Defender TD5 Kangarooing / Acceleration problems

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David 110

David 110

Member
Posts
34
Location
Sherston, Wilts/Glous Border
Hi, Gents,

I’m having a small problem with my newly acquired defender TD5.

When starting from cold and in low gears 1st-3rd - I can get some quite violent kangarooing. The power (gas/diesel) just seems to cut out and back in as I accelerate.

It can also happen much less violently - with the power just seeming to cut out briefly every now and again.

Generally, when it's warmed up - or cruising at 50mph it's not a problem.

The two times it has happened violently the EML has come on and I have had to pull over and restart - at which point the light goes.

I only had the car a few days before I did an EGR blank - It has happened since the EGR blank - But I am well aware that may be red herring as I didn’t have much use of it before so the problem was probably already there.

Some ideas on where I should start troubleshooting would be really great. Sadly I don’t have a diagnostic tool to plug in and read the code.

Thanks all.
 
I had EXACTLY this when I bought mine. Did lots of stuff looking at the sensors and for oil in the wiring loom but what it turned out to be was …….. the fuel filter needed changing! Really cheap to do and whilst you are about it, it is a good time to put a dose of engine cleaner through. Sweet as a nut ever since.
 
If EML light is on, it's very likely the Crankshaft Position Sensor as if it acts up, the light will go on. If it goes completely the engine won't start. Easy to replace, but buy a Lucas or genuine one as the cheap ones might break soon again. Also had the light come on on mine and it ran really bad and replacing it fixed it.
Otherwise, try to unplug the MAF sensor and see if it runs better. Mine had a similar behaviour, and unplugging the MAF made it run great so I replaced it and haven't had any problems since. Worth a try!

/L
 
Jimsky Korsokov said:
I had EXACTLY this when I bought mine. Did lots of stuff looking at the sensors and for oil in the wiring loom but what it turned out to be was …….. the fuel filter needed changing! Really cheap to do and whilst you are about it, it is a good time to put a dose of engine cleaner through. Sweet as a nut ever since.
Click to expand...

Thanks - have a new fuel filter so will give it a shot!
 
lekfr97 said:
If EML light is on, it's very likely the Crankshaft Position Sensor as if it acts up, the light will go on. If it goes completely the engine won't start. Easy to replace, but buy a Lucas or genuine one as the cheap ones might break soon again. Also had the light come on on mine and it ran really bad and replacing it fixed it.
Otherwise, try to unplug the MAF sensor and see if it runs better. Mine had a similar behaviour, and unplugging the MAF made it run great so I replaced it and haven't had any problems since. Worth a try!

/L
Click to expand...

Thanks - will give that a go as well! Cheers
 
Quick update - shame to leave a thread with no conclusion - not that we're quite there yet.
Got the diagnostics read - courtesy of the AA after it ran like a dog and came to a blistering halt.
A few readouts that made no sense like air con. And then two that did MAF - which I had unplugged following your advice anyway. And a problem with the Accelerator pedal - which I had suspected as it felt very sensitive.

So next step seems to be replacing that - pretty pricey new - £180 odd. Any thoughts on second hand appreciated.

I did also do the fuel filter and that didn't cure it - so hopefully a swap of the pedal and back on the road - fingers crossed anyway.
 
David 110 said:
Interesting - would it show up as a fault code or slip under the radar? Is it in easy fix? Cheers
Click to expand...
Not an expensive part so worth changing, I’ve never seen it show on diagnostic, it is bolted onto engine bay bulkhead so easy to swap.
 
David 110 said:
Interesting - would it show up as a fault code or slip under the radar? Is it in easy fix? Cheers
Click to expand...

You can aslo run without issue without it plugged in. Many tuners disconect it when doing higher level perfomance. So unlikely the cause.

You should be able to read the throttle pot inputs with a Nanocom adjusting up and down from 5v. If one track shows blank or incorrect figures could show a dead throttle pot.

The MAP sensor (on the inlet manifold - remove and clean with contact cleaner) can occasionally cause such issues but more often its the MAF - How did it run with the MAF unplugged?

Also have you changed the injector harness and checked for oil in the ECU red plug?

Has the turbo wastegate been adjusted? Could be reading overboost and dropping into limp mode.
 
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