TD4 sluggish

Hi all. I've just bought my first TD4, and I love it. It's an 05 plate, 180k (I know that's a bit high, but it was motorway miles). As it's the first diesel I've owned, I'm really trying not to sound daft about a couple of queries somebody maybe able to help me with. 1) When starting after been sitting for a few hours, there is a large white puff of smoke, also it turns over for ages before actually starting. 2) I took it for a long run for the first time yesterday ( Hull to Penrith andback again), and I found on the hills it started getting sluggish going up them. It got that bad that large lorries were overtaking me. Girlfriend wasn't wanting me to get a "big" car, so she wasn't impressed when this was happening ( a few "I told you so" comments). If anyone could be of help, I'd be very grateful, plus it gets her off my back. Oh, I've not got a clue about engine's etc, so if you could put it in very simple terms, there's more chance I'll understand it. Thanks.

Others will be better answering this, but sounds like it could be the O Ring seals in the High Pressure Fuel Pump (on the engine) or the Low Pressure (Lift) Fuel Pump (under the rear wheel arch) is failing. Both common issues, the first is a cheap fix and the 2nd isn't to expensive - but if you do it cheap will need doing again very quickly (ie get a LR/OEM lift pump).

ScottyDave.
As above reply.

Cheers guys. That'll help when I take it to garage. It gives me rough idea in case they try and charge silly price.

Am I ok to keep driving it till it's done?

Bad starting and white smoke is almost certainly down to the glow plugs being dead. At 180K, they'll be past there best.

It would be wise to clean out the inlet manifold of the accumulated goop that will be blocking the airways.


The crankcase breather filter should be done with every oil change, but never are.

The sluggishness is probably due to porous vacuum pipes. These chafe on various engine components and wear through. When the vacuum drops, so does the boost from the turbo.

Don't use crap supermarket fuel either and use a decent injector cleaner every month in the tank.

A failing MAF will also give sluggish performance. This is easy tested by unplugging it. If performance improved with it unplugged, it's the MAF.

As GG said, it's probably worth getting the low pressure pump live data cheched and if low, replace the pump.


A non-start could is likely down to high pressure fuel pump regulator O.
A sluggish start and white smoke is almost certainly down to the glow plugs, as I said at the top of this post.

Thanks. I'm taking it to garage tomorrow (Friday). I'll keep in mind what you've said, and let you know how I get on. Thanks again.

You could try testing and doing most the things outlined above yourself and save a few quid. I doubt too if a garage will clean out the gook in the manifold anywhere near as well an owner does. All the jobs listed are perfectly doable with a basic set of tools, and taking a look at the related topics in this forum. There are some great contributions from very knowledgable people, which have helped me loads.

Jim

4Bee4Bee said:

You could try testing and doing most the things outlined above yourself and save a few quid. I doubt too if a garage will clean out the gook in the manifold anywhere near as well an owner does. All the jobs listed are perfectly doable with a basic set of tools, and taking a look at the related topics in this forum. There are some great contributions from very knowledgable people, which have helped me loads.

Jim

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Absolutely. Its amazing how daunting doing bits and pieces on cars can appear. Ultimately though, most things are just bolts and connectors, so if you have a socket set and are physically able to move around the car, most things are actually reasonably easy to achieve. You'll save heaps of money to put to the summer vacation and get huge amounts of satisfaction (a result of overcoming the frustration, foul language and bleeding knuckles).

However, if you're happy to pay a garage to do it while you're at work and prefer to spend your weekends playing golf with a mate or taking the family for a walk down the beach - that's just as valid

I Agreed With You My Brethren

Hi all Landrover freaks!

My story starts like this! On the the way to my local beach my freelander 2 decided to stall! Thought it was oil so popped across road to get some oil, all was fine until
I returned home on dual carriageway, thought I'd put my foot down to mix the oil around, car gave up and started to Hunt and it was a verry bum clinching and rattly journey home, I was left with these options,

1 fuel filter/pump
2 injectors
3 swirl flaps

So I thought I'd take it to the garage I got
It from, they said they would change the oil filter and drain and fill back up! They couldn't do an injector test as they didn't have the gear!

Picked it up! exactly the same and £40
Worse off!

So I thought I'd take it to THE Landrover people ya know the top bollocks people who
Make the cars, 2 hours later and £200 lighter they were scratching there heads!

So i took it home and removed manifold myself, found 2 and a half swirl flaps were missing and part of the rod that holds them
In place. Took it into my local engine repair specialists and I had a hole in one valve and a melted piston, due to these flaps, Basically had a engine rebuild £2200

Got the car back, now it's a cold start problem, 4 new glow plugs and injectors injectors tested, also been to a auto electrician, fuel pressure is spot on, and glow plugs pulling the required amps to show all 4 are working, engine runs better than it ever did, but hard to start, cleaned out maf sensor, and tps yesterday, starts first time, but very juddery and white smoke out of the back, see pics above for damage caused by swirl flaps

Why did you think oil would cause it to stall?

Why do you need to speed to "mix the oil around"?

Hullectric said:

So I thought I'd take it to THE Landrover people ya know the top bollocks people who
Make the cars, 2 hours later and £200 lighter they were scratching there heads!

Got the car back, now it's a cold start problem, 4 new glow plugs and injectors injectors tested, also been to a auto electrician, fuel pressure is spot on, and glow plugs pulling the required amps to show all 4 are working, engine runs better than it ever did, but hard to start, cleaned out maf sensor, and tps yesterday, starts first time, but very juddery and white smoke out of the back, see pics above for damage caused by swirl flaps

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LR dealer technicians don't actually make the engine in the FL2. It's a Peugeot design, made by Ford in Dagenham If a modern engine stalls for no good reason. It's very likely that something serious has happed to it. Driving further will only cause more damage.

The Mad Hat Man said:

Why did you think oil would cause it to stall?

Why do you need to speed to "mix the oil around"?

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Hi mad hat! The only reason was because when it stalled the oil light came on briefly

Hello again, just a quick update. Got car back from garage today. Glow plugs changed and it's still the same. Also the mechanic cleaned all the carbon sh*t out the plastic thing on top of the engine, I took it for a run, and loads of black smoke poured out the back, engine management light came on and there was absolutely no power. I went back to garage and he put it on diagnostic machine. It said something about part of turbo failing. Mechanic said it'll be about another £200.

i had one like that - spent 6K in a year and got shot

ScottyDave said:

Hello again, just a quick update. Got car back from garage today. Glow plugs changed and it's still the same. Also the mechanic cleaned all the carbon sh*t out the plastic thing on top of the engine, I took it for a run, and loads of black smoke poured out the back, engine management light came on and there was absolutely no power. I went back to garage and he put it on diagnostic machine. It said something about part of turbo failing. Mechanic said it'll be about another £200.

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It'll be a vac pipe leak or a boost pipe leak. I seriously don't it'll be anything like £200. Find a mechanic that actually know what he's talking about.

Nodge68 said:

It'll be a vac pipe leak or a boost pipe leak. I seriously don't it'll be anything like £200. Find a mechanic that actually know what he's talking about.

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@Diesel Do will do

Mine was sluggish and a engine management light used to randomly illuminate. Turns out it was the fuel pump under the back wheel arch.

Hi everyone, quick question. Can anybody tell me why so many people knock td4's when so many people have one?