td4 fuel problems

hi all, my freelander td4 52 plate is running bad. it only just about starts and when it does it spews out white smoke for 5 or 10 seconds.
when running there is no smoke at all but it runs really bad as if its missing (juddering). a friend seems to think the fuel pump has gone but after reading threads it seems the car would not start if the fuel pump was knackered. any ideas before i get ripped off by LR (again). thanks for any help in advance

phlippo

Does it take a bit of cranking before it starts or does it start first turn of the key and then stutters?

hi ratty. yeh it takes a fair bit of cranking especially when cold.

Hi,

Poor cold starting followed by white smoke is often caused by glowplug problems but that wouldn't explain the misfiring etc

I would make sure the glow plug light on dash is behaving normally and also do the usual 'leak back' check on the injectors.

phlippo said:

hi ratty. yeh it takes a fair bit of cranking especially when cold.

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It sounds like you have air getting into the fuel system. Does the problem get worse the longer it's left?

Glow plugs shouldn't really be needed in this weather so we can rule them out for now.

Dann said:

also do the usual 'leak back' check on the injectors.

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As Dann says and also see if you can identify whether the misfiring is on a particular cylinder by disconnecting injectors one at a time with the engine idling.

right,thanks for your input, the misfiring is pretty consistent, glow plug on dash is ok so i'll take a look at the injectors. would some please tell me what i'm looking for when i disconnect them? and i assume i can rule the fuel pump out as the problem
thanks phlippo

If you disconnect a good injector it will give a clear misfire therefore if you disconnect a dodgy one it will make less difference since it is already performing poorly.
Search for posts on the injector leak test and do that as well.

Can't rule out the pump just yet, it depends on what you find with the injectors.
Low or borderline fuel pressure can be the cause as this gives poor atomisation (and white smoke) from otherwise healthy injectors.

ok been busy and not got round to testing injectors but popped out in td4 today and amazingly it was running normal,been out twice and everything ok.is it possible there was some crap in the fuel system and its cleared itself or will the problem recur? do you think something simple like changing the fuel filter might help.surely nothing major like injector or pump would cure itself.

cheers phlippo

phlippo said:

ok been busy and not got round to testing injectors but popped out in td4 today and amazingly it was running normal,been out twice and everything ok.is it possible there was some crap in the fuel system and its cleared itself or will the problem recur? do you think something simple like changing the fuel filter might help.surely nothing major like injector or pump would cure itself.

cheers phlippo

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No harm in changing the fuel filter anyway. It should be changed every 60k. Has it ever been done?

not in 4 years/45000miles since ive had it, i'll change the filter. could be a cheap remedy

did you manage to get to the bottom of this problem??? my 02 td4 is doing the same and would like to get this sorted before the 54 td4 starts playing up to lol

any info you managed to find out would be great

no not managed to fix it yet. changed fuel filter today under wheel arch, what a poxy job,whoever designed that should be shot. also disconnected injectors 1 at a time while
idling, as chaser suggested but that made no difference to idling. just a little white smoke
when it starts and then misfiring in running. any other suggestions to find out whats wrong?
thanks phlippo

phlippo said:

no not managed to fix it yet. changed fuel filter today under wheel arch, what a poxy job,whoever designed that should be shot. also disconnected injectors 1 at a time while
idling, as chaser suggested but that made no difference to idling. just a little white smoke
when it starts and then misfiring in running. any other suggestions to find out whats wrong?
thanks phlippo

Click to expand...

Hi phlippo
if i had seen this thread i wouldn't have started my own yesterday. I had similar problem until yesterday where when I started I had white smoke for about five secs and a very lumpy idle, choked feeling in car. I changed the crankcase breather and the difference was immense. Before car wouldn't rev much over 3000 and lumpy but now free revving and idle is quiet. When I started car this morning a small amount of white smoke but idle still fine. I shall see if cloud has gone tommorrow but engine breather a big improvement to car running and easy to replace. IMO a must service item.

thank mick. i will try that do you know the part number
thanks phlippo

Hi
I believe that the part number is Landrover Part number LLJ500010.
I bought a complete one from ebay for £21 and was delivered in two days.
Idle is a lot better now after fitting and a lot quieter/ smoother but I still had a bit white smoke when started up this morning but no where near as much as before. Still want to recitify it though. will try and have a look at the boost pressure sensor this weekend.

have you cleaned out your EGR yet?

Mine has been a bit crap starting up first of the day, chugs a bit then same smoke for 5 secs. I have just put in new glowplugs maf and egr bypass, cleaned out the intake manifold. Thought i had it sorted as it went with no fuss after that lot, but it did it the other morning on the way home from work. Gonna do the BMW mod that i have seen in an old thread, hope that cracks it.

Yours still starting with no fuss Mick?

Hi. What is the BMW mod?

Have not driven car today but yesterday it was a pleasure to drive. Will check later if I still get the white smoke.

itis a modified bmw part for the breather element where you put a cyclonic filter assembly in and get rid of the foam seperator, and the risk of it clogging and choking the engine. if you do a search for crankcase breather it should come up.

Hi Billy G
Yes I have seen this now it looks a lot better. I have already changed mine using the origioal part so will do it next time it needs it. Thanks for the info by the way.
I got in the car today and started up and again a cloud of smoke out of the back. It is driving me mad now. Has anyone else managed to resolve this?

my brother in law believes that it could be oil could it be? it only happens after it has been stood overnight or for a long period of time.