Non starting Freelander

Hi

I bought a 1999 2.0 litre diesel freelander. It has been standing for 3 years, I serviced the vehicle completely, new oil, oil filter, new diesel filter, flushed the cooling system and bled it according to the RAVE manual. I removed the 3 year old diesel and filled it with fresh 10ppm diesel.

I got it running for 30 minutes, lots of smoke and irregular idling. I replaced all the injectors and replaced the diesel high pressure pump and the belt that drives the pump, timed it up according to the RAVE manual and replaced all the glow plugs. Bled out the whole system. I have ordered a fix set for the starter and awaiting this as the starter started to just click and not turn the engine over. The wire leading from the battery to the starter also heats up quite a lot.

So here is my problem. When i try and start the vehicle it cranks and then starts after 10 seconds just to stop again, there is white smoke coming from the engine breather pipe. Does this mean there is no compression in the engine.

Any help appreciated.

Michael

It is probably not as simple as this - but when it cuts out - do the electric windows cut out as well? I presume its an L Series XEDI or XDI and you will have electric front windows even if not back.

If the windows do not operate the ignition has been turned off and I would question the ignition switch - they are prone to failure and simply turn off the car - usually more erratically.

Hi and thank you for your response, yes all windows work there is no electrical problem.

You mention a breather pipe, where is this? I believe there's a breather from the rocker cover that vents into the induction system not atmosphere - have you disconnected it?

Yes that is the one. I have disconnected it from the inlet.

Why replace the injectors and pump? You could well have put a pump on that is faulty. The injectors and pump are generally very reliable. Timing is crucial for good running of this engine.

the old injectors were bad and the original fuel pump was not supplying fuel to tje engine and I have checked the stop solenoid on both pumps. Timing is spot on as per the hayens and rave manual.

i double checked that.

You say the original pump was not supplying fuel to the engine, but you have only had the engine running with the old pump - irregular idle could be the crank position sensor or the lift sensor on injector 1. I don't think any of the "sensors" (Crank, MAP, air temp, ECT, fuel temp, MAF or lift) failing on an L Series is enough to stop it running - I think they all have fall-back default settings that will enable it to run with reduced output. The main thing to stop it running is timing - however, poor timing usually will not let it start, not stop it after it starts.

For it to start and then stop almost immediately sounds like it is being immobilised. Have you changed the ECU?

michael_v said:

the old injectors were bad and the original fuel pump was not supplying fuel to tje engine and I have checked the stop solenoid on both pumps. Timing is spot on as per the hayens and rave manual.

i double checked that.

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But why change the pump and injectors when it ran for 30 minutes on them?
The smoke was probably just a timing error or dead fuel in the pump.
An Italian tune up would help there.
GG
I don't believe the L series will run if the lift sensor in No1 injector is damaged or unplugged. Possibly the same with the crank sensor.
Otherwise there's not much that stops it running.
I definitely wouldn't go changing things willy-nilly. It's very easy to put a faulty component on, in place of a working component.

Nodge68 said:

I don't believe the L series will run if the lift sensor in No1 injector is damaged or unplugged. Possibly the same with the crank sensor.

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According to Rave both have fallback/default settings to allow the engine to run in limp mode - however the CKP's fallback is the lift sensor - so if both went then it would presumably not run.

All the injectors are brand new and the pump is new as well, I ran it on 3 year old diesel before it just died, decided to take them out and clean them when I found that the wiring on number one was not good and the number 3 injector was seized in the head and took some effort to remove. I checked the crank sensor and cleaned it out as it was full of old oil and muck. The starter packed up on me and I ordered the kit that replaces the plunger and the copper contacts as this has gone as well. as soon as I have these in place I will try again to start the engine.

Is there a way to test the crank sensor, I know that is magnetic by the looks of this one after the cleaning it looked newish.

I will take it to a shop that will be able to read the ECU as soon as I get a gap.

Michael

In the Technical section of the Freelander forum there is a thread on where to get the Rave documentation. This is a workshop manual produced by LR and describes all the components. Its a really useful document

For example, in the "ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - EDC" section it describes....

The flywheel has four poles positioned equally around the crankshaft circumference at 90 degree intervals. When the flywheel rotates and a pole passes the CKP sensor, it disturbs the magnetic field inducing a voltage pulse in the coil. This pulse is transmitted to the ECM.

I do have the rave manual for the freelander. Thanks for the information regarding CKP's working. Can you advise on a system that will be able to read the faults of the ECM that can be bought for home use?

I think the Hawkeye works for code reading the L series. It sounds like a timing problem to me. This could explain the white vapour out of the breather. If everything is new, I can't see why it shouldn't run. The L series is a simple and conventional diesel engine that is capable of running for stellar distances without problems.

Thanks. I will check this again. the belt is brand new as I replaced it following the instructions. I am awaiting the delivery of the starter parts from the UK as this might take some time due to the SA post system taking its time to release imported stuff.

Just out of interest, when I test to see if there is diesel being delivered to the injectors, I see that injectors 1 and 4 and 2 and 3 gets diesel together, is this correct?

michael_v said:

Just out of interest, when I test to see if there is diesel being delivered to the injectors, I see that injectors 1 and 4 and 2 and 3 gets diesel together, is this correct?

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How did you perform the test?

michael_v said:

I do have the rave manual for the freelander. Thanks for the information regarding CKP's working. Can you advise on a system that will be able to read the faults of the ECM that can be bought for home use?

Click to expand...

With Freelander (especially early ones), you need a Freelander specific diag tool - they are not generic ODBII.

The Hawkeye and Lynx code readers are the best diag tools for Freelander. They cover all engines and all the ECUs. They also do more than just reading data and clearing codes - such as programming keys, activating ABS pump channels to bleed brakes etc. They come with a hefty price tag though.

The iCarsoft i930 comes in at 1/3 the price but will just read data and clear codes. There are also some things it struggles with - for example it was reported that it doesn't work with the Teves Mk20 ABS used for a couple of years (after our L Series though) and, if you go for it, double check that it does support the L Series. There is also the pscan.eu - but I know this doesn't work with the L Series unless its changed recently.

If you're happy reading data and clearing codes for just the engine (ie no ABS or SRS) and you don't mind a PCB with a collection of wires & resistors rather than a commercially finished device, then you could look at https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-ro...motor-20t2n-build-between-1997-–-2003.310796/

michael_v said:

Thanks. I will check this again. the belt is brand new as I replaced it following the instructions. I am awaiting the delivery of the starter parts from the UK as this might take some time due to the SA post system taking its time to release imported stuff.

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Are you sure you got the correct belt for the engine? There are 2 versions in Freelander, IIRC 112 and a 114 toothed belts depending on when the engine was made.

It is virtually unheard of to install a brand new pump these days - they must be colossally expensive. When you got the pump was it locked in position properly and did you lock the flywheel properly when changing over? I forget the exact requirements for changing the pump - but I believe both pump and engine need locking pins installed at the correct timing for things to work properly once the belt is timed up.

I agree with Nodge that problems with the L Series are usually due to timing. Even when people are convinced the timing is set correctly, it often still turns out to be the timing that is wrong. Usually though the problem is with starting the engine - either it won't start or takes ages to start. If it does start it can then adjust the timing (within a small window) given the sensor signals to keep the engine running. So although everything screams 'timing' is the problem here, I'm not fully convinced.

Have you changed the engine's ECU or CCU on the car? This could give the symptoms you describe.

TBH if I was in your situation, and I'm no great mechanic, but I'd be inclined to put the old pump back on and see what happens.

From memory the L series pump shaft needs locking in the timing position with the bolt in the side of the pump. This is done by removing is the spacer and screwing the bolt into the body, to a set torque. This must be done before the drive pulley nut is removed. The new pump should have been locked in the correct position to allow it to be timed correctly with the pin. The locking bolt is then fitted with the previously removed spacer for normal running.
It's some years since I've had the pump off an L series, so my memory is all foggy on the subject.