300TDi issues

Hi all.
Now, I'm the first to admit to not being all that clued up with landrover's
disiesel engines, I try to avoid them like the plague wherever possible,
other than servicing and cambelts. However, a good customer has a disco
300tdi with the following symptoms that he really wants me to fix:-

1. a bit slow to start from cold
2. extremely rough and lumpy at idle, almost like it's running on 3!
3. at idle, a dull "thud thud thud" sort of noise, sounds like it's coming
from no.1 cylinder.
4. won't rev above 1500rpm, with engine trying to jump off it's mounts in
the process!!

So far, I've confirmed cranking compression pressures are ok (well, all 4
are the same at least, which kind of rules out head gasket issues), there is
no air in the fuel system and priming the system using the priming lever
makes no difference either. Tried draining down the filter bowls, no water
present either.

My thoughts are that the extremely rough and lumpy running is caused by one
or more injectors being damaged/contaminated by swarf, the swarf coming from
a knackered pump, this being the reason for no rise in rpm above 1500.

Your collective thoughts are welcomed please.
Badger.

"Badger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi all.
> Now, I'm the first to admit to not being all that clued up with
> landrover's
> disiesel engines, I try to avoid them like the plague wherever possible,
> other than servicing and cambelts. However, a good customer has a disco
> 300tdi with the following symptoms that he really wants me to fix:-
>
> 1. a bit slow to start from cold
> 2. extremely rough and lumpy at idle, almost like it's running on 3!
> 3. at idle, a dull "thud thud thud" sort of noise, sounds like it's coming
> from no.1 cylinder.
> 4. won't rev above 1500rpm, with engine trying to jump off it's mounts in
> the process!!
>
> So far, I've confirmed cranking compression pressures are ok (well, all 4
> are the same at least, which kind of rules out head gasket issues), there
> is
> no air in the fuel system and priming the system using the priming lever
> makes no difference either. Tried draining down the filter bowls, no water
> present either.
>
> My thoughts are that the extremely rough and lumpy running is caused by
> one
> or more injectors being damaged/contaminated by swarf, the swarf coming
> from
> a knackered pump, this being the reason for no rise in rpm above 1500.
>
> Your collective thoughts are welcomed please.
> Badger.

Try cracking injector pipes off 1 at a time if that doesnt show up an
obvious cylinder fault then i think I would be looking at valve/pump timing
next

Hope this helps

Icky

"icky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Badger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi all.
> > Now, I'm the first to admit to not being all that clued up with
> > landrover's
> > disiesel engines, I try to avoid them like the plague wherever possible,
> > other than servicing and cambelts. However, a good customer has a disco
> > 300tdi with the following symptoms that he really wants me to fix:-
> >
> > 1. a bit slow to start from cold
> > 2. extremely rough and lumpy at idle, almost like it's running on 3!
> > 3. at idle, a dull "thud thud thud" sort of noise, sounds like it's
coming
> > from no.1 cylinder.
> > 4. won't rev above 1500rpm, with engine trying to jump off it's mounts
in
> > the process!!
> >
> > So far, I've confirmed cranking compression pressures are ok (well, all
4
> > are the same at least, which kind of rules out head gasket issues),
there
> > is
> > no air in the fuel system and priming the system using the priming lever
> > makes no difference either. Tried draining down the filter bowls, no
water
> > present either.
> >
> > My thoughts are that the extremely rough and lumpy running is caused by
> > one
> > or more injectors being damaged/contaminated by swarf, the swarf coming
> > from
> > a knackered pump, this being the reason for no rise in rpm above 1500.
> >
> > Your collective thoughts are welcomed please.
> > Badger.
>
> Try cracking injector pipes off 1 at a time if that doesnt show up an
> obvious cylinder fault then i think I would be looking at valve/pump
timing
> next

Tried cracking pipes, just makes it idle even rougher and lumpier.
I did consider the timing issue, but it starts too easily (when warm,
allbeit roughly). I once got an injector pump on a tdi 1 tooth out and it
wouldn't even fire up! If the valve timing were out, the engine would be
"evenly" rough, this thing does an indiscriminate dance on it's mountings -
like it can't decide which cylinder to give the fuel to. LOL!
Badger

Badger wrote:

> My thoughts are that the extremely rough and lumpy running is caused by one
> or more injectors being damaged/contaminated by swarf, the swarf coming from
> a knackered pump, this being the reason for no rise in rpm above 1500.

That's a distinct possibility. Another thought is a badly blocked fuel
line (either feed or return) - I had a Ford diesel in a boat that showed
similar symptoms after some numpty blocked off it's return line.



--
EMB

On or around Thu, 22 Jun 2006 19:45:33 +0100, "Badger"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Hi all.
>Now, I'm the first to admit to not being all that clued up with landrover's
>disiesel engines, I try to avoid them like the plague wherever possible,
>other than servicing and cambelts. However, a good customer has a disco
>300tdi with the following symptoms that he really wants me to fix:-
>
>1. a bit slow to start from cold
>2. extremely rough and lumpy at idle, almost like it's running on 3!
>3. at idle, a dull "thud thud thud" sort of noise, sounds like it's coming
>from no.1 cylinder.
>4. won't rev above 1500rpm, with engine trying to jump off it's mounts in
>the process!!

it's buggered...
>
>So far, I've confirmed cranking compression pressures are ok (well, all 4
>are the same at least, which kind of rules out head gasket issues), there is
>no air in the fuel system and priming the system using the priming lever
>makes no difference either. Tried draining down the filter bowls, no water
>present either.
>
>My thoughts are that the extremely rough and lumpy running is caused by one
>or more injectors being damaged/contaminated by swarf, the swarf coming from
>a knackered pump, this being the reason for no rise in rpm above 1500.

I'd be inclined to check the cambelt and pump timing, also lift the rocker
cover and look the valve gear over. Could also be a shagged injector. when
you cracked the pipes off, did you identify a non-firing cylinder?

further investigation will need the right kit; if you have a good diesel
specialist nearby you could pull the injectors and get them tested - not a
very big job - which might shed more light.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"
Alphonse Karr (1808 - 1890) Les Guêpes, Jan 1849

"Badger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi all.
> Now, I'm the first to admit to not being all that clued up with
> landrover's
> disiesel engines, I try to avoid them like the plague wherever possible,
> other than servicing and cambelts. However, a good customer has a disco
> 300tdi with the following symptoms that he really wants me to fix:-
>
> 1. a bit slow to start from cold
> 2. extremely rough and lumpy at idle, almost like it's running on 3!
> 3. at idle, a dull "thud thud thud" sort of noise, sounds like it's coming
> from no.1 cylinder.
> 4. won't rev above 1500rpm, with engine trying to jump off it's mounts in
> the process!!
>
> So far, I've confirmed cranking compression pressures are ok (well, all 4
> are the same at least, which kind of rules out head gasket issues), there
> is
> no air in the fuel system and priming the system using the priming lever
> makes no difference either. Tried draining down the filter bowls, no water
> present either.
>
> My thoughts are that the extremely rough and lumpy running is caused by
> one
> or more injectors being damaged/contaminated by swarf, the swarf coming
> from
> a knackered pump, this being the reason for no rise in rpm above 1500.
>
> Your collective thoughts are welcomed please.
> Badger.

From that I'd say one or more of the injectors sound blocked.
An easy job to whip them out and have them ultrasonically cleaned and
checked.
Wont do any harm and not expensive if it's not that.


--
Andy