Td4 HP fuel pump leaking - Mot fail?

Hi all,

2004 FL1 Td4 facelift 115,000 miles.

I bought this a week ago for the wife to use. It had just passed MoT with the previous owner, and the advisories mention an 'oil leak'. On closer inspection it's actually (and obviously) diesel that's leaking all down the front of the engine, under the sump and dripping below the vehicle. My Defender Td5 failed its MoT some years ago because the fuel pressure regulator was leaking.

My feeling is that this car should not have passed the MoT. Is this right?

It's the HP pump, in case you're interested. I'm going to order the special tool to remove it and the Bosch seal kit to cure the leak. Anyone done this? Can anyone tell me why this one's leaking? Our current FL Td4 has done 185,000 miles and not a drip. I wonder what causes it?

Cheers

they can put it down as an advisory I had one on my rear diff but fixed now.

I would imagine a fuel leak would be an automatic failure, I have had this with a weeping fuel line joint in the past.

An oil leak could be an advisory, perhaps it's a dodgy MOT or it could be that it started leaking after and also has an oil leak. I would make repairs then have it re-MOT'd

By the sounds of these TD4 HP Pump leaks, a lot of them stop leaking when the engine is up to temp. Maybe the previous owner got the car nice and hot before having it tested. Mind you, the tester should have seen evidence of it somewhere.

GrumpyGel said:

By the sounds of these TD4 HP Pump leaks, a lot of them stop leaking when the engine is up to temp. Maybe the previous owner got the car nice and hot before having it tested. Mind you, the tester should have seen evidence of it somewhere.

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There's diesel all over the engine, sump and undertray, so he SHOULD have seen it. I imagine you're right about the leak stopping when warm, but I don't suspect the previous owners had the knowledge to do that sort of thing - they were lovely people but knew bugger-all about cars, and were unaware of several faults which I pointed out:

1. "The front prop to IRD joint is loose and knocking". Answer: "The what? Is it?"
2. "Half the dashboard warning lights don't work". Answer:"Don't they? We never noticed"
3. "The aircon doesn't work". Answer:"It has aircon?"

Bless 'em.

Interesting this, as I posted about mine recently. Just passed 156k (04 TD4)
The temperature dropped below freezing and the HP pump started leaking. Once the engine warmed it stopped. Now the weather is milder, it hasn't leaked in the last 3 weeks. I have cleaned the underneath (no undertray fitted) and not a drip on the sump or drive at all!
Have to admit that as my MOT is up in March, I am tempted to get it done now before it leaks again.
I know it will have to be done eventually, but finding someone willing to take on the job at a reasonable cost is proving difficult to say the least.

Dougden said:

Interesting this, as I posted about mine recently. Just passed 156k (04 TD4)
The temperature dropped below freezing and the HP pump started leaking. Once the engine warmed it stopped. Now the weather is milder, it hasn't leaked in the last 3 weeks. I have cleaned the underneath (no undertray fitted) and not a drip on the sump or drive at all!
Have to admit that as my MOT is up in March, I am tempted to get it done now before it leaks again.
I know it will have to be done eventually, but finding someone willing to take on the job at a reasonable cost is proving difficult to say the least.

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It's do-able yourself. If you fancy taking the job on, I have details of part no.s etc.

I printed off the procedure that somebody kindly loaded the other day - I don't mind servicing and playing with spanners, but once it ran into the 2nd page of "then you do this and then and then........" I knew this job was not for me.

Bugger it!

Just done the seals on the pump and it's still leaking! What have I done wrong?

And there is the reason I won't touch mine...........................

Dougden said:

And there is the reason I won't touch mine...........................

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Not giving up yet - just been in the shed and re-done it. Will test tomorrow and update.

guineafowl21 said:

Not giving up yet - just been in the shed and re-done it. Will test tomorrow and update.

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I did mine last year. it was the small o-rings under one of the covers. I replaced the orings and cleaned up the little spindles they fitted on. Leaks be gone!! Took me about 6hrs. The worst bit was trying to get the drive belt back on!!!!

tonyt37 said:

I did mine last year. it was the small o-rings under one of the covers. I replaced the orings and cleaned up the little spindles they fitted on. Leaks be gone!! Took me about 6hrs. The worst bit was trying to get the drive belt back on!!!!

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Just re-done it - no leaks now! The key is to use fine sandpaper to clean the corrosion from the mating faces of the valve caps. I didn't do it to start with because I didn't want to fiddle too much and get grit into the pump.

Good on you, Tonyt37 - although I managed to do the job without removing the drive belt. Slightly more fiddly, that's all.

Before I sold mine on last year I had the hp pump reconned and done by an indie at a cost of just under £600.
More problems with the fuel system on that FL and it only had 24k miles.

Just having my HP pump replaced. I have had the car nearly 3 weeks and its done 48K miles. On the bright side RAC warranty is paying for a new pump and labour. This cushions the blow of it breaking down so quick. On mine diesel was absolutely ****ing out of the pump.

Mine is going in on Thursday for Hp pump, £600 plus vat

roger young said:

Mine is going in on Thursday for Hp pump, £600 plus vat

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Jesus. It took me, an amateur, about 5 hours to do mine, and that includes correcting my mistake. Parts cost £12, and the special tool £40 (which can of course be re-used). Is yours a re-seal or replacement?

Martin R said:

Just having my HP pump replaced. I have had the car nearly 3 weeks and its done 48K miles. On the bright side RAC warranty is paying for a new pump and labour. This cushions the blow of it breaking down so quick. On mine diesel was absolutely ****ing out of the pump.

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As I've said, our other FL has done 185,000 miles without a drip from the pump. What causes these things to leak? On the leaking one, the O-rings were eaten away - I wonder if this damage is caused by accidentally filling with petrol and not telling anyone?

I have no idea to the answer to that. If i had been paying i would have resealed it myself. However as the RAC are paying its having a new pump. Hopefully that will be the end of it. Not a good start to Freelander ownership. On the bright side it could have happened after the warranty run out.

Martin R said:

I have no idea to the answer to that. If i had been paying i would have resealed it myself. However as the RAC are paying its having a new pump. Hopefully that will be the end of it. Not a good start to Freelander ownership. On the bright side it could have happened after the warranty run out.

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I have to say that you should never buy an old Land Rover for its reliability
Having said that Freelanders are the best of the lot in my opinion. The Td4 is a complex beast though, and has lots of bits that could go wrong (but generally don't).