300 TDi Performance issues :-)

Please help guys as I am at my wits end at the moment!! Ok, the problem I have is inconsistent performance from my landy. As far as I can tell it seems to be turbo related.
A few weeks ago I did a long journey and struggled for the whole day and hardly got into 5th gear all day as the engine just did not have the power in it to pull. About 20 miles from home and all of a sudden it started running lovely again and would happily pull me along sweet as a nut in any gear and the turbo could be heard merrily whistling away. I got it up over 70mph with ease. This problem keeps on happening all the time. Sometimes she runs sweet, and then other times (like this morning) I was flat out and could not even get it to 60mph and the turbo just does not feel like it is doing anything and I really cant hear it doing anything.

I have checked the intercooler hoses, and the hoses coming onto the turbo and as far as I can see they are all fine. Does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this??

Thanks in advance

Check the diaphragm on top of the injector pump - the shaft could be sticking - I have seen this quite a few times now
Take the 4 screws out and mark the position of the diaphragm to the housing
The assembly should lift out - but I have seen corrosion in the base
Clean up and lightly grease
Reassemble

If this is OK then check the small black pipe that links the turbo to the diaphragm - check for cracks and lose connections - I have seen these come off!

One final quick and easy check is to make sure the turbo itself is free running and not jammed up or the impeller catching on the housing

Mike

Could be your lift pump packing up, quite common failure. If the pump can't supply enough fuel when the turbo starts producing boost then you won't get full boost pressure. The extra fuel the injection pump normally pumps in creates more exhaust gasses which then spins the turbo even faster. Have a look at your exhaust when driving and putting your foot down, insufficient turbo pressure and good fuel supply will give you black smoke, reduced fuel and good turbo will give you little or no smoke

Forgot to add, that when the landy is not performing well it gets a strange burning smell when I give it some beans which is not there when it is performing good. There is no black smoke present when it is running good or bad.

Britrest - thanks will get these things checked in the morning.

Mine was doing the same, it turned out that my snorkle wasn't as well sealed as I thought and my air filter was clogged up with ****e. New air filter and the problem went away.