TD5 issues.......

Hello, ( hope this is the right place...) I have a 1999 TD5 defender 90, I've had a clyender head rebuild and ever since then I've had no power, on the flat it will get up to 50mph but as soon as it gets to a slight incline there is no power.

On start up there is a little white/grey/blue smoke and it sounds like it's running on 4 cylinders and you can't rev it up for 30+ seconds and after then the 5th cylinder kicks in and it will rev right up, if going up hill in first gear it will rev right up but in second gear it will rev until it starts to pull and just keeps dieing back.

When the head went to get skimmed they found that one of the injectors needed rebuilt, the other 4 was fine.

When I put the head back on I blanked the egr, I've now put it back until I've sorted it and got it running right!


THINGS I HAVE DONE/ CHECKED / CHANGED!!!!!!!!


I have checked ecu for oil but there is none.
I've replaced the injector wiring loom,
Replaced map sensor
Replaced maf sensor
Replaced oil sensor
Replaced water temp sensor
Replaced fuel filter sediment sensor

I've checked the wastegate on the turbo and that moves as it should.
I've checked that the timing is right.

I changed both oil, air, fuel filters and changed oil when I rebuilt the head. I then used a tank of fuel and gave it another full service, I've now used 4 tanks of fuel and just given it another full service using genuine Land Rover filters.

This problem has been like it for the last 8 months so the Landy is just sat rotting away now as I'm losing interest in it. I've searched the internet for answers but can't find any!!! I've spoke to my local land rover dealer but they want £200 just to plug it in. And I don't have the money to just chuck at it.


So has anyone had issues like this? Or does any one have any ideas? Or if you have any questions about any thing I've done feel free to ask and il answer/ explain as best as I can.

Many thanks Charlie.

Hi, can be low fuel pressure too, even if you hear the pump it can have a failed HP stage then the engine runs without power on LP, addapt a fitting to a pressure gauge as to be able to screw it into the FPR instead of the fuel temp sensor and see what you get there, it should be 4 bar if the pump is ok, .. leave the sensor connected to it's plug when you do that as to not go to open circuit default...did you inspect the strainer under the FPR while the head was down, cos this one might be clogged as well. unfortunately the only easy way to get to the end of such thing is with a tester cos there can be other issues too like crank sensor low input etc.... the EGR can only make this worst, bypassing it has no bad effect on driveability whatsoever

Hello thank you for that, the filter behind the fuel pressure regulator is fine, new one fitted when it was all put back together. I've unplugged the feed to the fpr and turned ignition on and there is a lot of fuel coming through, the pressure test is there something I can buy and just plug it in?

And I've had a snap on diagnosisitic thing on it and it didn't find any faults, other than air con etc what mine doesn't have.

Something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Petrol-Di...303383?hash=item1eb92623d7:g:hGYAAOSwnQhXpF5o with M12 fitting

Cheers thank you very much, il get one brought and give it a go and see what it reads, so with this I just undo the fpr sensor keep it plugged in and then fit the pressure test and then turn ignition to position ll? Or do I turn it over?

Yes, sensor plugged, gauge instead it and ignition on 2

Ok thank you, could it also be a turbo issue? I can move the linkage arm on the waste gate but by hand but I've just read a thing saying it could be the waste gate control valve??

Do you mean you can move easy the wastegate rod toward the turbo while it's connected? you must feel the spring's force pulling it back into the valve... only if it moves very easy it's a problem or if it doesnt go back to close well the wastegate, if there is a leak in the valve this will create overboost which means it will accelerate well up to around 2500rpm then become sluggish, connect a bike pump to the valve instead of the pipe and see if the rod works under it's pressure, if your Td5 is fitted with electronic wastegate modulator take the pipe from it's bottom, connect it directly to the valve and go for a ride like this

Yes I can move it towards the turbo but need to put some force to move it and as soon as I let go it springs back to where it should. And There is a little pipe 6-8mm what goes from the waste gate valve ( what the rod goes to ) straight down to the air pipe?

The setup is the same like on the D2 then, see this http://www.discovery2.co.uk/wastegate.html take the pipe which is shown as coming from the intercooler in the 3'rd pic and connect it directly to the valve the test drive it

Mine doesn't have the block thing, just a single pipe straight to air pipe what goes to the turbo?

That's turbo pipe not air pipe that's why i was confused try to attach a pump which has gauge on it to that pipe and see at what pressure pushes the rot toward the turbo, it should start moving at 1.1 bar if the valve is good

Appoliges for my miss wording, ok il give that a go,

I've also ordered the fuel pressure test kit thing, to do that.


You know the little "o" ring what goes in the fpr to seal the gauze filter bit in? If that had fell out with out me noticing on refitting would that cause lack of power?

That would cause a leak rather than low power IMO

That's fine, just I just wanted to check in case it was something as simple as that but there's no leaks. And if once the pressure kit turns up it is reading less than it should and I need to replace the fpr does that need synchronised to the vehicle or is it just a bolt on part?

the FPR is purely mechanical but the pressure test is to rule out the pump's HP output

Right ok that the in tank pump?

That's the only one

if you do have to do the pump, Google about cutting a hole in the floor. I did it 1st time by dropping the tank, then after that I cut the floor and made a access plate and it's been really easy by comparison since

Thank you, I have read about that, and dread the thaught of doing it..... but thank you for you imput I may be back in touch and ask for a couple of pictures if I need to get the grinder out....