First proper test drive- some issues...

Hi all

Thanks to all who have answered my previous two queries. I'm very impressed with how much friendly knowledge there is on here. Getting ever closer to having a machine I can actually use now!

I acquired this S3 a few weeks ago and due to various problems with it I have only just been able to do a first proper test run or Italian tune-up, up to motorway speeds (which for this was just over 50mph). This has given rise to four specific queries which I'm sure you guys can help with:

1- I noticed there is a lot of smoke from the exhaust. It's grey/white with a hint of blue and present at all revs, but especially under acceleration. I intend to send a bottle of Millers injector cleaner through and if that doesn't work try adjusting the pump timing as I've seen suggested on here.

2- There is an occasional misfire, most noticeable at tick-over which presents itself as a 'cough' accompanied by a puff of smoke and a small shudder through the chassis.

3- The brake pedal doesn't fully dis-engage. The brakes do but the pedal stays down enough to constantly show the brake lights unless you lift it back up with a foot.

4- The speedo needle is waving like the Queen mum! I only knew how fast we were going on the M3 because my dad was following behind to assess the smoke. The odometer and trip meter still change though.

Well, any thoughts/comments will be gratefully received.

Thanks

Joe

If it has not been used for a while I would expect it to smoke for a good few miles.
The occasional miss on tickover is most likley the head gasket blowing around the push rod area. People fit new head gaskets and then do not remove the injectors to re-torque after warm up and again after 500 or so miles, this leads to your cough. The cough could be in extreme cases a cylinder head hot spot starting to crack or rotate in its housing. A head off job to check.
Brake peddle most likley needs some penetrating oil around the pivots, they tend to sieze. Get a new return spring for the peddle if oiling does not cure it.
Fit a new speedo cable and whilst you are under there make sure the screws are tight where the cable leaves the gearbox.

Have fun with it and let us all know how you get on.

Remenber smoke is fairly normal on older landrovers, however I'm not saying ignor divie, buy a new speedo cable (not made by Britpart, there stuff has no quality), adjusting the pump timing can be done without proper equipment, but it may take a few attempts to get it right by just using eye, remenber: slacken the injector pipes (it's diesel right??) and mark the current position, that way you will know a position that the engine runs, even if a tad smokey.
Hope this helps

If it is a lot of smoke you can look to the injectors. When diesel injectors get old they leak and drip fuel constantly into the cyls and that can cause a lot of smoke. They may need replacing.
I would try some cable lube before repalcing the speedo cable.

and to fix your brake pedal issue you might want to attempt spraying some wd40 around the pivot of the pedal waggle the pedal like mad and hope it works its way in (gotta remove the oblong cover to get at it)

and then to assist the pedal return to it's correct resting position put a second spring in the footwell area beside the original spring, i had to do this with my 2a as the pivot had started to get sticky

so lots of wd and double up on the return spring

hope it works for you, if i ever take my pedal box back out i might look at fitting a grease point

Speedo slip can also be the drive gear this is only nipped on the rear output shaft by the rear output nut which is behind the propshaft flange on handbrake drum should be 80ft/lb

Smoke sounds like classic retarded ign pump timing,

Brake pull back spring on the pedal for you brake lights,

Just advance the pump a tad to get rid on the misfire and smoke...only a tad.

Nick.