Slow 300tdi lift pump?

Hi

Just bought myself a 1995 Disco 300tdi as an off road project, just started 'tinkering' and gave it its first good run out yesterday and found a few problems! The car 'chuggs' and is quite sluggish to the extent you have to watch yourself pulling out of juctions as it just doesn't pick up, when you do get going the power drops off if you change up and the engine begins to labour on the slightest of hills, resulting in you having to constantly work the engine by changing down/up.

I put a new fuel filter on today which made no difference however after I fitted the new filter I pumped the lever on the fuel lift pump but no fuel appeared at the bleed screw? The lever itself felt very loose with no resistance. I removed the filter and pumped the lever again but nothing came out. In the end I just filled the filter with diesel fitted it and started the engine which worked no problem. Would this suggest the lift pump is knackered and maybe causing the issues?

Only other thing I can think of is the car has two batteries and the previous owner has done a DIY job on the airbox

Pictures by twice_nightly1 - Photobucket

Would this cause enough restriction in airflow do you think to effect the running?

Flick the engine over and try the pump lever again, it may just have been resting on the cam. I think a duff pump can cause the symptoms but that air box does look dodgy to me.

I had the same problem with my disco - it just had no get up and go and didn't like hills at all so i changed the lift pump for a new 1 from ebay and it completely transformed the way the disco drives.

Air box looks fine, so long as the inlet pipe hasnt kinked cus of moving it.

Lift pumps are super cheap and easy to change. Well worth the attempt

get a delphi-well worth the extra few quid

Think my lift pump is cream crackered as it ticks really badly - going to fit one soon and hope it goes away!