No guts towing

Hi all,I've just joined the forum and said my hellos,thanks for the welcome,I've just bought my first land rover (1988 110 19j truck cab) and have towed a small caravan to the centre of France,at the first sight of a slight hill on the motorway it completely wimps out,if I feather the accelerator gently on I get more power than if I put foot flat to the floor (got very hot doing that too)
It's not to bad in 1st,2nd and third and on the flat I can get 60mph ish but the slightest uphill run and it just gives up.
Both turbo hoses look newish and in good nick and I fitted a different boost diaphragm before I left as mine had split and was pressurising tank,but I didn't check the pin adjustment on the donor diaphragm to see if it was the same as the knackered one I'd taken out,could this be the problem?
Many thanks for any advice,Andy

well it is a 19j……….could just be because they suck

Haha yeah,good observation (on a 19j forum) but got a feeling this one sucks more than it should

give it a good service ?

I'll get it booked in for a service as soon as I'm back,don't fancy my chances of getting parts in rural France! It just seems like its under fuelling but I can't find any info on adjusting the CAV pumps?

I was thinking new oil and filters

Dr_evil said:

I was thinking new oil and filters

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Have managed to order filters and get them delivered to france so will give it a basic service and hope it picks up a bit!

Andythesweep said:

Hi all,I've just joined the forum and said my hellos,thanks for the welcome,I've just bought my first land rover (1988 110 19j truck cab) and have towed a small caravan to the centre of France,at the first sight of a slight hill on the motorway it completely wimps out,if I feather the accelerator gently on I get more power than if I put foot flat to the floor (got very hot doing that too)
It's not to bad in 1st,2nd and third and on the flat I can get 60mph ish but the slightest uphill run and it just gives up.
Both turbo hoses look newish and in good nick and I fitted a different boost diaphragm before I left as mine had split and was pressurising tank,but I didn't check the pin adjustment on the donor diaphragm to see if it was the same as the knackered one I'd taken out,could this be the problem?
Many thanks for any advice,Andy

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Sounds a little flat, but don't expect too much, they only make 85 horse if everything is perfect. How much does the caravan weigh all up, and how much weight is in the tow vehicle?
I can get over 70 with an empty stock box, about 900 kg, but loaded wit cattle, bringing the trailer weight up to 2500 kg, and with the 90 loaded as well I would not get over 60 ish. It is not legal to tow over 60 anyway.
These engines need to be revved more than you think, if the turbo isn't spooled up it will be very flat, I very rarely use fifth when towing.
As evil says, a good service, oil, filters, tappets, might be an idea! Try and get the boost linkage adjustment right, but its not going to make a massive difference.

the 19J is a gutless engine, even more so if you're towing. plus all 19Js are getting on in miles, so are tired at best.
A good service, oil, air and oil filters, and thats about as much as you can do.

timtheenchanteruk said:

the 19J is a gutless engine, even more so if you're towing. plus all 19Js are getting on in miles, so are tired at best.
A good service, oil, air and oil filters, and thats about as much as you can do.

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Speak for yourself, aint nuttin under my bonnet done more than 20k miles
OP, tapppets are important too, if your valves don't open it will affect performance!

Turboman said:

Sounds a little flat, but don't expect too much, they only make 85 horse if everything is perfect. How much does the caravan weigh all up, and how much weight is in the tow vehicle?
I can get over 70 with an empty stock box, about 900 kg, but loaded wit cattle, bringing the trailer weight up to 2500 kg, and with the 90 loaded as well I would not get over 60 ish. It is not legal to tow over 60 anyway.
These engines need to be revved more than you think, if the turbo isn't spooled up it will be very flat, I very rarely use fifth when towing.
As evil says, a good service, oil, filters, tappets, might be an idea! Try and get the boost linkage adjustment right, but its not going to make a massive difference.

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I should think that I'm pulling about 1000kg of caravan with about 500kg in the back of the truck,was really disappointed when I came to my first slope! How do I get the boost linkage right? I was wondering about keeping it in fourth towing on the motorway but being new to land rovers I wasn't sure how much of a thrashing it would take!
Would I hear if the tappets needed adjusting? Engine sounds quite sweet,it's only just clocked 60k and doesn't seem to breath excessively heavy,bit of oil out the dip stick hole when warmed up but I've read this is normal?
Thanks for suggestions

I've just notice something else,the turbo waste gate actuator is barely moving,it moves about 5mm when revved hard,should it be more than this? Thanks

Standing still you'll find it hard to produce the sort of pressure that will open it.

I'd never expect oil to be ejected from the dipstick hole on any engine sounds like you have a lot of crankcase pressure there - does it still do it if you leave the breather disconnected?

Even if the tappets don't need adjusting that's no guarantee of valve condition.

Sounds like a cylinder pressure test of some sort wouldn't hurt.

To be honest I've done tons to my TD5 (I know it's not the same) and it is more than disappointing as a tow horse - once you get out of the power band you are effectively screwed, if you can't get into the power band with a gear change you're in trouble, and if you can't get power in 1st without burning out the damn clutch you need low box - and I've been in that position - it's embarrasing.

I think Landrover were listening too much to the Chelsea motoring press and turned LR's into 'cars' for motorway cruising not working.

Andythesweep said:

I should think that I'm pulling about 1000kg of caravan with about 500kg in the back of the truck,was really disappointed when I came to my first slope! How do I get the boost linkage right? I was wondering about keeping it in fourth towing on the motorway but being new to land rovers I wasn't sure how much of a thrashing it would take!
Would I hear if the tappets needed adjusting? Engine sounds quite sweet,it's only just clocked 60k and doesn't seem to breath excessively heavy,bit of oil out the dip stick hole when warmed up but I've read this is normal?
Thanks for suggestions

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Agree with Ben broadly, although Td5 is very different. Crankcase pressure will not be a prob if your breathers are not in the inlet tract. Get it serviced, best oil and coolant, make sure rad is clear and fans work. Set tappets! If all that is done don't be afraid to boot it, you have to keep the turbo spooled up or you have no power. Old LR engines were designed to be worked.
Which linkage? Wastegate actuator or Boost diaphragm. Try a search on the forum, you will find suggestions.

Thanks chaps,just waiting for the filters to be delivered but that could take a while,just hope they get here before I head back to england,in the mean time I'll flush trough cooling system and reset tappets.
The turbo sounds like its working when not connected to the air box?
And the adjustment I was wondering about was on the waste gate actuator,the threaded rod is set about half way at the moment

Andythesweep said:

Thanks chaps,just waiting for the filters to be delivered but that could take a while,just hope they get here before I head back to england,in the mean time I'll flush trough cooling system and reset tappets.
The turbo sounds like its working when not connected to the air box?
And the adjustment I was wondering about was on the waste gate actuator,the threaded rod is set about half way at the moment

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Fuel and air filters, oil and tappets are your best way to go. I wouldn't suggest playing with the linkage, if you really think there is an issue with your turbo get a boost gauge put on it when you get home. I dont think you can expect miracles, these aren't a very powerful engine and towing is hard going even for modern vehicles. It is steep around here, but there aren't many hills on the open road that I cant get over at 45 if I get a run on it. As stated previously, even much later vehicles will struggle if they are stopped or slowed right down on a steep upslope!

Adjusted the tappets today and it no longer sounds like a tractor! Coolant done too,just waiting on the oil,air and fuel filters