Defender 90 - 200TDi losing power

Hey Guys,

I have noticed over the past few weeks my Defender has been increasingly sluggish, especially when cold. Things like ascending hills around me takes a lower gear than normal, and the difference between torque at lower revs vs higher when the turbo is fully spun up is very dramatic - so you end up driving it like a teenager.

Then this morning, it's very very cold (12F, -11C). It started ok, ran for maybe 4 miles or so and then lost almost all power. It didn't stall but it didn't have enough power to move. Then the power came back and I could drive it again for another mile or so maybe less and it did it again. Luckily I was close enough to my garage to roll it inside.

I am not sure what this could be but I am assuming it's a fuel issue. Last year I replaced the lift pump and the filter. Could it be water getting into the diesel lines or something like that?

Anything I could check?

Thanks!

Stick another new fuel filter on.
Are you running pump diesel?

Lift pumps are pants and dont last, still run but just lose power at top end, so I would say you have **** fuel/fuel filter or an air leak somewhere.

Have you drained the fuel filter to see what comes out?

Flossie said:

Stick another new fuel filter on.
Are you running pump diesel?

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Yeah I am running pump diesel.

I will get another filter on order.

BTW I am located in the states and I have heard that the diesel here is pretty garbage. I don't run any additives or anything.

lynall said:

Lift pumps are pants and dont last, still run but just lose power at top end, so I would say you have **** fuel/fuel filter or an air leak somewhere.

Have you drained the fuel filter to see what comes out?

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I haven't had time to do anything yet, but this will be one of the first things I will do.

Is there anything specific I should be looking for?

limeypete33 said:

Yeah I am running pump diesel.

I will get another filter on order.

BTW I am located in the states and I have heard that the diesel here is pretty garbage. I don't run any additives or anything.

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I think he means have you drained the water trap on the bottom of the filter to see if any water comes out?

Those aren't very fussy about fuel quality. If you are using fuel from a major oil company, and from a busy service station, the most likely source of water in the fuel would be from condensation in your own fuel tank, due to it being left part empty while the vehicle is stood idle.

Another possibility is that you still have summer diesel in the tank.
Either way, anti wax additive or a cetane booster can do no harm.

Turboman said:

I think he means have you drained the water trap on the bottom of the filter to see if any water comes out?

Those aren't very fussy about fuel quality. If you are using fuel from a major oil company, and from a busy service station, the most likely source of water in the fuel would be from condensation in your own fuel tank, due to it being left part empty while the vehicle is stood idle.

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Ok good to know. I only leave it for at most a week between running it. I will drain the trap later and report back.

limeypete33 said:

Ok good to know. I only leave it for at most a week between running it. I will drain the trap later and report back.

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A week is quite a long time for condensation to form if the temperature is very variable.
I would try and brim the tank when you aren't using it every day.
I edited the last post ^^^^^^^^^ with some extra, by the way.

My 90 can stand for months at a time, get used for days or weeks then stand for months again, fuel filter changed annually, no water in it so far.
Fuel filters are cheap as can be and a few minutes work to change, if the filter is low on fuel after running thats a good sign your lift pump is on its way.
I got so fed up with the lift pumps I went electric in the end.

lynall said:

My 90 can stand for months at a time, get used for days or weeks then stand for months again, fuel filter changed annually, no water in it so far.

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Does it often fall to -11C where you are?
Diesels need a bit more care in extreme climates.

Turboman said:

Does it often fall to -11C where you are?
Diesels need a bit more care in extreme climates.

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This is Kent -11 is nowt

lynall said:

My 90 can stand for months at a time, get used for days or weeks then stand for months again, fuel filter changed annually, no water in it so far.
Fuel filters are cheap as can be and a few minutes work to change, if the filter is low on fuel after running thats a good sign your lift pump is on its way.
I got so fed up with the lift pumps I went electric in the end.

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Is there a guide knocking about anywhere with people going electric? I was just wondering about whether people bypassed the pumps.

Turboman said:

Does it often fall to -11C where you are?
Diesels need a bit more care in extreme climates.

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Yeah it gets pretty cold quite a bit in the Northeast US. Other than not getting frostbite while driving it, what else should I be looking to do?

limeypete33 said:

Yeah it gets pretty cold quite a bit in the Northeast US. Other than not getting frostbite while driving it, what else should I be looking to do?

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Just be sure you have winter diesel in the tank, use additive if not. And be very careful about water in the filters, etc. It is much more critical if the water is likely to freeze.
I know what it is like, I was born in Montreal, and a lot of my family come from Toronto!

Turboman said:

Just be sure you have winter diesel in the tank, use additive if not. And be very careful about water in the filters, etc. It is much more critical if the water is likely to freeze.
I know what it is like, I was born in Montreal, and a lot of my family come from Toronto!

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I am assuming that in Connecticut the gas stations around here would switch to a winter blend but to be honest I have never checked.

With a 10 gallon tank I am filling up quite often so I doubt I have anything in the tank now that isn't a winter blend. I understand I shouldn't just dump a bunch of additives in there since it may cause more problems if I do indeed have winter diesel in there.

I will say though that the gas station I sometimes fill up at is a bit.... crappy... but a lot of farmers use it so I would imagine while a lot of their other stuff is awful their diesel is probably pretty good!

check your leak off pipes as well

limeypete33 said:

Is there a guide knocking about anywhere with people going electric? I was just wondering about whether people bypassed the pumps.

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I dont think so I just bought an elec pump Facet posi flow (think it was a copy one for 10 quid) off of ebay, the pump is mounted on top of the chassis rail right next to the fuel tank, made a blanking plate out of a piece of alloy for the engine block, cant even remember where I took the power for the pump from, ign switch I would guess?
It was all simple diy stuff all done on my driveway at home.

Think it was 2012 I did it and it was my main car at the time so did plenty of miles and for the next 3 years until it became my standby car.

So - funny story I actually did basically the same thing but to my ride on lawnmower a few years back and swapped out the mechanical fuel pump for a electric one...

Anyway I finally got around to checking on the landy. I drained the filter and took a pic of the fuel that came out, this is everything - not sure if that amount signifies that the lifter pump is shot. Regardless it looks free of contaminants/water etc.

I also checked the spill rails, and they are nice and tight.

So my next question is, what should I do next? I have a new filter, so I could swap that out and see what happens - let me know what you guys suggest.

Thanks!

limeypete33 said:

So - funny story I actually did basically the same thing but to my ride on lawnmower a few years back and swapped out the mechanical fuel pump for a electric one...

Anyway I finally got around to checking on the landy. I drained the filter and took a pic of the fuel that came out, this is everything - not sure if that amount signifies that the lifter pump is shot. Regardless it looks free of contaminants/water etc.

I also checked the spill rails, and they are nice and tight.

So my next question is, what should I do next? I have a new filter, so I could swap that out and see what happens - let me know what you guys suggest.

Thanks!

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Fuel looks mint, doubt filter is the issue, but if you have one change it anyway.
Then you are going to have to go through your fuel system starting with the sender unit right up to the injector pump.

lynall said:

Fuel looks mint, doubt filter is the issue, but if you have one change it anyway.
Then you are going to have to go through your fuel system starting with the sender unit right up to the injector pump.

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Ok I will change out the filter.

Prepare for a dumb question - it's just a pickup in the tank, line goes through filter, then to lifter pump and then to the injector pumps? If so is there a process for checking each part of that system other than just banging on the new filter and seeing if I break down again? Lol