I have just rebuilt a Defender 110 from 1985 with a 200tdi. During the first long drive after the 3 years it had taken to get it up and running the engine malfunctioned on the highway (NL) at around 100km/hr.
General back ground.
Then car has been taken apart completely for a chassis change. The only thing not taken apart was the engine and the axles, because of no previous problems. The engine is a 200tdi defender one. Do not know the precise mileage of the engine. The car has done 275.000km and the engine around a 100K lease (at least that is what they told me on purchase). I have fitted a R380 gearbox and transfer box from a 300tdi to get gearing has it should be.
Problem
I was driving along and suddenly the engine sound change to a high mechanical sound (more as normal for a 200tdi). I stopped checked the engine and the only thing I could find was oil spray to the underside of the bonnet just above the turbo outlet side of the air to the engine. It seems to have come between the hose and the turbo outlet.
The engine still runs and was able to drive to a save location where I stop the car and had it towed home.
I have searched the forums to see what the problem could be and the general problem with a 200tdi is the head gasket. Some other problems sounded the same as mine, so I decided to investigate the head gasket.
This weekend I have pulled the head, but no obvious signed of head gasket failure. What I did find really concerned me. The glow plug and injector of the third cylinder are completely covered in oil. Turned the engine over without any glow plugs and at #3 there was a mist of oil coming out. The compression test did not show any major differences.
Pulled the head and all the exhaust valves had touched the pistons and all there pushrods were bend. Pulled the timing cover and everything is on time except the camshaft, which is out about three teeth.
I was going for a new head gasket and head revision, but now I am not too sure. At this moment in time I think a head revision could solve the problem, but also a complete revision of the engine is the way the solve the problem. I know a engine revision is the fool prove option, but first I would like to get a idea of what the cause of the problem could be. I can not get my head around a possible cause and I hope one of you can help me.
The problem needs to be released to the oil in the #3 cylinder. I still think is somewhere in the head as the pistons look fine and compression was not a problem. But I can not imagine were all the oil is coming from and only in #3.
Any idea's and potential solutions?
thanks
Guy
