Hello I've been getting on really well with my fresh freelander 1 td4, just put a new turbo in it and it was towing my shearing trailer like there was nothing there. I'd noticed a slight tapping noise when the engine was working, i.e pulling away or change to a high gear etc, well it hadn't got angry worse so thought nort of it. On Sunday I put the empty cattle box on it as I had to collect it and I didn't have the 90, the engine hazard light came on when pulling up hill, stope it and then it was fine,but it did it a few times as it's not flat where I am. Took it docking again today with the shearing trailer about 20 miles no problems ,plenty of power but still the is tapping with no issues. .....until I'm a mile from home after a reasonable up hill clip tgen bang! Loud tap tap tap off the drivers side of the engine ,got out to look but couldn't see anything tgen it cut out? Lucky I was facing down hill so rolled a fair ways back the farm and then got a tow, but no idea what's causing the problem,it won't fire up ,any ideas?

Put a spanner on the crank pulley nut and see if there's and slack when rocking the crank back and forth. It's not unheard of for the crank to fail between the No1 big end and No1 main bearing. So if rocking the crank pulley feels loose for bit before getting stiffer, then that's probably the problem. Fingers crossed it's something less serious than a broken crank, but it's sounding that way to me.

Ok ill give it a try in the morning but it still turns over, would it lock up?

Farmer hill said:

Ok ill give it a try in the morning but it still turns over, would it lock up?

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The crank snaps at a web, so normally spins over just fine. The cam timing goes all variable, so can stop it starting.

Another forum member recently had a similar sound that got worse. That was traced to a broken crank. I've seen quite a lot over the years and always in the same place. I'm thinking it's a design fault, as that end of the crank isn't exactly doing much work.

Ahh right ok, is it a big job to repair?

First hand experience of TD4 crank breaking - mine ran for several thousand miles with a tapping and then a knock. Only locked up after a final engine cut out and failed to re-start. Turning starter sounded like a bag of nails and the engine stopped very abruptly, like a hydraulic lock.

If it is this I have covered the work required in my thread - https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/td4-completed-v6-ongoing-rebuild-projects.333116/

Farmer hill said:

Ahh right ok, is it a big job to repair?

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If it's the crank failed, then a replacement second hand engine is the best bet. But check it over first, before condemning the current engine.