Still got issues

300tdi Defender.

I have a vibration as soon as the engine is started, its there when stationary and is noticable (albeit at a higher frequency) when driving too. Some days seem worse than others, and as an example - tonight on my way home from work it was noticeable. I got home, switched it off and went inside for a few mins then came back out and drove it again - it was fine. By the time I got where I was going a mile away it was back.

A bit of background...
The engine came from a Disco which I drove and it was fine. I rebuilt the engine with all new bearings and refitted it with new engine and gearbox mounts into my Defender.
On first fire up after the build, the tickover was noticably high, which seemed odd considdering it was fine before. I adjusted it and noted that the adjuster lock nut was tight, so there was no possibility of it being adjusted by accident.
The vibration was there from first fire up. At first I thought it need bleeding a bit more as thats how it felt. I bled it again with no change.
I checked the timing several times when I fitted the new timing belt kit. I have also checked it again a number of times since. I did take the fuel pump and cam pulleys off during the build to remove the timing case to strip the block right down.
I have run the engine with no fan or crank pulley, with no difference.
I used the Disco flywheel but friction plate and diaphram from my old Defender engine as I knew they were relatively new and worked ok.

I have also changed the injectors and glow plugs for a known good set, new genuine injector washers used, and done a compression test, all reading 460.

I am at a loss now, to the point of thinking about getting rid of it.

Can anyone shed some light before I throw in the towel in frustration?

Did you fit OEM engine mounts? The pattern ones tend to be very hard rubber and not good at absorbing vibration.

I had a set of OEM ones to put on mine but I snapped one as Haynes has the wrong torque values in it so I'm still running on rock hard pattern ones.

Mine are very poor at dampening engine vibration.

The vibration coming and going seems to eliminate the engine mounts. I wonder if the crank woodruff key is worn and causing a timing change - it has been known. Can you give us a more detailed description of the vibration? Any noise change?

The mounts had crossed my mind, but I don't think thats the problem.

It feels like (but not as extreme) as when you crack an injector, but the engine sounds fine with no noticeable knocks etc and runs smoothly.
When sat in it the whole vehicle shakes like it would with a low idle speed and if I listen it sounds somewhat rythmical. The engine doesn't look like its moving, but if you put your hand on it it feels wrong.
I thought it was the fan bearing at first as it feels like an out of balance fan.
Also, tickover is a little higher sometimes.
But why was tickover too high when I put it all back together? Could the fip be knackered?

As a side note which may or may not be related, I've started getting a creaking noise when I press the clutch. I fitted an uprated clutch arm, the release bearing from the old engine and a dab of grease where needed.

Also, when removing the old engine, the clutch pressure plate got caught on thegearbox shaft while lifting. It took a bit of weight before freeing itself and us realising what had happened, but there were no signs of damage, so hopefully thats not the problem.

Did you check both pump and cam timing?

Did you put the pistons back in the correct way around?

Al2O3 said:

Did you put the pistons back in the correct way around?

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@Al203 Tell me more.... I've always wondered why that mattered so much. The bowl is centred in the pistons, isn't it, or is it a case of the pistons being weighted on one side and not the other? Thanks mate.

Pistons are correct.

Cam timing is per manual

Can you post a video of it?

I could with a machete to deal with my brambles but I'm too scared to buy one now.

Col

Theres not really much to see, it looks and sounds normal - just feels bad.

Is there any internal balance parts that I've overlooked?

When was the last time you had the front propshaft off?

It does it at idle

Did you change the clutch plate ?

Wouldn't surprise me if the splines are dry and stiff, putting push/ pull pressure abnormally, thus potentially creating abnormal noise at idle.

Riich said:

It does it at idle

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Theres no noise, its a vibration

I used the clutch from my original engine which was fairly new

ifloochies said:

@Al203 Tell me more.... I've always wondered why that mattered so much. The bowl is centred in the pistons, isn't it, or is it a case of the pistons being weighted on one side and not the other? Thanks mate.

Click to expand...

No, the bowl in the centre is offset towards the injector side of the engine.
I've still got my old ones in the garage. I'll dig one out of the box and post a picture for you.

Riich said:

Also, when removing the old engine, the clutch pressure plate got caught on the gearbox shaft while lifting. It took a bit of weight before freeing itself and us realising what had happened, but there were no signs of damage, so hopefully thats not the problem.

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So, are you saying that the gearbox input shaft may have got bent ? If so, how did you check it for damage ?

I can see a bent input shaft causing a vibration - but I would expect that one bent enough to cause a material vibration would stop the clutch working properly - which begs the obvious question....

Disco1BFG said:

So, are you saying that the gearbox input shaft may have got bent ? If so, how did you check it for damage ?

I can see a bent input shaft causing a vibration - but I would expect that one bent enough to cause a material vibration would stop the clutch working properly - which begs the obvious question....

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.....................if it was that bent how did he get the engine on it? Or were you thinking something else?