Daisy STILL won't go!

Okay.... Daisy is an April 2004 D2 TD5 enjoying a second career after emigrating from the UK to Australia. She has developed a fault where, without warning, she loses all power. Severe cranking of the engine usually persuades her back into life but that life lasts anything between 500 yds and 50 miles (irrespective of how much load/revs I demand from the engine) but is a little less reluctant to start if I disconnect the battery and count to 10 first. I have:
1. Changed the fuel pump and filter - because these seemed to be the obvious faults in the first instance but I was wrong.
2. Cleaned the red ECU plug - it was clogged with oil and for a month the fault went away but then came back, despite a second visit to red ECU plug land.
3. Cleaned the injector loom. It was new last March in any case and I am familiar with losing 1 cylinder with an oil soaked loom. Daisy is losing all 5 cylinders at once.

Her clutch and gearbox (long story) were changed last March and all seemed well.
I clock up 800km (500miles) a week, nearly all of it at motorway speeds (110km/70mph).
When she was running properly, Daisy was returning 10l/100km (almost 30mpg) and max speed is in accordance with the manual. She has 270,000km on the clock. The only engine work that she has had is:

1. 2 new injector looms (2007 & 2015)
2. New fuel pressure regulator seals (2014) and there is no smell of diesel
3. New radiator and top hose (2013)
4. New Starter (2013)

She is religiously serviced (new fluids and filters) every 10,000 km (6,000miles) and this is the first fault she has ever had that means she has failed to complete a journey.

I do not have a Nanocom and am reluctant to give the local LR shop a blank cheque.

Apart from the crank case sensor and/or wiring (see note on new GB above), what else can it be?

A friend had a persistent and irregular sudden power loss many years ago. Finally traced to a damaged fuel line. Externally didn't look too drastic but internally part had come away to make a crude one way flap which would cut off all fuel flow when the fuel got underneath the edge of the flap. New pipe and it was fine.

Sticky EGR valve or turbo wastegate

The onlly thing sticking out here to me is you said.
2. Cleaned the red ECU plug - it was clogged with oil and for a month the fault went away .
Why did that cure the fault for a Mth, is there something in that area you have missed

Id check the crank sensor wiring.
The monkeys who did my gearbox damaged the wiring, they "repaired" it badly and I only saw the repair after Id taken the engine out.
A new CPS is worth fitting anyway, although they are a very simple sensor they can still go wrong.
Check the wiring has not been repaired, if it has, its common for a repair not to include the outer braid, this is called the shield and it helps stop electrical interference messing up the low voltage signal that the CPS generates.
Also clean the plug with IPA or similar, again if moisture has got into the plug it could cause an intermittent fault.
Fuel lines could be the issue as well (its a LR after all, so never more than one fault!) the lines above my tank were leaking but it didnt affect the running of the engine.
If you find whatever the issue is, post up a "conclusion".
Mark

Also try dis- connecting the MAF and try starting again .If she fires up ok,new MAF time.When my MAF went (unknown to me) I had several bad starting events,which no amount of winding over made any difference.Not had a repeat since fitting new MAF

I think I can rule out the MAF. I just tried starting her - nothing - disconnected the MAF - still nothing - reconnected it - still nothing.

Mark Ormond said:

The onlly thing sticking out here to me is you said.
2. Cleaned the red ECU plug - it was clogged with oil and for a month the fault went away .
Why did that cure the fault for a Mth, is there something in that area you have missed

Click to expand...

Mark, That stuck with me too. I redid the red ECU yesterday and it made no difference so unless I missed the same thing twice I think that may be a red (geddit?) herring

Did you check the ecu for oil. Also did you try and clean out the harness from rocker to ecu. Any oil left in there is going to continue to get to the plug.

I've heard of people having very similar symptoms before when the fuel tank breathers are blocked.

Engine uses fuel, and creates a vacuum in the tank...

I'd be right surprised if that's it, but, as I say, I've heard it before....

julianf said:

I've heard of people having very similar symptoms before when the fuel tank breathers are blocked.

Engine uses fuel, and creates a vacuum in the tank...

I'd be right surprised if that's it, but, as I say, I've heard it before....

Click to expand...

The tank is about 80% full. I vented it by removing the filler cap. Still nothing.

Not stating the obvious,but can you hear the tank pump running on ignition on?

biolandy said:

Not stating the obvious,but can you hear the tank pump running on ignition on?

Click to expand...

Hi BioLandy

There is no such thing a stating the obvious. Many years ago I was about to strip the diff on my MGBGT because of a clonk if engaging 1st when still drifting backwards. A mate turned up just in time and asked what was in the boot. 'Nothing much, just the spare wheel and a trolley jack'. It turned out that the clonk was caused by the trolley jack rolling about in the boot!.

Back to Daisy, I've just changed the fuel pump (silly me for jumping to conclusions) and the new ones is making all the right noises, including stopping when the system is pressurised. That said, I have in my grubby little mitt a new set of non return valves which I will be changing tomorrow (been away for a few days so left Daisy on the naughty step to think about her behaviour!). Tomorrow's plan is to change the valves, try a start and then go for the crank sensor. I've got a new one on the way but I'm hoping that if the fuel filter valves don't fix it that I will find a dodgy connection or a dirty sensor. If THAT fails then all I have left is to change the injector washers and O rings. Wish me luck!

markomate2 said:

Id check the crank sensor wiring.
The monkeys who did my gearbox damaged the wiring, they "repaired" it badly and I only saw the repair after Id taken the engine out.
A new CPS is worth fitting anyway, although they are a very simple sensor they can still go wrong.
Check the wiring has not been repaired, if it has, its common for a repair not to include the outer braid, this is called the shield and it helps stop electrical interference messing up the low voltage signal that the CPS generates.
Also clean the plug with IPA or similar, again if moisture has got into the plug it could cause an intermittent fault.
Fuel lines could be the issue as well (its a LR after all, so never more than one fault!) the lines above my tank were leaking but it didnt affect the running of the engine.
If you find whatever the issue is, post up a "conclusion".
Mark

Click to expand...

Hi MarkoMate2

Once Daisy sparks up I will post a conclusion. One of the issues with maintaining our own cars of that we often gain experience with a particular job that we are unlikely to need any time soon but that someone else is desperate for. I have benefitted many times from such wisdom and am more than happy to add to our store of knowledge.

David

DaisyDriver said:

Hi BioLandy

There is no such thing a stating the obvious. Many years ago I was about to strip the diff on my MGBGT because of a clonk if engaging 1st when still drifting backwards. A mate turned up just in time and asked what was in the boot. 'Nothing much, just the spare wheel and a trolley jack'. It turned out that the clonk was caused by the trolley jack rolling about in the boot!.

Back to Daisy, I've just changed the fuel pump (silly me for jumping to conclusions) and the new ones is making all the right noises, including stopping when the system is pressurised. That said, I have in my grubby little mitt a new set of non return valves which I will be changing tomorrow (been away for a few days so left Daisy on the naughty step to think about her behaviour!). Tomorrow's plan is to change the valves, try a start and then go for the crank sensor. I've got a new one on the way but I'm hoping that if the fuel filter valves don't fix it that I will find a dodgy connection or a dirty sensor. If THAT fails then all I have left is to change the injector washers and O rings. Wish me luck!

Click to expand...

Good Luck David-hope you are turning the corner

biolandy said:

Good Luck David-hope you are turning the corner

Click to expand...

I turned a corner and found was a 360 - more to follow...

Still not starting.

Dear Landy Zoners, I have now carried out the following Maintops on Daisy (2004 TD5); she still doesn't want to start and then she cuts out:

1. New fuel pump
2. New fuel filter
3. New air bleed and non return valves at the fuel filter
4. New crankcase sensor
5. Cleaned the red ECU and both plugs
6. Cleaned the injector harness (this is only 9 months old anyway and I was losing all 5 cylinders at once, not one at a time as per a harness failure

I have not done the injector seals yet but there is no diesel smell in the oil and the dipstick level has not moved up. I live in Australia and it's summer now so I don't think it's glow plugs. My friends, I need this car working asap and can't wait any longer for parts from the UK. I am about to run up the white flag and hand her to the local dealer... unless you know different. Is there ANYTHING else, that I can fix quickly, that it could be?