lack of power

well here goes with my saga
I haven't posted for a long time as I sort of gave up on my series one and bought a td5 but sold it a few months ago and started on the saga again but yet again totaly stuck
Help needed please
A quick recap 300tdi auto with a edc pump ,it started with poor starting problems which eventualy came down to damaged wiring at the back of the head, but before that was found I changed the injection pump ,lift pump, second hand injectors which I had checked before fitting ,fuel filter changed the fuel lines were changed I checked the sedimenter that was ok any way the starting problem was resolved but then it lost all power and would not pull the skin off a rice pudding so I thought the second hand injection pump may be faulty so I put another one on and it was just the same ,i check the timing over and over again but its spot on and starting fine and would rev great standing still but trying to drive it was almost impossible as it would just not pull even out of a small rut outside of my garage.
I finely decided it had to go to the professionals at team valley landrover ,they had it 4 days but said they were unable to trace the problem so I brought it home and thought I would try a second hand ecu which I bought and took the car to les potts landrover for them to have a look at and try the ecu on ,they fitted the ecu and reprogramed it but still no difference and they had no idea what was wrong either
The car has stood for over 18 months but I deceided to have another go with it .
I was thinking it may be an auto gearbox fault as it would start and rev fine with no load on it but when it came to driving it would just not pull so I got a second hand auto box and finished fitting it last week ,still no better.
Final thing I,ve just fitted a brand new turbo as the one on had lots of play ,tried driving it round the street and its still poor although once it gets to higher revs it pulls better as the new turbo spins up but in high box it will not pull out of a small rut in front of my garage ,it will however pull out in low box
If any one has read this far thanks and any ideas please
did the head gasket as well and compression tested fine
3 fuel filter ,2 injection pumps ,lift pump,injectors checked,timing checked (lots of times) replaced autobox,new turbo,checked and cleaned fuel lines ,sedimentor checked ,ecu changed and reprogramed,all wiring checked to ecu and pump ,team valley landrover and les potts unable to sort
Help please i have very little hair left but i am not giving up (well I don't want too )
I might have forgot something as its been so long

Could it be binding brakes, as I used have that with an old sierra and was nearly impossible to drive and would explain the engine being tip top but unable to pull.

thanks thought it could be but they all turn freely when jacked up and it will roll on a slight incline

Not much left to change there! Just a thought but everything you've checked/changed has been on the inlet side of things, have you tried changing the exhaust? A blocked cat or silencer would cause lack of power as too would a leak from the exhaust manifold.

Sorry I'm a Rangie driver so this is just logical/mechanical thinking not expertise on a 300

It sounds like you've got 'drive' but it's not getting to the wheels. Could it be an issue with the transfer box or a diff. If your wheels are turning freely then I'd doubt a diff but, in desperation I might try the transfer box.

OOOOh! likes the exhaust idea

thanks guys I de-cated it and fitted a single box system , also I thought may be a transmission fault so changed the autobox complete with transfer box
It starts and runs fine sitting still it just seems when it goes into drive or any of the gears it won't pull the skin off a rice pudding and when its stuck in the rut outside the garage it won't pull out or rev

any one in the durham area fancy having a look ? cash avalible (not much left )

Was your first 300 a manual by any chance? It might be that you're just not used to how much slower the autos are?

I had a similar problem with a Japanese import Pajero. Turned out to be an electronic valve in the gearbox.

I know you have changed the box but I would be thinking along the lines of the message from the engine management system not getting to the gearbox. Maybe a problem with the torque converter?

Not a td5 expert so don't know if this is a feasibility. Maybe the wiring from the engine management unit needs to be screened? I work in the electronic fire & security and we get some really weird faults if cables are not screened properly. Also a proper drain earth is required.

You may want to point the landy at a good auto electrician.

Good luck and keep with it. You spent enough time and money on it you've got to get it right in the end!

Oh and also check there is not any stray voltages on the outside of the gearbox. Gearbox to chassis earth's are also worth looking at.

thanks for the replys
I removed and cleaned all the earths when I had the original cold start problems
The autobox does not have any electronic sensors the only thing on it is a neutral start inhibit switch which is also a reverse light switch and a diff lock switch
A long time ago I checked all the sensors and wiring to and from the ecu with a multimeter and the voltages and ohms values were as spec

this was my first 300tdi and when I first got it it went like a train but was very poor to start ,thats were the problems started ,fixing the poor starting then it all went to pot and I thought something else broke ,something else definetly broke as it's no were near what it should be

So to fix the poor starting was that when you had to fix the wiring?

MAF sensor?

seem to remember a long time ago checking the voltages in and out of the air flow metre and they were as spec ,but I might still try and get a second hand one to try on its about the only thing i've not changed

Shoot me if i'm thick but the auto's have a parking brake, could it be that it's not releasing properly?

olliedog12000 said:

Shoot me if i'm thick but the auto's have a parking brake, could it be that it's not releasing properly?

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its a castellated wheel with a steel pawl ,it either releases or breaks off

jamesmartin said:

its a castellated wheel with a steel pawl ,it either releases or breaks off

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Is it possible that it has broken off and is inside and done some form of damage?

its in rear housing the only other vunerable thing is govenor which it bolts to ,but it wouldnt give low power symptoms ,any tdi with lack of power its usually wise to fit a clear plastic pipe between filter and front banjo on pump to check fuel at low and high revs .check rear injection pump banjo has pin hole and not larger one ,sender unit ,sedimenter and lift pump