Looking for a bit of advise pls... here's my story...

02 Defender Td5. Well serviced. Injector harness done 2yr ago.

Normally it starts really well, at any ambient temperature, even without waiting for pre-heat.

A couple of weeks ago, I found that when the engine had not been started for a few hours, it would fire up only for a couple of seconds then die, on second cranking attempt it would start and run fine. Also hot starting was fine.
After a bit of searching, I decided to change the fuel filter housing in case it was a faulty air bleed valve (and the housing was cracked around the mounting bolts anyhow). This made no difference to the problem.

Then last week, it refused to start at all (cranking fast but not firing). Could hear fuel pump running normally. Luckily, I was stranded just over the road from an independant LR garage. I left it with them, a few days later they had given the battery a good charge up and had diagnosed a weak fuel pump, and it was starting again.

So, drove it home, and made a access hole to the fuel pump thru the floor and had a look at the fuel pump - everything was clean and no algae inside.

Refitted the pump and then I connected a pressure gauge in-line with the fuel cooler and I'm only getting 1.5 bar (should be 4 bar), so I replaced the pump assembly with a new VDO unit. Still I'm only getting 1.5 bar. and the starting problem is the same.

So, I'm guessing my fuel pressure regulator must be faulty? Has anyone else encountered anything similar?

Does this low pressure explain my starting problem ?

that and injector seals are common faults

Injector seals, had crossed my mind too, but not sure it that would cause such a large loss of fuel pressure?

Five Pots said:

Injector seals, had crossed my mind too, but not sure it that would cause such a large loss of fuel pressure?

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Ratty and I had fun with his, I think fuel regulator sounds favorite, but injector seals also cause loads of odd running symptoms.

Does yours gurgle or need a lot of priming?

No gurgling or priming probs, no external leaks. I'll probably get a new FPR 2moro. I'm not sure if the low pressure is giving me the cold start problem, or whether there are two faults here. ??

Anyhow, i need to get it sorted pronto, last week I had to borrow a Range Rover, and I don't want folk thinking I'm a fudge-packer and/or drug dealer

I've somehow managed to trap a nerve in my neck, giving me the most flippin incredible arm pain and tingling fingers, so no progress on the Landy for a few days at least

Five Pots said:

Anyhow, i need to get it sorted pronto, last week I had to borrow a Range Rover, and I don't want folk thinking I'm a fudge-packer and/or drug dealer

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If your going to slag off my Rangie, you can get the bus next time the fender goes tits up

mike97 said:

If your going to slag off my Rangie, you can get the bus next time the fender goes tits up

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What's a bus?

All sorted now , IMO the injector seals were allowing combustion gases into the diesel, giving starting problems and probably lead to the death of the fuel pump.

The low pressure readings were down to fitting the gauge in the wrong part of the circuit