Freelander 1 Check Engine light+ power loss, Slight knocking, Foamy coolant

Hello members!
My LR Freelander 1, fitted with the 2.0 L series diesel engine (72kW/96HP) has some issues and I would need your help. The reason, why am I posting here, because I don't have a clue how should a healthy 2.0 should sound/run.

1- Power loss. When it's idling she's fine, but if you are driving with a constat speed/throttle position, appears the check engine light along with power loss. (Sometimes if I give her a gas, it dissapears)
At the beginning of this problem (I have this problem since 2021) I started to check the MAP, MAF sensors. I've changed them, without succes. Then I thinked about the EGR valve, so demounted the EGR, and installed a blanking plate, but unfortunately nothing changed.
2- The motor is knocking a bit, but I would say it's like an old tractor style knock. I'm guessing that my head gasket is blown (explaining the foamy water). But no milky oil/water, smooth running, nohard knocking.
In my opinion, it could be the injector too, what creats this knocking sound.
3- When the motor is idling, the coolant flows just normal to the reservoir, no foam/milky rust. But if I go for a good 15-20 min. trip on tarmac, the coolant(or it's foam) just drains from the overflow tank. I think my block just pumping up the coolent through the cracked head gasket/cracked cylinder head.

Good to know, that this is my 2nd engine in this FL. The previous 2.0 had the SAME issues until it started to smoke white, and just died.

Thank you for your answers!
Greetings from Slovakia!

Hi,

If you suspect a head gasket, you should do a cylinder compression test.
But head gasket should not happen, if the engine is not over heating ... the temp gauge should be at the middle when the engine is hot and you are driving.

Engine knocking can simply be dying injectors or dying fuel pump.

Since the engine, has a timing belt, I would check that too.
You should get a fault reader like icarsoft, just to get pump pressure values, specifs fault ect ... sometimes it helps.

If the HG has gone, it may be that exhaust gases are getting into the coolant but not oil, dependent on how its broken.

Can you see where coolant is going?

My L Series empties the reservoir very soon after I fill it. That is due to a leaking heater matrix - soon after the reservoir is emptied though, coolant stops flowing through the matrix and the loss is very much reduced. It still has enough to keep the engine from over heating, but the heater does not work obviously.

You can get dye that you put in the coolant that leaves tell-tale signs where it is escaping (although my wet passenger side - drivers for you - is a good test for me), you can also do tests to see if there is exhaust gas in the reservoir.

I suspect coolant is not the cause of the MIL check engine lamp being lit and power loss. You've probably got a couple of issues.

Do you know when the belts were changed (cambelt and injection pump belt)? It is unlikely they are your problem as worn, stretched, belts will usually make starting the car difficult, but once running will run OK.

I agree that getting diagnostics read will tell you why the car thinks it has the problem. Its not ODB compliant, so a cheap dongle will not work. You need one that works with L Series Freelander - but the cheapest of those will read engine codes. I've never had the need for engine codes to be read, but I have had to read the ABS codes. I take the car along to my local indie Land rover workshop and get the codes read by them. I've had the car over 10 years and paying to get the codes read has still been cheaper than buying my own device.

The car starts just perfect (it doesn't matter if it's winter or summer), but as soon as the car heats up to 90 C° the coolant starts to flow out of the closed reservoir. In my opinion, the exhaust gasses are getting somehow to the coolant system, and since the EGR valve and it's cooler is removed, I don't have a clue how they could enter into it.
The knocking noise it's start to intesify, as the motor heats up. So I think that is not a timing problem.
Do you guys have some type of an advice for this?

Ps.: No one here has a compatible device that can detect this engine, and my ''local'' LR service is 80km (50 miles) away.

Robeen said:

The car starts just perfect (it doesn't matter if it's winter or summer), but as soon as the car heats up to 90 C° the coolant starts to flow out of the closed reservoir. In my opinion, the exhaust gasses are getting somehow to the coolant system, and since the EGR valve and it's cooler is removed, I don't have a clue how they could enter into it.
The knocking noise it's start to intesify, as the motor heats up. So I think that is not a timing problem.
Do you guys have some type of an advice for this?

Ps.: No one here has a compatible device that can detect this engine, and my ''local'' LR service is 80km (50 miles) away.

Click to expand...

Can you hear the knocking inside the cabin or only it you lift the bonnet?

The injection pump on mine sound like a slight knock, but you don't hear it inside the car, just when you have the bonnet up really.

You can hear it from the cabin slightly. I think 80% of the knocking is coming from the high pressure pump.
Do you have some time of a service manual for the pump/fuel system of the L series?
The one I have, does not writes about it.

I dont think there is much that can be serviced in the injection pump.

If it is to be removed, or its belt changed, it needs locking pin installed before removal so that its timing does not go to pot. If its timing is lost its a back ro factory job.

They are highly reliable though. Hardly ever fail.

With regard to manual, the LR workshop manual 'Rave' is downloadable, info here...

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/rave-disk-maintenance-manual.260227/

Needs a windows pc to run.

Not sure if there is 'service' info in there, but gives full info on operation.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Hola,
Well, the injection pumps can have some defects.
This VP37 is also installed in many VW and Audi vehicles.
https://community.dieselschrauber.org

On this page you will find many instructions.
Repair of the flow divider.
Replace the pressure springs.
Various seals.
etc.

Saludos
Michael