shawn1uk

New Member
Good Morning! (I'm sorry for my first post being one asking for help, but desperate times!).

I was hoping some of you might be able to help me diagnose an engine fault with my 02 TD5 Defender 90.

I was doing the 100 mile or so journey back home after Christmas with the family (it was 28th Dec, very very cold, snow etc).
About half way we decided to stop for some lunch at a service station, at this point the engine was running fine, punchy as always.

20 minutes later we started her up, it wasn't obvious (my passenger didn't hear it) but I could hear something didn't sound right, it wasn't metallic or as obvious as the video but it just seemed off tune.
I dare say if you weren't accustomed to the tune of this specific engine you wouldn't hear it.

So off onto the A55 we went, she drove ok(ish) no additional noises, but there was a very distinct lack in power when accelerating.
Accelerator flat on the floor (on level ground) it would hit 50 in 5th and that's all she would give; it almost felt electronically limited, it just goes flat rather than seeming to want struggle higher (is this Limp Home mode? or too fast?).
Turbo at this point was about 0.7 bar (normally about 1 bar).
Any slight incline it struggled with massively, full throttle it couldn't maintain 30 uphill even dropping down to 4th.
Occasionally the boost gauge would very rapidly jump between .5 bar and .7 bar (3/4 times a second), but then would stop at .7 again.

After we encountered the gradient where she was crawling up, I decided to pull off at the next service station.
Turned off the engine and left it a few minutes, checking for any obvious leaks underneath, all hoses connected etc.
Tried to turn her over and she didn't start.
Gave it another 5 minutes this time she started, but with a slightly more pronounced "off beat" tune but still nothing that indicated mechanical failure.

So I drove her down the road, again still the same pronounced lack of power uphill, but on a flat taking it easy you wouldn't notice it.
At this point I decided to call the recovery truck, not wanting to drive her the rest of the way in an unknown state.

While waiting for them to arrive, I had a little play unplugging sensors, letting it cool off, took some brake cleaner to the injector/loom plug on the front of the engine, none of this helped.

I should mention, I noticed a few months ago there was ever so slight amount of oil (half a teaspoon) wicked down into the red ECU connector but I'd cleaned it and the engine plug side and its not reoccurred since (a slowly developing fault no doubt, haven't got around to replacing the loom yet).

She still had enough power to move under her own steam up onto the recovery ramp, but it was less than normal.

When finally got her back home (after an hour and a bit of cooling off), drove her off the recovery truck and now she makes the very obvious stuttering heard in the video.
Still can move under her own steam, just I've left her in low range otherwise she'd stall on the slight incline of where I am parked.

If you listen closely you can hear two things in the video;
Firstly the very apparent rough running, skipping a beat almost? a cylinder not firing? She vibrates a lot.
Secondly you hear a quite "ting or squeak" for the lack of a better explanation, its not very loud, but its there without any specific pattern.

http://youtu.be/YPdx63XNejA
http://youtu.be/Btj3kKAwW08

One more thing to add, it may only be coincidence or misinformation, but I topped up my tank with diesel that morning for the trip (took 21 L as it was mostly full), working out the MPG on the trip down before xmas I only got 22MPG, normally that's about 28MPG on such a trip. Maybe a puzzle piece someone can place.

Things I've tried,
Unplugged MAF
Unplugged Intake manifold sensor (I forgot its proper name, AAP/IAP maybe?)
Cleaned connectors I can get too without dismantling (with brake cleaner).
Checked for various leaks, piping disconnections.
Checked exhaust manifold for whistling / leaking.
Checked engine oil level, coolant level (wasn't overheating according to the gauge or low on fuel).
There's no warning lights on the dash (MIL?).

I'f my fingers can manage the cold I'll get the old Injector loom out from the engine today and check it for connectivity and resistivity.

I've got a new rocker gasket and Injector loom on order, I suspect that its a faulty injector loom (praying to Odin, Zeus and every other manner of god that is the fault and not something more expensive).
That said, I don't quite understand the sudden onset rather than intermittent misfiring leading up to total failure.. but I guess it had to die at "some" time.

But without me leading you, what would you conclude the fault to be, and what would you call how its running in the video?
 
Certainly doesn't sound right. Could be a number of things. I would check all your turbo hoses to make sure none are split, etc. However judging by the sound of the engine's unusual idling it's not that....
 
Hey, and thanks for the reply, I've been over intake hoses and various intake connections to see if there was any whistling, pressure escaping, but I am not finding anything.

Think I might have narrowed it down, just noticed the fuel pump isn't whirring on turning the ignition for the 30s or so, nor when starting the fuel bleed processes does it whirr. Certainly not correct behaviour I think.

I've checked the electrics as far as I can, all the way up to the purple white wire that goes from the pump relay to the connector on top of the fuel tank.
I have 12v here when I should have. So I guess next step is checking between purple white wire between relay and fuel pump connector, and the pump itself... shame about accessing the blasted thing!

I don't fully understand how it matches my symptoms though, I'd have thought the engine wouldn't run at all if it wasn't getting fuel, maybe there is residual pressure and enough suction from the injectors?
That said, I just tried to turn it over and it wasn't starting this time.
Maybe the original difference in tone I noticed when leaving the station wasn't the engine at all, but the lack of a fuel pump, normally its quite audible initially, later on the very clear engine sputtering is a lack of fuel?

Wished I had one of those diagnostic tools now!

I'll drop the fuel tank tomorrow and check the connection on top see if it has 12v and apply 12v directly to pump see if it goes...
 
If it was a petrol engine I'd say it was missing. Definitely sounds like it's not firing on at least one cylinder. The hissing noise sounds like compressed air escaping through a small aperture or air perhaps being sucked into a cylinder. I'd be tempted to check the injectors, it might be something as simple as one has worked loose or seal gone.
 
Have you got a Nanocom or similar so you can have a look at the error codes?

About three months ago I was running roughly and was getting some 'peak charge long' errors which were remedied by a new injector loom.
 
I'm no expert but it does sound like its missing to me. Have you checked loom/ecu for oil? I have injector loom and a Nano but you are at least 2 hours from me so it would be a bit of a trek to find I can't help.
 
Yeah the loom had a little bit of oil from maybe 6 months back (tiny amount), but since cleaning it up it hasn't returned, a slow fault developing I hadn't yet got around to fixing; but it was on the todo list!

That said new loom and gasket is on its way to fit tomorrow as it was my first suspect;

Though having played with it today, I am pretty sure its the fuel pump that's gone; it's not starting now although it really is trying!

When turning the key you don't get that initial 30s of fuel pump whirring and starting the priming procedure you get nothing, no whirring although the orange light on the dash flashes indicating its started and you can hear the fuel pump relay clacking.

Opening the fuel cap there was a negative pressure, sucking air in, which doesn't normally occur (I think I freed a blockage in the breather pipe round the other side); maybe a contributing factor to its failure.

I've checked the electrics and were good for 12v out of the relay on white/purple wire, so next is checking for 12v on top of the pump (connector) and checking the pump itself... so I'll drop the tank tomorrow see where I get too... damn thing is full so got to somehow suck 60 odd litres out =.= I've got some 6mm dia tubing I can get into the fuel, but it's going to take all day!
 
When I changed my pump I cut a hole in the floor of the rear tub, much easier than dropping the tank. There a couple of threads on here about it with dimensions of where to cut.
Have you tried giving the tank a bang? I've heard of pumps becoming stuck and a good bang freeing them off.
There is also a way of priming the fuel, I think it's 5 presses on the accelerator pedal or something similar.
 
I hadn't thought about cutting the floor, I figured cutting blindly wasn't the smartest move and I should follow the workshop manual, but if its been done before I'll take a look, thanks for the heads up!

I've hit the tank with my first and a smallish hammer gently tapped the cradle, but I didn't want to take it over board... maybe in the morning I'll try something a little more brutish.

And yeah, ignition on, 5 presses of the accelerator is what I have been doing to start priming, relay clacks, dash flashes, but no whirring from this infernal contraption!
 
Cheers dude you've save me a boat load of hassle no doubt!

I got the dremmel & oscillating saw in hand, I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow!
 
Lack of fuel from the in tank pump will restrict power on most diesels, don't know the td5 but I'd say that your diagnosis of the pump is the right one.
 
And she's back!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y7rEleRovk

Seems it very much was the fuel pump, pre-filter mesh all gunged up with black stuff, not a single square left open.
The new pump is very much quieter than the old one, I suspect its been struggling the entire time I've had it (1.5 years), I've just not known any different in noise to realise a problem; finally giving up on the coldest morning I've seen in a while.

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