Disco1 300tdi probs

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CoachPete

New Member
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1
Location
Southamptonish
Hi there, Complete newbie to forums and stuff and looking for help!

I've just bought a 1997 Disco 1 ES with 135,000 on the clock. For the first 170 miles it was running fine, just spotting one or two little jobs to tackle.

Then a rattle started at tickover about three minutes after starting from cold, as the rattle went away as soon as revs went over 1000rpm I thought it was probably the exhaust starting to rattle so off we set. After about 15 miles of normal driving and performance the power dropped off a bit, kickdown became less responsive, and the yellow "check engine light" started to come on then go out, sometimes as power was taken off, sometimes as power was in kickdown.

Next thing the engine died going up a hill and it was game over! Once pulled over bonnet open to find a small spurt of coolant from the Thermostat plug and a leak of coolant from lower down on the front of engine, as yet untraced. After getting recovered by the yellow team and having a look round on the drive I've established that the engine pulls over by hand smooth enough, the starter motor churns away and sounds like it's turning something but the engine ain't a turning, and the thermostat plug is life expired. Still coolant in header tank and radiator though. Temperature gauge never went over normal!

Hoping you sages out there have some ideas 'cos I'm stumped on anything newer than a 2.25 diesel!

Pete
 
Hi there, Complete newbie to forums and stuff and looking for help!

I've just bought a 1997 Disco 1 ES with 135,000 on the clock. For the first 170 miles it was running fine, just spotting one or two little jobs to tackle.

Then a rattle started at tickover about three minutes after starting from cold, as the rattle went away as soon as revs went over 1000rpm I thought it was probably the exhaust starting to rattle so off we set. After about 15 miles of normal driving and performance the power dropped off a bit, kickdown became less responsive, and the yellow "check engine light" started to come on then go out, sometimes as power was taken off, sometimes as power was in kickdown.

Next thing the engine died going up a hill and it was game over! Once pulled over bonnet open to find a small spurt of coolant from the Thermostat plug and a leak of coolant from lower down on the front of engine, as yet untraced. After getting recovered by the yellow team and having a look round on the drive I've established that the engine pulls over by hand smooth enough, the starter motor churns away and sounds like it's turning something but the engine ain't a turning, and the thermostat plug is life expired. Still coolant in header tank and radiator though. Temperature gauge never went over normal!

Hoping you sages out there have some ideas 'cos I'm stumped on anything newer than a 2.25 diesel!

Pete

Welcome to LZ, Pete! :)

Thinking that might be the in rad oil cooler gone.

You might need diagnostics for the engine light etc.

Maybe cog come loose on the starter?

I dont have a 300 Tdi, and never have, someone else may know more. Will give it a bit more thought.
 
Is the coolant leak coming from the rear of the water pump housing area as this might be a goosed p gasket

DSC_0516.JPG
 
rattle could be anything. if its only when stone cold, possibly not of real concern.

diminished power could be as simple as filter and sedimenter (do them both, but undo the sedimenter from the top, rather than the bottom, which is more fragile)

basically find the coolant leak, do a basic service, and go from there. dont leave it long before doing the cam belt if you dont have proof of it being done recently.
 
ps.

p gasket isnt too hard for diy.
cam belt is simple enough, but you kind of need to spend a few quid on tools to make it easier
filter and sedimenter are easy, as is air filter - as in very easy.

lift pumps die on them all the time, but do the other bits first. lift pump olives can be irritating to stop air ingress.
 
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