200tdi Power engagement issue

Baron81 · Nov 13, 2023

Hi All,

First time poster, long time browser! Many thanks for the info, you've all posted over the years!

Vehicle:
1990 200tdi 90 with a stumpy R380 (two months old) and lt230 transfer.

Last week I put her through a tough trial, pulling a vehicle out of a flooded river - She handled perfectly.
However after the whole incident, whilst driving away, I lost most of my drive, no major noises or initial noise.
The clutch bites and engages disengages perfectly, gears are smooth, however I'm only able to drive on bite point, if I rev the engine, she barely gathers momentum. Low & H on diff engage and disengage (albeit the sometimes annoying bringing the clutch up to seat it)
The diff link and switch are debris free and move as should, the clutch seems to be functioning but no power being delivered.

My thoughts are sheered half shafts, (intend to put one wheel up and test tomorrow morning) would you ladies and gents be thinking the same?

Greatly appreciate any thoughts.

jimleshed · Nov 13, 2023

Does the prop rotate at all? either one, front or back.
If it does it looks more half shafts, or diff. However, I think they would go while pulling, not while driving away.
Are you sure bellhousing isnt full of crud (from river) and the clutch is just slipping like crazy?

Baron81 · Nov 13, 2023

jimleshed said:
Does the prop rotate at all? either one, front or back.
If it does it looks more half shafts, or diff. However, I think they would go while pulling, not while driving away.
Are you sure bellhousing isnt full of crud (from river) and the clutch is just slipping like crazy?

Thanks for quick reply Jimleshed!
Prop does rotate.
Re driving away, my thoughts too. Especially as it pulled a suv up a muddy banking easily after the river, that's why I'm a little flummoxed.
Re bellhousing, that is a possibility. Tried to pull it off once I was out on the side, but it started to round, so hammer, heat and plenty of easy release in the morn.

Anaconda · Nov 13, 2023

Slipping clutch?
Was it a muddy hole and did you have a wading plug in?

RustyDefender · Nov 13, 2023

take a bolt or two out of the bell housing.. if it ****es with water you know why.. leave it over night then put bolts back in.. but if you've no wading kit.. then good luck

Baron81 · Nov 15, 2023

Thanks for all the replies.
Update.
Hole was freshwater, none muddy, except for banks (pebble river)
Had to drill out wading plug as it was seized, otherwise all dry in the bellhousing. Full working snorkel/Wading kit fitted.
Replaced both front half shafts - flange splines were worn to high heaven (less that .5 mm connical shape left) so have terrafirma replacements on the way.
Clutch master/slave fluid replace and bled. No water or fluid loss. (M& S seated correctly too) Clutch engages fine, gears still are smooth.
Front diff from fill & drain hole inspection looks okay. Oil drained with no filings. Going to drain and inspect transfer case next.
Still no great power deliverance, only on diff lock clutch bite, but I'm going to assume flange splines is the least costly potential at this stage.

D1Nut · Nov 15, 2023

I reckon if it was clutch slipping you would smell it in a second

But tis a strange one for sure
hope it's not expensive

lynall · Nov 15, 2023

Baron81 said:
Thanks for all the replies.
Update.
Hole was freshwater, none muddy, except for banks (pebble river)
Had to drill out wading plug as it was seized, otherwise all dry in the bellhousing. Full working snorkel/Wading kit fitted.
Replaced both front half shafts - flange splines were worn to high heaven (less that .5 mm connical shape left) so have terrafirma replacements on the way.
Clutch master/slave fluid replace and bled. No water or fluid loss. (M& S seated correctly too) Clutch engages fine, gears still are smooth.
Front diff from fill & drain hole inspection looks okay. Oil drained with no filings. Going to drain and inspect transfer case next.
Still no great power deliverance, only on diff lock clutch bite, but I'm going to assume flange splines is the least costly potential at this stage.

So clutch only bites when the diff lock is engaged?
If so a few minutes work with a jack should tell you which wheel is at fault.

doriz · Nov 15, 2023

Turbo issue?

boguing · Nov 16, 2023

It was about 13 years ago, (so a bit of memory fade) but my 110 would only get drive after fiddling with all, the levers, difflock being one of them. Turned out that several bearings had failed (rollers squared off). I assume that when I did get drive it was only the selector forks holding things roughly in place. Pretty sure bits came out when I drained the oil to diagnose.

Did you feel any weird feelings coming through the steering wheel? Another symptom of that failure was that it would seeming be in difflock uncommanded and that caused wind up which made it feel like one of the wheels was locking.

Anaconda · Nov 28, 2023

Anything to report?

Baron81 · Nov 28, 2023

Thanks for reminder to update, thought I had.

So;
I replaced halfshafts and flanges. NS flange was a little worn but not major.

Replaced transfer box output flanges, they were unequally worn (oval) which made me think that it might spin, but it didn't resolve.

Drained diffs and center diff, no fillings/very little.

When I pulled the slave however, it stank of clutch over a week after, couldn't smell it till then. Seems my pushrod had not been fully disengaging so the whole situation likely exacerbated wear. Stuck an endoscope in and yeah...new clutch and slave needed.
New clutch going in after it gets delivered in the next few days.

Hopefully that's the end of it and it was just due to a royally fecked clutch. Will inspect and advise further once off.

Anaconda · Nov 28, 2023

Thanks for update.
Don't think the slave is adjustable, is it?
Wonder if a badly adjusted master cylinder push rod could cause a problem

Moral of the story, don't rescue anyone.

Baron81 · Nov 28, 2023

Slave isn't, but the push rod is abit corroded so suspect crud made it stick and bind. I have a new spare 99mm push rod, so going to cut that down to the 65mm (ftc4229) size for my R380 stumpy and hopefully it all goes well with the new lof extreme.

Aye, done my good Samaritan for the next year, unless I'm in the Deere that is (any excuse)

Appreciate the input!

Anaconda · Nov 28, 2023

Baron81 said:
Slave isn't, but the push rod is abit corroded so suspect crud made it stick and bind. I have a new spare 99mm push rod, so going to cut that down to the 65mm (ftc4229) size for my R380 stumpy and hopefully it all goes well with the new lof extreme.

Aye, done my good Samaritan for the next year, unless I'm in the Deere that is (any excuse)

Appreciate the input!

John Deere, post a picture up.

200tdi Power engagement issue

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