weird revs/fuel/stall problem

Hi guys,

I've been having problems with my freelander (04 TD4) for some time now and its baffling me and my mechanic friend.

The fault is intermittent but happens on every journey at least once.

When idling the engine ticks over at about 750 then for no aparent reason will start to peak and drop from 500 to 1000.....

this also happens then travelling at speed but not as severe....

Sometimes just cuts out at lights....

On one occasion cut out at 70 on the motorway, just as I was pulling into services, lifted foot off the gas and engine stopped....

This has also happened at slower (but still scary) speeds on the dual carriageway on the way home from work....

This morning it would not start, turned over for about 3 mins before it even tried to fire up, then struggled like it was flooded.....

My mechanic did a leak test because we thought it might be an injector but that was inconclusive, however, after that the car did run much better for about a week.

The fuel pump was replaced about a year ago.

My mechanic is scratching his head but thinks it might need latest calibrations if there are any for this model.

I dont know if its an ECU problem, fuel problem, pump problem, fuel line problem the kids think its haunted.


Help



PLEASE

There are threads here reporting similar symptoms. I suggest a search (keywords: fuel, stall, etc.)

My TD4 suffered from the symptoms you describe, but it never stalled while running.

Turned out it was the fuel pressure sensor (on the left side of the engine, below the exhaust manifold). When pluged to the diags it showed differences between the nominal and real fuel pressure.

It was just a matter of unplugging the sensor, give it a good clean with contact cleaner and some adjustments to the plug to improve contact.

Of course, there may be other usual suspects

Thanks for the reply slayer,

After some fiddling to the fuel sensor and also the cam sensor connections the engine did run better for a while then reverted back to cutting out and chugging again.

Is it possible that it is the cam sensor causing this running problem? (A replacement Cam sensor is cheaper than a fuel sensor)

Ordered myself a Haynes today and currently d/l a newer copy of RAVE, so will be spending the weekend reading and getting oily fingernails.

Thanks again

Siblo

Maybe somenone will come along and correct me if I'm wrong, but the cam sensor is usually associated with difficult starting when the engine is hot.

Have you tried diesel aditives. Where I am LiquiMoly Diesel cleaner was about the only thing I could get. When I had the above mentioned problem, I used a can of Diesel cleaner and also cleaned the cam sensor - It actually seemed to work for a while, only to get worse.

All I know is the fuel pressure sensor did it for me - not a new part - just contact cleaner and a screwdriver to push the contacts tighter.

You can always try some sort of sacrifice to the landy deities

On an facelift 04 td4 the pressure sensor is on the right of the engine (looking at the engine from the front of the car) on the end of the common rail. As slayer says make sure the contacts are clean.
There is an updated harness for this as it has been known to fail, also it may be worth checking your low pressure fuel pump at the rear wheel arch if this is the pump you had changed did you get a genuine one or a pattern unit as these have been known to not last very long.

Thanks for the reply mjrimmer,

I'll check with my mech about the source of the pump I had fitted but it's probably non-gen, I'm checking connections this morning, we'll see how that goes...

Do you have any more info on the updated harness you mentioned..

Thanks Again

Si

Cleaned connectors and car is running sweet, lets see how long that lasts...