High pressure fuel pump nut

Hi, I'm in the process of removing the High pressure fuel pump from my Freelander 1. Close to the stage where I will be using the special tool to release the pump. When I am trying to loosen off the 21mm nut that's inside the blanking cover, the engine wants to turn. Is this because I haven't taken out the starter motor and locked the flywheel in place? ( I have not removed the starter as instead i removed the fuel regulator and connector which I thought would give me enough room to release the pump without having to tackle the starter removal) so my question is do I need to lock the engine in order to release this nut before putting the special tool in? (It would seem like hard work to loosen off that nut when it wants to turn the engine at the same time.) But I have read other posts where people do it without locking the engine first?
also does it make any diffrence it being an automatic model?
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

You need to apply an impact force to crack the nut. If you just apply force to release the nut, then often the engine will turn over as there no compression to help prevent the engine rotating.

Otherwise the only option is to remove the starter so you can lock the flex plate against the block to prevent the engine from turning.

Many thanks Nodge, I will give it a try with a bit of force this morning, if no luck I will remove the starter and lock. I guess it will be best to try lock it as I imagine it will want to turn the engine when coming to do that nut back up again. Just wondered how people were managing to do it without really.

Definitely best to pop the starter out. Much easier that way.

Hi, got the starter motor out this afternoon.locked the flywheel with a bolt. (Had to turn the engine a little to line hole up for bolt, hope it was ok to do so?
Loosened off the pump nut to use the special release tool. But my problem now is I cant lock the second part of the release tool into the thread on the engine. It just will not lock into place to allow me to wind the final bolt in to release the pump. Am I missing something or have I just got a tool with the wrong size thread on it? Says it was for freelander td4 m47 2.0 engine. Can anyone recommend a link for tool that works?
Thanks in advance.
Lee

Did you follow this procedure ?

pwood999 said:

Did you follow this procedure ?

View attachment 303679

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Yes, I did step 7 & 8, but at step 9 - I cannot get the outer thread of '12-178' to tighten, just keeps spinning, not even winding in at all. Very odd? I'm thinking possibly the thread on that tool I have is machined incorrect.

Not a reverse thread is it ?? Can't remember but possible to allow removal.

andyfreelandy said:

Not a reverse thread is it ?? Can't remember but possible to allow removal.

Click to expand...

Could be. Worth a try, I will give it a go in the morning. Thanks

In my experience the tool is more accurately machined than the location points in the block. I found that if the outer tool section is screwed fully home, then the inner section is all but impossible to screw in, assuming the pressure pin is withdrawn. The way around this is to screw the outer section in until it stops, then back it out 1 turn. This then allows a bit of adjustment in the threads, so the 12-178 part can be screwed in, it helps to give it an bit of a wiggle to get the threads started. Once that part is screwed in, the inner pressure pin is screwed in to force the pump taper off the sprocket, once the 3 mounting bolts are released of course.

Nodge68 said:

In my experience the tool is more accurately machined than the location points in the block. I found that if the outer tool section is screwed fully home, then the inner section is all but impossible to screw in, assuming the pressure pin is withdrawn. The way around this is to screw the outer section in until it stops, then back it out 1 turn. This then allows a bit of adjustment in the threads, so the 12-178 part can be screwed in, it helps to give it an bit of a wiggle to get the threads started. Once that part is screwed in, the inner pressure pin is screwed in to force the pump taper off the sprocket, once the 3 mounting bolts are released of course.

Click to expand...

Thanks Nodge, I will give it a go tomorrow. as you say it must just be a case of a little adjusting and wriggling to get it to sit right.

Nodge68 said:

In my experience the tool is more accurately machined than the location points in the block. I found that if the outer tool section is screwed fully home, then the inner section is all but impossible to screw in, assuming the pressure pin is withdrawn. The way around this is to screw the outer section in until it stops, then back it out 1 turn. This then allows a bit of adjustment in the threads, so the 12-178 part can be screwed in, it helps to give it an bit of a wiggle to get the threads started. Once that part is screwed in, the inner pressure pin is screwed in to force the pump taper off the sprocket, once the 3 mounting bolts are released of course.

Click to expand...

Great advice thanks Nodge!
Went in perfectly fine with the half turn out of the outer alignment tool. I now have the pump out and indoors ready for the most important job of all - replacing the seals.

lezley1986 said:

Great advice thanks Nodge!
Went in perfectly fine with the half turn out of the outer alignment tool. I now have the pump out and indoors ready for the most important job of all - replacing the seals.

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Glad it worked. I've had the same issue myself on every one I've done. It's not the tool, as they're CNC machined. It's basically down to the machining on the engine chain cover being slightly off. Loosening the tool in the end cover gives just enough slack for it to fit.