300tdi poor power still a problem at low revs

top drive said:

get a clear bottle and stick the injector inside that to see the spray pattern......poke doing it to atmosphere......

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Thanks top drive.

Would faulty spray pattern cause knocking? I slackened each one off individually and they all did the same thing and same impact on the engine.

ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90 said:

Thanks top drive.

Would faulty spray pattern cause knocking? I slackened each one off individually and they all did the same thing and same impact on the engine.

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Could do! Right up until it cuts yer piston in two!

Interpreting that test takes experience, and you have never done it before! In any case not all issues will show at idle.

When were they last overhauled, or tested?

Turboman said:

Could do! Right up until it cuts yer piston in two!

Interpreting that test takes experience, and you have never done it before! In any case not all issues will show at idle.

When were they last overhauled, or tested?

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Ahh blimy. Didn't realise the importance. The knock and loss of power is from idle and low revs. Not higher revs at all really. The engine is considerably noisier than other 300tdis though.

I've no record of the injectors being replaced or tested from new. Only owned it 18 months

youtube

ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90 said:

Ahh blimy. Didn't realise the importance. The knock and loss of power is from idle and low revs. Not higher revs at all really. The engine is considerably noisier than other 300tdis though.

I've no record of the injectors being replaced or tested from new. Only owned it 18 months

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I don't have much to do with Tdi, they are completely different injectors to mine. But there will be a stated interval at which they should be tested. For the injectors on na/td it is 40k miles.

Try and look up the interval, but if in doubt the testing should not be very expensive, although the rebuilds are more if needed. Local fuel injection specialist will do this, then you will have peace of mind, and be able to rule them out as a cause of your issue!

trax said:

youtube

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Here's a video. Sorry it took a while. Hopefully you can hear the secondary hollow knock to the engine note. I filmed underneath too, just so that it could be heard it all places.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx_2fIsPrI0

ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90 said:

Here's a video. Sorry it took a while. Hopefully you can hear the secondary hollow knock to the engine note. I filmed underneath too, just so that it could be heard it all places.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx_2fIsPrI0

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is your air filter housing bushes ok?wont cause power issues but mine sounded identical to that when they failed

THEengineer said:

is your air filter housing bushes ok?wont cause power issues but mine sounded identical to that when they failed

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Yes mate they are new. Even though they are showing movement in the video

i'm aroused by your cover and air filter movement.. anyway

sounds like a diesel to me.. sorry don't really hear anything weird. which probably means mine is knackered also

ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90 said:

Here's a video. Sorry it took a while. Hopefully you can hear the secondary hollow knock to the engine note. I filmed underneath too, just so that it could be heard it all places.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx_2fIsPrI0

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I wouldn't have said there was a problem with that, unless it gets much worse under load?

trax said:

i'm aroused by your cover and air filter movement.. anyway

sounds like a diesel to me.. sorry don't really hear anything weird. which probably means mine is knackered also

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Thankyou both. To tell the truth I've advanced the FIP slightly. And it seems to have made a big difference. The knock is minimal. And the engine seems to pick up better. Still knocks from cold, the video doesn't show it very well.

It's certainly now at an acceptable level. Thanks to you all

Turboman said:

I wouldn't have said there was a problem with that, unless it gets much worse under load?

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ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90 said:

Thankyou both. To tell the truth I've advanced the FIP slightly. And it seems to have made a big difference. The knock is minimal. And the engine seems to pick up better. Still knocks from cold, the video doesn't show it very well.

It's certainly now at an acceptable level. Thanks to you all

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Almost all diesels knock a bit from cold, it is to do with less fuel atomisation in a cold combustion chamber. Nothing to worry about.

Are you sure the tappets are set properly? They are often an issue with rough running and so on.

Turboman said:

Almost all diesels knock a bit from cold, it is to do with less fuel atomisation in a cold combustion chamber. Nothing to worry about.

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Thanks turboman. I think it was diesel knock all along, and it's massively reduced now.

I've also stuck some millers diesel treatment in tonight. Hopefully it will clean the injectors

ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90 said:

Thanks turboman. I think it was diesel knock all along, and it's massively reduced now.

I've also stuck some millers diesel treatment in tonight. Hopefully it will clean the injectors

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Cant hurt, I use ecomax myself, it adds a couple of cetane numbers, might help as well, good for fuel lubricity issues too.

Turboman said:

Cant hurt, I use ecomax myself, it adds a couple of cetane numbers, might help as well, good for fuel lubricity issues too.

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That's the one. I've also added diesel v power too. First Time for everything haha.

Would just like to say, sorry it's been a long winded thread. But thanks to you all. The knocking is deffo improved, low end grunt isn't perfect but I think it maybe something I have to live with. Cheers

ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90 said:

That's the one. I've also added diesel v power too. First Time for everything haha.

Would just like to say, sorry it's been a long winded thread. But thanks to you all. The knocking is deffo improved, low end grunt isn't perfect but I think it maybe something I have to live with. Cheers

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Ecomax is good stuff, but to get a decent price best bought in 5l tins. I use it in the tractor too, but ideal is if a few people split it between them, so it doesn't take years to use up.

Not a particularly long thread, often get 3-500 posts or more in AG!

Hi all.

I've just read this thread In detail from start to finish, mainly because I started the engine this morning. And I couldn't beleive how rough and noisy it sounded. It was also so down on power, there's not a chance it would pull a trailer of any weight and I struggle to get it going unladen. The OFF BOOST performance of this engine when cold is chronic and not acceptable.

So it seems it's not a timing issue at all. Despite me thinking it was. My dad was shocked how rough it sounded this morning with the loud knocking noise but he also noticed a tick. The tick sounded abit like a blowing exhaust or combustion gasses leaking? He keeps saying "the knocking sounds like its firing down an empty cylinder" (but he hisnt that mechanically minded).

I checked the waste gate actuator one of the evenings. Just for peice of mind to rule another thing out. Not sure why really as I know the turbo certainly isn't the problem.

So After doing hours of research, I've learnt the knocking noise could be "diesel knock" or piston slap.

What are the chances of it being piston slap with 135000 miles on the clock and with those sort of compression readings? What does worry me is the knocking noise seems to reduce as the engine warms up. But still a mile away from normal.

I'm still hoping for it to be diesel knock, however after checking the timing multiple times. I'm reluctant to delve into injector servicing after each one slackened off leaving the same results on the engine. However, I have been told that my off boost performance is poor due to fueling. Injectors?

It does seem to start better in these temperatures even with the glow plugs, which is a concern really, it's always spun over quicker when I've used the plugs. And the grey/black smoke on start up is quite considerable... It blows past the passenger window in a big ploom. A lumpy idle when cold as well really, which as it warms up improves. I've tried adjusting the idle speed, and it's either too fast or too slow.


Apologies for the long winded post again I'm trying to give as much information as possible as I'm really hoping to overcome this problem myself with the help of you guys, before taking it to a land rover specialist and being fobbed off with a huge bill!!!

So what do I do next?

text isn't really doing it.

next time it's cold and rough go video it and the exhaust smoke

have you tried playing with pump timing? undue the 3 bolts on your fp pulley and turn bolt a few degrees then fire up, keep adjusting till it runs nice, but only turn it very slightly and mark the original position before you adjust.

XRIZLAX said:

have you tried playing with pump timing? undue the 3 bolts on your fp pulley and turn bolt a few degrees then fire up, keep adjusting till it runs nice, but only turn it very slightly and mark the original position before you adjust.

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I have yes. Unfortunately ran out of adjustment so can't advance it any further than the factory setting with a 9.5mm pin.

Tried removing the belt and repositioning the pump gear with no luck either