Defender 2001 TD5 cuts out at high revs - can't complete MOT emission test

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Sprout

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Frant
About a year ago my fuel tank was incorrectly filled with petrol and the van had to be recovered. the system was drained by a Landy mechanic and I went back on the road. Almost immediately the engine lost power and cut out with the engine warning light lit. To cut a long story short this continued to happen quite frequently, sometimes when accelerating but not always. My mechanic couldn't explain it and suggested I change the engine to a TDi! This summer the problem became so bad the van could barely be driven without cutting out, but would always restart after about a minute. I started to look on the forums and the issue with oil reaching the ECU came up and so I replaced the injector harness and thoroughly cleaned the contact points. I also opened the ECU and there was no sign of any oil ingress. After this it was like driving a different vehicle. As expected I continued to clean oil out of the eco contacts until all of the oil in the loom had worked its way out. The ECU connections are now clean and free of oil. However although things were vastly improved the van did cut out on a few other occasions, mostly but not always when accelerating. I took it in for its MOT the other day and the technicians were unable to complete the new emissions test because the engine cuts out before they can fully floor the throttle. I took it home and as suggested in some of the forums freed up the turbo waste gate, disconnected the MAP sensor and checked the hoses. Although it seems to be driving better than ever, very smooth with increased power, when I try to rev it up it still cuts out. Next I'm going to clean the crank position sensor but I'm not a particularly mechanically minded person and just following youtube videos and the Haynes manual. I would love to figure this out before taking it into a garage but I haven't been able to find any forum threads where people are experiencing this particular issue. I'm guessing its either a fuel system or turbo related issue but can anyone point me in the right direction?
 
Shot in the dark - when was the fuel filter last changed, might be full of crap and water? Also is there a filter in the fuel tank that needs cleaning? And I believe there is a bladder valve in the main fuel filter head that can give problems.
 
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Shot in the dark - when was the fuel filter last changed, might be full of crap and water? Also is there a filter in the fuel tank that needs cleaning? And I believe there is a bladder valve in the main fuel filter head that can give problems.
It must have been changed a year ago at the last service but I've just ordered a kit and will do it this weekend. I would hope that the mechanic did any necessary clean up of any filter in the tank when he removed the petrol from the tank.
 
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Shot in the dark - when was the fuel filter last changed, might be full of crap and water? Also is there a filter in the fuel tank that needs cleaning? And I believe there is a bladder valve in the main fuel filter head that can give problems.

I'll look into that bladder valve though!
 
Have you tried to find someone with diagnostics to take a reading?

Cheers
I'm new to the area so I don't know anyone but I contacted the Thatched Garage near Brighton and they can take me in next week. Just wanted to try everything I'm capable of first!
 
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After I put petrol in my fuel pump didnt last. It started off by going slower and slower till I was flat out and misfiring doing 50mph
 
After I put petrol in my fuel pump didnt last. It started off by going slower and slower till I was flat out and misfiring doing 50mph
Strange. My TD5 feels like its driving better than ever except for this cut out at high revs and no load. I do think it could be a fuel supply issue though. I'll start with the filter this weekend. Thanks :)
 
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Strange. My TD5 feels like its driving better than ever except for this cut out at high revs and no load. I do think it could be a fuel supply issue though. I'll start with the filter this weekend. Thanks :)
Although it doesn't fix the problem and is a bit bodge/con to get you through the MOT, do you have a throttle stop adjuster on the pedal? (the bolt shown on the left of the pedal in the below picture) If you do you could just wind this all the way in which means when they "floor" the pedal it will stop sooner, not go to max revs and hopefully not cutout. This should allow them to take an emissions reading for the test. Like I said it does not fix the problem of cutting out, but as you are not failing on emissions but instead are unable to get it to run long for the test this might help in the short term.
As for actually fixing the problem, I would be looking at the fuel filters and pump as mentioned above as it sounds like peak flow fuel starvation.
200tdiRHDpedal.jpg
 
It was stopped at the MoT stations here after an engine blew up - and the following court case etc etc. It's a totally unrealistic test, and probably a bit dangerous for the testers involved.
 
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Although it doesn't fix the problem and is a bit bodge/con to get you through the MOT, do you have a throttle stop adjuster on the pedal? (the bolt shown on the left of the pedal in the below picture) If you do you could just wind this all the way in which means when they "floor" the pedal it will stop sooner, not go to max revs and hopefully not cutout. This should allow them to take an emissions reading for the test. Like I said it does not fix the problem of cutting out, but as you are not failing on emissions but instead are unable to get it to run long for the test this might help in the short term.
As for actually fixing the problem, I would be looking at the fuel filters and pump as mentioned above as it sounds like peak flow fuel starvation.
200tdiRHDpedal.jpg
That sounds like a plan. I'll test this out tomorrow morning. Thanks!
 
Although it doesn't fix the problem and is a bit bodge/con to get you through the MOT, do you have a throttle stop adjuster on the pedal? (the bolt shown on the left of the pedal in the below picture) If you do you could just wind this all the way in which means when they "floor" the pedal it will stop sooner, not go to max revs and hopefully not cutout. This should allow them to take an emissions reading for the test. Like I said it does not fix the problem of cutting out, but as you are not failing on emissions but instead are unable to get it to run long for the test this might help in the short term.
As for actually fixing the problem, I would be looking at the fuel filters and pump as mentioned above as it sounds like peak flow fuel starvation.
200tdiRHDpedal.jpg
I have a new fuel filter ordered so hope to change it tomorrow night. I was wondering about how I could visually confirm that the waste gate actuator is working. Presumably if I rev the engine up high enough I should be able to see the arm pull back into the actuator? Just thought it would be worth checking this too.
 
I have a new fuel filter ordered so hope to change it tomorrow night. I was wondering about how I could visually confirm that the waste gate actuator is working. Presumably if I rev the engine up high enough I should be able to see the arm pull back into the actuator? Just thought it would be worth checking this too.
Unfortunately not, it will only actuate when the engine is under load as until it is under load there will be no boost pressure produced. If it moves when you get hold of it with a pair of pliers or similar then it will fine.
 
Unfortunately not, it will only actuate when the engine is under load as until it is under load there will be no boost pressure produced. If it moves when you get hold of it with a pair of pliers or similar then it will fine.
It does move with pliers attached. So I'm going to assume its fine. Thanks.
 
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