Does Freelander have anything that can be misdiagnosed?

My Freelander Td4 failed the MOT at a garage I usually use for MOT and simple repairs. "Fuel system component leaking excessively or a risk of fire Offside Front (Dripping off engine tray) [6.1.3(b)(ii)]" They cleaned it up and maybe applied a temporary fix to it, enough for it to pass the re-test. I was advised it may or may not fail the next MOT. Few weeks later, I took my car to another garage I usually use for major repairs, they investigated but could not find the problem. I then booked the car in at the same MOT garage, figure I would tell them "You know what it is about, so could you advise me on what kind of repairs and how much?" and they took a day to check. They told me, it was something to do with the high pressure fuel pump, and would cost about £1200.

I opt to book the car in at an independent Land Rover specialist garage about 45 minutes away, for a second option. They confirm they can't find a fault, nothing wrong, and nothing to explain why the MOT garage thinks there is a problem. However they did point out that there is a problem with the low pressure fuel pump, and advised it would only cost £400 to repair.

Please don't try telling me the MOT garage is trying to rip me off, I used it for 10 years when I had a Ford Focus, why would they all of a sudden decided to rip me off. I never had problems with them before.

Is there anything in the diesel powered Freelander, anything about the fuel system, that the MOT garage could have misdiagnosed? Does the Freelander's high pressure fuel system have something that to a general mechanic could be mistaken as a problem, but to a Land Rover specialist mechanic is fine? (Like a GP thinks there is something wrong, but a specialist finds there is nothing wrong?)

Interesting ! The High Pressure pump 'O' ring seals can fail and leak, Nodge will be along shortly to tell you about his ! I don't think they can leak intermittently although that is a possibility. There is no temporary fix that I am aware of except clean it up and don't look too hard !

If the HP pump is leaking then a pump swap is probably the best route, pump is about £400 last time I checked, fiddly but not difficult job to do. I would clean it up well with gunk and watch what happens.
In terms of the LP pump, the quote to replace is high, the pump is about £130 and I can change one in 45 mins and am not trained. Again, if it works and is not leaking (have a good look but the LP pump is not on the offside of the engine bay, it is either in the rear wheel arch or the nearside rear of engine bay depending on year - 2003 onwards seems to have the wheel arch location.

Good that you have a garage to trust, maybe a conversation with them about exactly what is leaking in their opinion??

The head seals can leak on the Bosch CP1 HP pump. This can be random, or rather temperature related. It's not unheard of for the HP pump to leak when the weather is cold, but to seal up again as the weather warm up, and vice versa. So maybe that's it?

Major Eazy said:

Please don't try telling me the MOT garage is trying to rip me off,

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I disagree. It definitely isn't a £1200 job to fix, even if a new pump is fitted.
While I'm talking prices.
Replacing the LP pump isn't a £400 job either.

So both are taking the ****.

Nodge68 said:

The head seals can leak on the Bosch CP1 HP pump. This can be random, or rather temperature related. It's not unheard of for the HP pump to leak when the weather is cold, but to seal up again as the weather warm up, and vice versa. So maybe that's it?
I disagree. It definitely isn't a £1200 job to fix, even if a new pump is fitted.
While I'm talking prices.
Replacing the LP pump isn't a £400 job either.

So both are taking the ****.

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My HP pump would leak when cold, but not when warm, which is very common. So it could depend on how far it is to your MOT station.

I’ve also known good, honest mechanics tell me they’ve overquoted for things because they didn’t want the job.

andyfreelandy said:

Interesting ! The High Pressure pump 'O' ring seals can fail and leak, Nodge will be along shortly to tell you about his ! I don't think they can leak intermittently although that is a possibility. There is no temporary fix that I am aware of except clean it up and don't look too hard !

If the HP pump is leaking then a pump swap is probably the best route, pump is about £400 last time I checked, fiddly but not difficult job to do. I would clean it up well with gunk and watch what happens.
In terms of the LP pump, the quote to replace is high, the pump is about £130 and I can change one in 45 mins and am not trained. Again, if it works and is not leaking (have a good look but the LP pump is not on the offside of the engine bay, it is either in the rear wheel arch or the nearside rear of engine bay depending on year - 2003 onwards seems to have the wheel arch location.

Good that you have a garage to trust, maybe a conversation with them about exactly what is leaking in their opinion??

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Okay, so the pump could leak therefore fail the MOT as the test was done in late January, so it's cleaned up, re-tested and passed, but now that it's spring and warm weather, it could look fine to the other garages? Is this possible? I'm wrong, correct me, but if I got it and you say that's right, it would make sense for me to tell the independent Land Rover specialist about it, maybe they could offer me less than the £1200 the MOT garage told me.

guineafowl21 said:

My HP pump would leak when cold, but not when warm, which is very common. So it could depend on how far it is to your MOT station.

I’ve also known good, honest mechanics tell me they’ve overquoted for things because they didn’t want the job.

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Oh I see, so the MOT was done in late January as well as the fact that it's only like about within 5 minutes drive away, so there would be a leak?

And after cleaning it up then re-test it, considering that it was about Spring when I took the car to the other garage which is like 10 minutes away, it would not show the leak, and since the MOT garage cleaned it up, there are no telltale signs of leak?

I agree with John above if you changed the LP pump, & the HP both at the same time if still would not come to the £400, it look like they are trying to pull the wool over eyes & take the shirt off your back at the same time, steer clear of both places, you can get good second hand HP for around £50-70 a new pierburg LP costs about £120.00 add 2.5 hours labour £140 = £330.00 there about.

If fuel was leaking and dripping, I would have thought you would be able to smell it and see a tell tale stain under it. Diesel doesn't evaporate away as easily as petrol and the stuff pongs.

Col

Major Eazy said:

Okay, so the pump could leak therefore fail the MOT as the test was done in late January, so it's cleaned up, re-tested and passed, but now that it's spring and warm weather, it could look fine to the other garages? Is this possible?

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Yes, and probably the scenario here.

Major Eazy said:

I'm wrong, correct me, but if I got it and you say that's right, it would make sense for me to tell the independent Land Rover specialist about it, maybe they could offer me less than the £1200 the MOT garage told me.

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They're wanting to charge you over double for the LP pump replacement, so I can't see then changing the HP pump for a lower price than the MOT place.

Arctic2 said:

I agree with John above if you changed the LP pump, & the HP both at the same time if still would not come to the £400, it look like they are trying to pull the wool over eyes & take the shirt off your back at the same time, steer clear of both places, you can get good second hand HP for around £50-70 a new pierburg LP costs about £120.00 add 2.5 hours labour £140 = £330.00 there about.

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I agree with this ^^^^ 100%.

Major Eazy said:

Oh I see, so the MOT was done in late January as well as the fact that it's only like about within 5 minutes drive away, so there would be a leak?

And after cleaning it up then re-test it, considering that it was about Spring when I took the car to the other garage which is like 10 minutes away, it would not show the leak, and since the MOT garage cleaned it up, there are no telltale signs of leak?

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That’s pretty much the story of my HP leak. I bought the car with a very recent MOT. Had a good look round after a longish test drive - no signs of a leak.

Next morning, took it in the workshop and fuel was dripping from the HP with the engine cold. The leak would stop within about 10-15 mins as the engine warmed up, and it wasn’t that obvious that it had ever occurred.