Dutchy7

Active Member
I have a 1989 defender 110 with the 2.5L TD. I rebuilt the engine and since then it has been putting out white smoke
like no ones business. Smells like its the fuel. It will also knock like its choking.

I am told it is the injectors. I need to still change those out, the glow plugs and put a new temp sensor.

I hope you guys can point me in the right direction to what to look at as in Texas there are no mechanics in my area that work on these and if there is they are quite a bit away and charge $100 an hour to just look at them.

Any help to a new Landy owner will be much appreciated.
 
I have a 1989 defender
No you don't. You have a 1989 One Ten. The Defender wasn't launched until 1990. ;)

110 with the 2.5L TD.
Is that a 19j TD or the latter 200 or 300 Tdi?

I rebuilt the engine and since then it has been putting out white smoke
Is it smoke or steam. As it'll make quite a difference to the cause and potential issue.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam

like no ones business. Smells like its the fuel. It will also knock like its choking.
Can you give anymore info on this? Diesels don't normally knock, as they don't suffer pre-det like a petrol can. Unless the timing is out. Also not sure what choking would be like on a diesel.

I am told it is the injectors. I need to still change those out, the glow plugs and put a new temp sensor.
Glow plugs won't affect how a diesel runs, they are only used at start up and only needed in the cold. I don't even have the glow plugs hooked up on my Tdi.

Likewise, the temp sensor only feeds the temp gauge and has no bearing on how it'll be running.

I hope you guys can point me in the right direction to what to look at as in Texas there are no mechanics in my area that work on these and if there is they are quite a bit away and charge $100 an hour to just look at them.

Any help to a new Landy owner will be much appreciated.
Are you able to get a vid of it running and the problems?


Normally white smoke would be turbo bearings. Or if blue tinged, then it's burning oil. If it's steam however, then it could just be water in the exhaust mufflers evaporating, or water getting into the combustion chamber.

I wouldn't rule out the injectors, but I'd want to double check and/or adjust the timing and check the tappets.
 
No you don't. You have a 1989 One Ten. The Defender wasn't launched until 1990. ;)

Actually, the name defender was created in 1990. All series before that were labeled Defender after the name was adopted.

Is that a 19j TD or the latter 200 or 300 Tdi?

A 19J is a 2.5, therefore it is a 2.5 TD.


Is it smoke or steam. As it'll make quite a difference to the cause and potential issue.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam

I'm pretty sure it's smoke but
Thank you for the Wikipedia in the event i didn't know.

Can you give anymore info on this? Diesels don't normally knock, as they don't suffer pre-det like a petrol can. Unless the timing is out. Also not sure what choking would be like on a diesel.



Glow plugs won't affect how a diesel runs, they are only used at start up and only needed in the cold. I don't even have the glow plugs hooked up on my Tdi.
Likewise, the temp sensor only feeds the temp gauge and has no bearing on how it'll be running.
Are you able to get a vid of it running and the problems?
Normally white smoke would be turbo bearings. Or if blue tinged, then it's burning oil. If it's steam however, then it could just be water in the exhaust mufflers evaporating, or water getting into the combustion chamber.
I wouldn't rule out the injectors, but I'd want to double check and/or adjust the timing and check the tappets.

I'm not a complete idiot when it
comes to these trucks. But it's smoke and you can smell the diesel. I will get a video of it and post it this weekend. While driving it knocks when trying to accelerate. When cruising it's fine. I haven't driven it since the smoke started getting heavier and the knocking happened.
I'm being told the injectors as I didn't replace and or the oil filter needing relplaced.
 
After it the engine was rebuilt nothing as far as tuning was done due to it needing to be at the port for shipment. Timing was another thing I was contemplating. Hope you all can help.
 
I'd say check the timing first. White smoke sounds retarded however knocking sounds advanced. So check it then the injectors. A diesel place should be able to test the injectors off the vehicle.
 
I'd say check the timing first. White smoke sounds retarded however knocking sounds advanced. So check it then the injectors. A diesel place should be able to test the injectors off the vehicle.

Thanks springdon I will let you know the outcome.
 
I'd say check the timing first. White smoke sounds retarded however knocking sounds advanced. So check it then the injectors. A diesel place should be able to test the injectors off the vehicle.

Trying to upload a video. Won't let me.
 
Trying to upload a video. Won't let me.

Don't know how to unload videos or if it's possible. I think most people just put a link to the video on Instagram or YouTube.
There is one test you could do if you're reasonably confident. Take out an injector and connect back to the fuel but with the nozzle uppermost. Then crank the engine and check that you can see a fan shaped spray rather than a dribble or a squirt. Put it back then try the next one. But be very careful not to put any of your skin near the nozzle else bad things happen.
If all the injectors seem ok then you have a timing issue. Or possibly a compression problem. If the compression isn't high enough (around 230psi minimum), it won't go bang so you'll have unburnt fuel in the exhaust.
Injector and compression tests are easy but failing that pump or timing seem most likely.
 
So compression may be alternate. I forgot to also tell you that there is an exhaust leak where it meets with the turbo. But that shouldn't cause the pressure loss as its minimal.
 
As has been said - knocking, usually injectors.

New injectors in. Much! Smoother. Less smoke. When accelerating the smoke comes out like it's pouring fuel in it. Is there a way to tune or regulate it? Mind you this is after a engine rebuild and nothing was done to it before or after the new injectors were put in. Injectors were put in today.
 
New injectors in. Much! Smoother. Less smoke. When accelerating the smoke comes out like it's pouring fuel in it. Is there a way to tune or regulate it? Mind you this is after a engine rebuild and nothing was done to it before or after the new injectors were put in. Injectors were put in today.
White smoke is un-burnt non carbonised diesel. I suspect this is a timing issue following the rebuild.
 
you need to remove front timing cover, put pin in the flywheel housing, check cam marks align, check pump pulley aligns with the dot not f if so stamped,you then remove plug out of the side of the pump and either use a pin or by sight check slot in the edge of the disc is aligned with the hole, you slacken pump mounts to twist pump to correct if needed, check tappets too
 

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