Francois.Lefevre

Francois.Lefevre

Member
Cutting short a long story- I was driving on motorway my cambelt snapped, got the Landy towed to the local mechanics where they assessed the engine and replaced all pushrods, adjusted the lifter clearance and replaced the cambelt... they insist the engine is fine but I can tell that there has been a loss of top end power (i.e.-used to accelerate easily to 70mph and now I can't get it over 60mph , also need to change down on climbs which I never used to)... there is a rough idle when firing her up and weather is very cold which smoothens out after 30sec.

I have noticed on previous posts mention of checking fuel filter and it should be full to the brim, if I remove the filter straight after my drive it looks to be just over half full, replaced fuel lifter pump and still no change. Any help would be extremely appreciated.

Thanks all.
 
Francois.Lefevre said:
Cutting short a long story- I was driving on motorway my cambelt snapped, got the Landy towed to the local mechanics where they assessed the engine and replaced all pushrods, adjusted the lifter clearance and replaced the cambelt... they insist the engine is fine but I can tell that there has been a loss of top end power (i.e.-used to accelerate easily to 70mph and now I can't get it over 60mph , also need to change down on climbs which I never used to)... there is a rough idle when firing her up and weather is very cold which smoothens out after 30sec.

I have noticed on previous posts mention of checking fuel filter and it should be full to the brim, if I remove the filter straight after my drive it looks to be just over half full, replaced fuel lifter pump and still no change. Any help would be extremely appreciated.

Thanks all.
Click to expand...
are all the adjusters on the rocker shaft equal ,in that a similar number of threads above the nuts, its possible a cam follower is damaged or a valve, or cam belt fitted but slightly retarded
 
jamesmartin said:
are all the adjusters on the rocker shaft equal ,in that a similar number of threads above the nuts, its possible a cam follower is damaged or a valve, or cam belt fitted but slightly retarded
Click to expand...

Thanks for your quick reply, I had a search to see what you have suggested. Please correct me if I'm wrong, to inspect the cam follower do I need to remove the cylinder head or could I do it with the rocker cover off through the pushrods gaps?
I know for a fact the garage mentioned they battled to get the pump timing to match up... didn't think much of it as it fires up well in hotter weather but really feeling it with these cold morning (not sure why it smoothens out when hot though)
oh and the another thing which bugs me is a tappet noise when hot, but nothing when cold... surely it would be the other way round as the metal should get closer to the rockers when hot?

Thanks again, the expertise is greatly appreciated.
 
You say it is better in hotter weather... when did this cambelt incident occur ?
Have you taken the vehicle back for any servicing since ?
 
Francois.Lefevre said:
Thanks for your quick reply, I had a search to see what you have suggested. Please correct me if I'm wrong, to inspect the cam follower do I need to remove the cylinder head or could I do it with the rocker cover off through the pushrods gaps?
I know for a fact the garage mentioned they battled to get the pump timing to match up... didn't think much of it as it fires up well in hotter weather but really feeling it with these cold morning (not sure why it smoothens out when hot though)
oh and the another thing which bugs me is a tappet noise when hot, but nothing when cold... surely it would be the other way round as the metal should get closer to the rockers when hot?

Thanks again, the expertise is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
id check pump timing it shouldnt be a battle ,often belt is fitted to the pump pulley a tooth or so out so as you cant advance pump enough on the 3 bolts and slots in the pulley, in which case you set engine in timing position wedge pegs or similar between the timing case and crank pulley and cam pulley so as belt cant move on them then slacken belt and adjust pump pulley within the timing belt so you have as much of the slot to advance pump with once belt is reset, a little retard will lose noticeable power, also when tighten the 3 pump pulley bolts hold the pump hard against the pin using a spanner clockwise on the pump nut
 
Dippypud said:
You say it is better in hotter weather... when did this cambelt incident occur ?
Have you taken the vehicle back for any servicing since ?
Click to expand...

Hi Dippypud, I took it back after the initial repair to complain about noisy lifters... they noticed all were way off and adjusted the gaps, this resolved the constant tappet noise (now it only happens when hot and with half acceleration! (No noise when coasting)
All this happened end of summer (September).. it's almost seems to be affected by double digit temperature, over 10deg is fine and below is lumpy. - give or take o_O
 
jamesmartin said:
id check pump timing it shouldnt be a battle ,often belt is fitted to the pump pulley a tooth or so out so as you cant advance pump enough on the 3 bolts and slots in the pulley, in which case you set engine in timing position wedge pegs or similar between the timing case and crank pulley and cam pulley so as belt cant move on them then slacken belt and adjust pump pulley within the timing belt so you have as much of the slot to advance pump with once belt is reset, a little retard will lose noticeable power, also when tighten the 3 pump pulley bolts hold the pump hard against the pin using a spanner clockwise on the pump nut
Click to expand...

Thanks James, Will start with that then and see if i have any luck... have you got any thoughts on the tappet noise when engine is hot and accelerating, nothing when cold? Will keep you posted on my progress with the timing belt.

Thanks
 
Re the "tappet" noise - I'd also be checking (engine) oil level, and making sure its the right oil.

I'd also agree that the timing is out, and that belt fitting should not be difficult. James Martin's post, #5, above is good advice.:)
 
Hi all, thanks again for the helpful replies. I know it hasn't been losing oil and is still at the N mark on the dipstick since the cambelt broke 3 months ago (haven't topped it up as i want to monitor if it drops below that)
I use 10w40 semi in mine so please correct me if i should use anything different.

Thanks all for your help, i will definitely start with the cambelt timing and let you know the outcome.
Just a last question, would anyone have ideas on why it smoothens out and idles perfectly after driving a little (well as smooth as a 200tdi can be)? i would have thought the rough idle would be constant, regardless of the engine temp.
 
Could be air leak on the fuel lines so when left standing and first started it has to purge the lines of air hence the rough idle?

I run 15/40 mineral in both my 200 engines, but both have done lots of miles, so 10/40 might be fine in a tight engine, neither of mine really uses much if any oil even though one of them breaths like a steam train!
 
lynall said:
Could be air leak on the fuel lines so when left standing and first started it has to purge the lines of air hence the rough idle?

I run 15/40 mineral in both my 200 engines, but both have done lots of miles, so 10/40 might be fine in a tight engine, neither of mine really uses much if any oil even though one of them breaths like a steam train!
Click to expand...

Hi Lynall, I think you might be onto something there... I just watched a video on YouTube of replacing fuel filter and his was full to the brim, there were previous theads mentioning fuel filters need to be full even after standing and mine is always half full even straight after a drive. I have replace fuel lifter last week and no improvement... any other known places to check for air leak?
 
Francois.Lefevre said:
any other known places to check for air leak?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, many !! - any joint can leak, but its also known for pipework itself, as it gets old to perish, or wear away.... :rolleyes:
However, given the work done on yours recently, I'd start by checking all the unions in the engine bay, and go from there.... it's often a good idea to replace one of the pipes in the bay with a piece of clear tubing - use a decent grade pipe, and leave it in for good. I'd also be checking spill pipes - you might even find a union not quite tight - or a knackered copper washer - it doesn't take much :( - the Bosch FIP is very tolerant of air, but it reaches a point where even it can't cope!
 
Weak lift pump is normal cause for low fuel in filter, defender fuel pipes runs are much shorter than disco versions so easier to check, has anyone modded the pipes in any way?
 
Disco1BFG said:
Unfortunately, many !! - any joint can leak, but its also known for pipework itself, as it gets old to perish, or wear away.... :rolleyes:
However, given the work done on yours recently, I'd start by checking all the unions in the engine bay, and go from there.... it's often a good idea to replace one of the pipes in the bay with a piece of clear tubing - use a decent grade pipe, and leave it in for good. I'd also be checking spill pipes - you might even find a union not quite tight - or a knackered copper washer - it doesn't take much :( - the Bosch FIP is very tolerant of air, but it reaches a point where even it can't cope!
Click to expand...

Will do exactly that this weekend, would I be expecting to see the lightest of drips if I inspect with the engine running?
 
lynall said:
Weak lift pump is normal cause for low fuel in filter, defender fuel pipes runs are much shorter than disco versions so easier to check, has anyone modded the pipes in any way?
Click to expand...

I replaced the fuel pump, fiddle little job to get the half moon spammers into the bolts holding it onto the engine. Felt a lot more resistance with the primer on this new lift pump but no improvement in terms of filling the fuel filter.
All the piped look box standard, but I will give them all a good inspection based on disco1bfgs suggestion and let you know if this isn't the case.

Thanks for the help on this.
 
Francois.Lefevre said:
Will do exactly that this weekend, would I be expecting to see the lightest of drips if I inspect with the engine running?
Click to expand...


No you wont see drips, what happens is when its running any air thats pulled in is worked through and out of the system, at a standstill the same air will get in and the fuel will run back to the tank, finding tiny air leaks on a diesel is actually quite hard!
Im not going outside to look as its to cold and Im a jessy, but Iirc the main leak off pipe from inj number 1 goes down to the return banjo on the injector pump just wondering if you have disturbed anything there?

It could be something you have done, or something else and is a total coincidence, but old guy told me many years ago if it was fine before you touched it and now its not its something youve done, many times that old bugger has proved to be right.
 
lynall said:
No you wont see drips, what happens is when its running any air thats pulled in is worked through and out of the system, at a standstill the same air will get in and the fuel will run back to the tank, finding tiny air leaks on a diesel is actually quite hard!
Click to expand...

+1 - this is exactly what happens IME you can choose one of the following as the most appropriate - :mad: :( :confused: :rolleyes: ......

lynall said:
but Iirc the main leak off pipe from inj number 1 goes down to the return banjo on the injector pump just wondering if you have disturbed anything there?
Click to expand...

agreed - and I've seen that banjo itself leak - and the main return pipe is very hard plastic, which loses flexibility with age, and thus loses the ability to seal - I've replaced all mine with silicon off evil bay:-
leak off.jpg


( its a 300, but....)

lynall said:
It could be something you have done, or something else and is a total coincidence, but old guy told me many years ago if it was fine before you touched it and now its not its something youve done, many times that old bugger has proved to be right.
Click to expand...

Oh so true !!
 
Hey all, thanks again for all you help with this, I have been out trying to find loose or cracked pipes and came across one which appears to have just been dangling down and not attached to anything.... I'm really hoping you are going to tell me it's not meant to be attached and that this is a stupid question.. but here goes... "what's this guy for and is it meant to be hanging around???"
 

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On a 300, as shown in pic in post #18 above, that goes to the pipe between the air filter and the turbo - and IIRC, the 200 is the same - I must be having brain fade, cos I can't work that out - unless its just the picture - here's the parts book page which seems to confirm the above...

http://www.allbrit.de/UNI.cfm?PAGE=800811&SPRACHE=EN

One more comment - you've got a br*tpart fuel filter on there - get shut of it pronto - get a proper one on there, mahle, crosslands, fleetguard etc, NOT sh*tpart !!!
 
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