Freelander 1 2003 td4 very difficult to start

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I have the original wires i am guessing as the ecu box has no extra wires going in.
Also to answer you from before the engine has 115,000 miles on the clock
 
GrumpyGel said:
Is this true?

Easy start comes in with the air and gets compressed - so there is no timing involved and sensors (working or not) are not used. Once fired, the crank sensor would take over.
Click to expand...

It doesn't work like that.

The easystart simply provides the fuel to run the engine for a few seconds.
However if the EDC doesn't get a timing signal from the cam position sensor, it can't know which cylinder to inject fuel, being a sequential injection system.
So as the EDC doesn't know the injection sequence, the engine would simply stop running, after the easystart was burnt up.

In normal conditions, the EDC references the pulses received from cam and crank position sensor, which allows it to identify the firing sequence, initiate injection and start the engine.
Once started, the cam position sensor is no longer needed, as the EDC now knows the sequential timing, so will continue run the engine using the crank position sensor as the timing reference.
It's only after the engine stops, that the timing reference is lost, so the cam position sensor is required again, for the restart.
 
Last edited:
Nodge68 said:
It doesn't work like that.

The easystart simply provides the fuel to run the engine for a few seconds.
However if the EDC doesn't get a timing signal from the cam position sensor, it can't know which cylinder to inject fuel, being a sequential injection system.
So as the EDC doesn't know the injection sequence, the engine would simply stop running, after the easystart was burnt up.

In normal conditions, the EDC references the pulses received from cam and crank position sensor, which allows it to identify the firing sequence, initiate injection and start the engine.
Once started, the cam position sensor is no longer needed, as the EDC now knows the sequential timing, so will continue run the engine using the crank position sensor as the timing reference.
It's only after the engine stops, that the timing reference is lost, so the cam position sensor is required again, for the restart.
Click to expand...
Fair enough.
 
Nodge68 said:
It doesn't work like that.

The easystart simply provides the fuel to run the engine for a few seconds.
However if the EDC doesn't get a timing signal from the cam position sensor, it can't know which cylinder to inject fuel, being a sequential injection system.
So as the EDC doesn't know the injection sequence, the engine would simply stop running, after the easystart was burnt up.

In normal conditions, the EDC references the pulses received from cam and crank position sensor, which allows it to identify the firing sequence, initiate injection and start the engine.
Once started, the cam position sensor is no longer needed, as the EDC now knows the sequential timing, so will continue run the engine using the crank position sensor as the timing reference.
It's only after the engine stops, that the timing reference is lost, so the cam position sensor is required again, for the restart.
Click to expand...

So I should probably just replace the cam sensor to rule that out.
What does putting it in the freezer do exactly ?

Ok so quick update ran the engine hot ,took cam sensor out again and put it in the freezer for about 45 minutes , put it back in place and no start
 
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ponythegringo said:
So I should probably just replace the cam sensor to rule that out.
Click to expand...
It's an expensive item to fit, just to rule it out.
ponythegringo said:
What does putting it in the freezer do exactly ?
Click to expand...
There are tiny coils inside, which can become broken, changing the temperature can make them reconnect, hence cooling it down below ambient temperature.
 
Nodge68 said:
It's an expensive item to fit, just to rule it out.

There are tiny coils inside, which can become broken, changing the temperature can make them reconnect, hence cooling it down below ambient temperature.
Click to expand...
Can't you just spray the darn thing in situ with a plumbers pipe-freezing spray?
 
So leak test kit arrived today and so i set it up with the fuel return pipe in a 2 litre bottle and started the engine but had to turn it off after about 7 or 8 seconds because of how fast the 3rd injector was filling up it's bottle . The other 3 seem ok and filled their respective pipe all about the same judging by how far along the pipe the fuel went.
leaktest1.jpg
leaktest2.jpg
leaktest3.jpg

Pretty obvious that injector 3 has a slight issue..
 
ponythegringo said:
So leak test kit arrived today and so i set it up with the fuel return pipe in a 2 litre bottle and started the engine but had to turn it off after about 7 or 8 seconds because of how fast the 3rd injector was filling up it's bottle . The other 3 seem ok and filled their respective pipe all about the same judging by how far along the pipe the fuel went.
View attachment 244612 View attachment 244613 View attachment 244614
Pretty obvious that injector 3 has a slight issue..
Click to expand...
Or 1, 2 and 4 :eek:
 
My advice for a temporary quick fix is to buy an used injector for about 50 bucks. A new o ring for the injector. And also replace the fuel return Line or at least the 4 small o ring, because it will start to leak anytime soon.

For a longer fix, change the 4 injectors and put new ones, they will last longer that refubished injectors.

After changing an injector you need to register the new injector in the ecu. If not the engine will run very bad until the ecu goes in learning mode.
 
Last edited:
ponythegringo said:
So leak test kit arrived today and so i set it up with the fuel return pipe in a 2 litre bottle and started the engine but had to turn it off after about 7 or 8 seconds because of how fast the 3rd injector was filling up it's bottle . The other 3 seem ok and filled their respective pipe all about the same judging by how far along the pipe the fuel went.
View attachment 244612 View attachment 244613 View attachment 244614
Pretty obvious that injector 3 has a slight issue..
Click to expand...

Yes. No3 is bypassing far too much fuel, which is dropping the rail pressure enough to prevent the engine from starting at cranking speed.
 
I sorted out the same problem last week on an R40 trouble starting, sniff of easy start and it would run ok drive as well but lacked power when called for, quick leak back test and within 5 seconds showed that injector was leaking, replaced with a refurbished injector i had, an hour later car was spot on again.

OEqhvtNl.jpg
1

1wGFpfLl.jpg
2

iVm9JdTl.jpg
3
 
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