible it could have been set up incorrectly when it was last changed, or slipped slightly, and is a tooth or two out - causing the timing to be slightly out. That would explain the lack of power.

Check the pump timing by setting the engine to TDC and seeing if you can insert the locking tool (3/16" drill bit) into the pump locking hole.

Video on how to do it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKnK0kJ1N-o