Freelander 2 (LR2) Engine Fire

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andyfreelandy

andyfreelandy

Well-Known Member
Posts
5,563
Location
Devon
Just a heads up really. A mates 2007 FL2 diesel caught fire the other night.
Haven't seen it yet but fire started under engine cover by the injectors apparently. Fortunately extinguished quickly and now with garage.
I found several PTC heater recalls on that age vehicle and some of fuel leaks.
Worth checking yours!!!

https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall
Will report back if any more is found out.
 
Same year as mine. Pleased to say no outstanding recalls. Mine has a PTC heater, and it is the dog's danglies on cold winter mornings. Turn the heat up to max, turn the fan up to max, press the buttons for feet, face and windscreen and all will be toasty before the temperature gauge even starts to rise.
 
Thanks for the heads up Andy.
I can't quite see how an engine fire can start around diesel injectors.
Unless maybe it was causing by a faulty injector itself?
Diesel doesn't burn unless it's heated to its flash point, which is well above the running temperature of the engine.

Be interested to see what the cause of this fire was.

It's an odd one for sure.

I know about the PTC recall, and assume mine has been fixed, if it was actually an issue to start with.
 
Flash point of car diesel starts at 52 degrees C.

Sadly there has been a number if FL2 fires over the years. Starts in engine bay or behind the dash. Highlighted by the web but not that popular in the real world.
 
Hippo said:
Flash point of car diesel starts at 52 degrees C.

Sadly there has been a number if FL2 fires over the years. Starts in engine bay or behind the dash. Highlighted by the web but not that popular in the real world.
Click to expand...

Maybe a fire extinguisher would be a useful accessory then. :eek:
 
Nodge68 said:
Maybe a fire extinguisher would be a useful accessory then. :eek:
Click to expand...
Carried one for many years just in case. Dry power. Always a good idea to shake them about a bit every so often as vibrations from travelling can cause the powder to settle into a solid mass :eek:
 
I always remember from my apprenticeship training days, ICE workshop instructor tossed a match into a pool of diesel........it goes out and doesn't burn.

He didn't do it with petrol...:D
 
Nodge68 said:
Thanks for the heads up Andy.
I can't quite see how an engine fire can start around diesel injectors.
Unless maybe it was causing by a faulty injector itself?
Diesel doesn't burn unless it's heated to its flash point, which is well above the running temperature of the engine.

Be interested to see what the cause of this fire was.

It's an odd one for sure.

I know about the PTC recall, and assume mine has been fixed, if it was actually an issue to start with.
Click to expand...


Have heard of diesel injector leaks causing fires many times over the years, Mercs Iirc had a rep for it.
Same with the webasto/eber heaters and derv leaks.
 
potus said:
I always remember from my apprenticeship training days, ICE workshop instructor tossed a match into a pool of diesel........it goes out and doesn't burn.
Click to expand...
Diesel doesn't burn like that.
potus said:
He didn't do it with petrol...
Click to expand...
Well he wouldn't. :eek:
lynall said:
Have heard of diesel injector leaks causing fires many times over the years, Mercs Iirc had a rep for it.
Click to expand...
Seeing my injector leaking a small whiff of vapour through a badly sealed copper washer, I can believe it could burn, if there was an ignition source nearby.

Diesel injector seals should be ok when new, but I wonder how many people have reused them?

Reused seals was part of my issue I think,:oops: which is why I'm going to replace them all ASAP.
 
Nodge68 said:
Diesel doesn't burn like that.

Well he wouldn't. :eek:

Seeing my injector leaking a small whiff of vapour through a badly sealed copper washer, I can believe it could burn, if there was an ignition source nearby.

Diesel injector seals should be ok when new, but I wonder how many people have reused them?

Reused seals was part of my issue I think,:oops: which is why I'm going to replace them all ASAP.
Click to expand...


I have even had new seals leak after a week or two, you really need one of the cheap seat cutters off ebay.

I used one of the cheapy kits to clean injector seats on my D3, still okay several months later.

Weirdly the fl2 inj seals are the same as d3 but cheaper.
 
lynall said:
I have even had new seals leak after a week or two, you really need one of the cheap seat cutters off ebay.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking of cutting the seats, as I'm sure they've been leaking, even before I got it, and they don't look great if I'm honest. I didn’t actually use new seals as they were missing from the head kit, the day I put the fuel system back in. :( I contacted the supplier, who sent me out the missing seals, but promptly lost them before I could fit them. :(

lynall said:
Weirdly the fl2 inj seals are the same as d3 but cheaper.
Click to expand...

I've just received 10 new D3/4 seals from AF, so I've no excuse to change them now, although I think it's worth cutting the seats first.
 
My ears pricked up reading this as I have an 07 FL2, just for us laymen, is the PTC heater something that would of been an optional extra like a webasto night heater or do all FL2s have them, cheers
 
sharmanator43 said:
My ears pricked up reading this as I have an 07 FL2, just for us laymen, is the PTC heater something that would of been an optional extra like a webasto night heater or do all FL2s have them, cheers
Click to expand...

It's spec depending. My SE has the PTC heater. I might have come with the cold weather opinions like the heated screen.
This website https://www.vindecoderz.com allows you to key in the VIN, and it gives you the build specification. I used it for mine, as I wanted to know if it had the PTC and DAB module fitted.
 
Last edited:
kermit_rr said:
i thought we were mostly on biodiesel now? That has a really high flash point if i recall, over 100c
Click to expand...

I think the B7 flashpoint is around 65°C. It still needs a suitable ignition source, even if heated over the flashpoint.
I wouldn't think a correctly functioning diesel engine would have a suitable ignition source.
 
sharmanator43 said:
My ears pricked up reading this as I have an 07 FL2, just for us laymen, is the PTC heater something that would of been an optional extra like a webasto night heater or do all FL2s have them, cheers
Click to expand...
PTC stands for Positive Temperature Coefficient - it's an electric heating element that goes into the heater box beside the heater matrix, and heats the air going to the vents, like a mains powered fan heater does,when the engine is cold. They draw significant amounts of current, so when that system goes awry it has lots of angry pixies looking to start vehicle fires.I know very little about FL2's, but the FL1 PTC is fed by an 80A fuseable link that then splits into three of 30A fuses. As I know so little about FL2's can't comment on whether the PTC is standard firment or optional extra, but it doesn't really matter, simply decoding your in using the information above will tell you if your freelander has a PTC or not.
 
Jayridium said:
PTC stands for Positive Temperature Coefficient - it's an electric heating element that goes into the heater box beside the heater matrix, and heats the air going to the vents, like a mains powered fan heater does,when the engine is cold. They draw significant amounts of current, so when that system goes awry it has lots of angry pixies looking to start vehicle fires.I know very little about FL2's, but the FL1 PTC is fed by an 80A fuseable link that then splits into three of 30A fuses. As I know so little about FL2's can't comment on whether the PTC is standard firment or optional extra, but it doesn't really matter, simply decoding your in using the information above will tell you if your freelander has a PTC or not.
Click to expand...

The FL2 PTC heater is fed by a 16mm□ cable, and has a 120 Amp fuse. The PTC heater matrix has a maximum output capacity of 1250 Watts, which is why a PTC equipped FL2 has an alternator with an output of 185 Amps.:eek:

However the amount of heat the PTC outputs is under CJB control, based on outside air temperature and engine temperature. The PTC control module will supply current based on these two factors, receiving a PWM signal from the CJB.
 
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