300TDi struggling to tow uphill

Bought a '97R 300TDi ES auto four months ago, after a long history of auto Volvo 740/940s. I tow a 900kg horse trailer with horses weighing 400kg each so a full load was close to the Volvo's limit. The attraction of the Disco was a) that it should cope very easily with the load and b) would be able to tow said load across wet grass.

There aren't many hills around here but last week, towing one horse up the gentle incline of the northbound M11, and today, towing two up a steep local lane, it just lost power. Kept going, no smoke, smell or unusual noise, I floored it but revs didn't pass 3000, I think it changed down twice but felt it was about to die. I had the gearbox in 'D' as usual, as I always did with the Volvos, and none of them ever struggled up hills (haven't had a chance to compare them getting off a muddy field...). The bricks have a button on the gearstick to prevent changing higher than 3rd for towing, though I never used it and never had gearbox trouble - and even the measly 2 litre sailed up hills with a fully laden trailer, and sorted its gears out without my interference.

Any advice? Should I be towing in 3rd even on the flat, or should I just be quick to shift it when approaching any kind of incline? Isn't that missing the point of an auto box? Or does this indicate a mechanical problem rather than driver error?

Great car otherwise and unlike the bricks it doesn't guzzle oil

sounds like it has the egr valve still in place. Do a search on here, the removal has been covered many times

and will only cost buttons!

Mayday, we had a Volvo V70 T5 for a few years and then changed to the disco's/ Range rovers. yes there is a big differance but you will find that a lot of it's down to differant gearing. We found driving style changes as i now hold the power back trying to get a full power in 3rd at the bottom of the hill and then trying to keep the Turbo singing although it seems as if the thing will self implode!!! never mind though even if the revs drop and your doing 20mph you'll still make it pulling 2 ton!
As previously said put in an EGR blanker (ebay) give it a good service, clean the injectors, air filters, intercooler, possibly decat it .
Or i have a lovely V70 for sale!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck

Cheers, I'm getting an EGR blanking plate from fleabay and taking it to someone who actually likes working on Discos and won't mind taking the jump seat out to change a brake light bulb at the same time... another LR design mystery!

Experimenting today it seems I possibly hadn't floored it - the throttle pedal reaches a point where it feels fully down but another hard shove sends it a bit further. Evidently it has more travel than I'm used to and I've been too wimpy with it (I haven't even gone off road yet)! I don't expect it to be quick but I did expect it to feel a lot more powerful than it does.

Cossiedreamer don't tempt me... it's taken me six months to cut the emotional ties and scrap the old brick :-(

egr whats that then?

newbie4x4 said:

egr whats that then?

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Exhaust gas recirculator, do a search at the top of the page (or Google) and there is a lot of information about them. The blanking plate is to divert the route of the exhaust gases. I'm no mechanic and will get one fitted by someone who knows...

Here is a link to more info:

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f38/discovery-ultimate-egr-guide-46089.html

Hi,

firstly congrats on getting a landy, you will learn to love it over time. Removing the EGR is a simple job, there are just 2 bolts, alan key ones if i remember correctly. You can get a blanking plate off ebay as said in a previous post. It's also a good its to get a bit of metal pipe to replace the intake pipe between the intercooler and inlet manifold, its the pipe ontop of the engine the EGR also connects into. Or you could get silicon hose, a bit easier to source but more expensive and not quite as good as metal pipe. You can buy them with the correct diameter and it need about a 20degree bend I think. This means that you can then fully remove the EGR system.

As also previously mentioned a new performance intercooler should make a difference. These are fairly expensive but did make i could notice the difference on mine.

By far the best thing to do is to do some fuel pump adjustments. It is not that hard and there are plenty of posts on how to do this, or take it to somebody who has some mechanicing experience and print off the instructions. I found it made a big difference on my 300tdi, loads more torque, does reduce the fuel consumption a little, but not too bad, and if you go too far with the adjustment it will smoke quite alot. It's not a problem, just need to adjust it back a touch.

As also said in previous posts a good service, new filter and some injector cleaner is always good. I personally use a product called "10k" which seems to work pretty well. Costs about £20 from halfords (cheaper with trade) and it comes is a spray and is easy to use, make sure you get the diesel one though.

Haven't known anybody who has taken out the cat so i don't know how much of a difference it makes.

Sorry for the essay, but i hope it helps

I Think the decatting is taking off the down pipe from manifold to front section and replacing it wth a front piece from a '90 I THINK! or somthing like that it is on here somwhere and seems to work, anywy good luck and the V70 What a good car just not big enough for us 6 dogs bikes, van , etc etc my wife loved it but i think you will find the DISCO as exhilarating and infurating after a few months at least you can work on it easily, the EGR vaalve bit is an easy 20 minute job and most greasy stuff is infact relativaly easy, just heavy.

Thank you for all the very helpful advice!

The big thrill (LR vs Volvo) is that in 5000 miles the Disco hasn't used, or even dripped, ANY oil or water... unlike all my Volvos - over 20 years I had a 240, 340, 360, 440, 740 and two 940s, still hanker after an XC90! Turning circle, storage space and quality of finish are irritations, but there are more than enough compensations. The boys are looking forward to playing at an off-road course when I let them loose with it and we all have so much to learn (did somebody mention a transfer box??), bitter experience isn't always the best way so this site is much appreciated!

When you do yer EGR, you may want to flush the intercooler as well... **** easy to do... remove 5 bolts, 2 hoses, whip it out and flush inside and outside.
Clean intercooler = more power.

is it easy to clean the turbo pipes as well and when you flush the intercooler just use water?and do you need to top intercooler reservoire up ?

Sorry newbie, the intercooler is best cleaned out wi petrol or white spirit and left to dry out.
Intercoolers dont have a resevoir they just full of air thats been cooled hence intercooler

cheers mate did say i was a virgin but am learning fast done blanking plate and egr removal and entertaining you all while doing it ha ha ha

The key to good towing of heavy loads with a TDI auto is:

1. New clean air filter;
2. De -EGR the engine;
3. De-Catt the exhaust
4. Make sure all the rubber turbo hoses are good;
5. New clean fuel filter;
6. Clean out the fuel sedimenter;
7. Clean out the intercooler;

Selecting third when coming to an incline will ensure the engine revs are optimised to achieve max torque.

Cheers & good luck

Dave

landy10 said:

hahahahahahahahahahaa Fookin priceless

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That's just cruel.. the guys a self confessed vurgin!!!

The turbocharger heats the air 'cos it's a hot compressor that runs off the exhaust gas.
the intercooler cools the 'charge' air
cooler air is more dense
dense air has more molecules per volume
more molecules of air = bigger burn reaction with fuel
bigger reaction = more downward presure on the piston in the bore
more downward pressure = More engine Power!!!

I tow 1200 kg caravan with my disco.A guy on here called "Pindie" tows heavy plant with his , its an auto like mine and he locks it in second when around town untill 30 mph then into third untill 50 mph then into drive .I tried this with my caravan and it seemed to work well and didn't notice any difference in fuel economy.Give it a go!

Hi All,
As for pump adjustments, they are easily done with a 13mm spanner and a screwdriver. But first get your missus inside to plant the throttle pedal on the carpet. Check the throttle lever on the pump is reaching the full throttle stop screw.
To adjust fuelling,,,, at the back of the pump in there is a screw with a aluminium band around it and a lock nut, remove the band (prise off gently with screwdriver and side cutters) slacken he locknut and turn the screw clockwise, small increments, too much will cause it to smoke, lock it off and roadtest. By increasing the fueling you also increase the gas mass produced out of the exhaust so the turbo will spin up quicker.

Hope this helps,

Nige