Irratic engine problems...please help!

We have had this problem creeping around for a while. Firstly it started stuttering on idle a little but if you revved it hard it would be fine for a while.

It got worst so I decided to clean the maf sensor with some electric contact cleaner/change fuel filter and do a service (oil, oil filter, air filter, crankcase breather and turbo filter) I thought this had solved the problem because it seemed to be better for a few weeks.

However, we drove on a 170 mile trip and cruising at 70mph it took power away for a second or 2 then gave it back and the engine management light flashed for a few seconds. Whenever we got to a roundabout and put the clutch in it would stall so I had to come to a halt whilst applying a little gas to stop the revs from dropping too low.

Yesterday I unplugged the maf and run it for a while and it seemed better until I pulled onto the drive and it started stuttering again so I decided it couldn't be that.

I then decided the next best option was to perform a injector leak test. I did this and all injectors leaked at the same rate and the same amount of diesel was leaked so it can't be that.

The only other option was the fuel pump. This morning I put a brand new fuel pump on and it seemed fine until iv drove back from work and its started stuttering and engine management light comes on again. I'm becoming a little frustrated at this now...

What else could it be? Here's a link to the engine running.

freelander irratic engine - YouTube

Please help!

P.s iv had my friends live vag code reader on it and there are no saved readings or fault codes and the live data seemed fine. Maf sensor was running around 98-110 depending on how much has I applied.

Here's a few videos of the fuel pump working as I think it may be starved of diesel? It doesn't sound right. It takes a good minute to prime and when running it sounds like its running really hard.

Fuel pump priming - YouTube
Struggling to start - YouTube
Fuel pump running - YouTube

Have you checked the egr valve if this is playing up can give rough tick over also can throw up the engine light. better still blank it off clean out the inlet manifold.
did mine runs a lot better for it.

Egr is already blanked. I had to bite he bullet and take it to a land rover garage. It's the fuel rail looming. It's been re-wired. Much better now

glad you got it sorted and for letting us know thanks:cheer2::5bhurray:

Glad to see that I am not the only one with this problem. Td4 of 2003
Driving on the high way this afternoon the enigine management light pops up
for some seconds and goes off again. I feel no strange behaviour of the enigine
Accellerating from 100 to 140km and stay there for some minutes is no problem.
Now at home I hear the same irratic engine sound from youtube above.
Engine running irregular.
Some weeks ago I had cleaned the connector on the common rail and the management light was off all the time, till today.
It was mentioned above : re-wiring of the common rail and problem solved.
What did you do ?

Haha I found the problem.
Today on the way to the supermarket the engine was running badly.
The engine management lamp was on almost continously.
There was almost no accelleration. Finally at reached 40.
Back at home with, wet hands, I put on my diagnostic tool:
Load pct was 48%. This should be 23% while running normal and good.
I took off the 4 connectors of the injectors. Sprayed contact cleaner into
the connector plug and injector connector. Moved the 4 connectors in an out for 5 4-5 times. After that I started the engine and .. Taadaa running smoothly.
Load pct was 23% and stable. Pfeeuw this saves a lot of money.

I took off the 4 connectors of the injectors. Sprayed contact cleaner into
the connector plug and injector connector. Moved the 4 connectors in an out for 5 4-5 times. After that I stared the engine and .. Taadaa running smoothly.

Click to expand...

suggestion : use this stuff on the connectors ..

Contralube | Contralube 770

it will keep the connections in good condition

" does not cause circuit impedance or affect data signal quality
Water and salt water resistant (weatherproofing from rain & spray).
Prevents oxidation – Extends life of contacts/connectors.
Halts vibration (fretting) corrosion – ideal preventative maintenance solution.
Prohibits contact wear – reduces costs.
Dielectric product – cannot introduce faults if mis-applied (breakdown voltage is 10kV)."