monkie

I think that it is piston quality as the injectors were in a right old state on the engine before I rebuilt it. I sent them away and the nozzles were replaced on all 4. The old nozzles had heat marks and a lot of baked on soot all over them.

It gets warm in a couple of miles. I now know the pistons get warm in a couple of metres

I've got my new pistons, had some advice from diesel Bob who said if it isn't smoking and it starts okay it is unlikely to be injectors and pump. So the plan is to put it all back together with my recon turbo and start saving for a defender 200tdi and then do a rebuild of that like Western did. I think a defender spec 200tdi will have a stock look rather than a disco tdi slapped in. Thank you for all of the advice and help.

I managed to assemble my new pistons onto the conrods in the kitchen whilst my wife and kids were playing a game at the table. They actually commented that it was nice I didn't disappear into my shed "as normal". Little do they know that this has now egged me on to prep the head and manifolds in the kitchen too as it's nice and warm in the kitchen with good lighting. Oh and the dishwasher is great for cleaning up engine parts

If spraying inside your home, have the doors and windows open as a minimum precaution so you don't inhale too many fumes. I know this is a bit health and safety but they really aren't good for you and in an enclosed space they can really make you dizzy. I wear a mask when spraying to reduce my intake to a minimum.

Sorry, I think it's me that has caused the confusion. Two separate issues here on this thread about the alternator as far as I can see. The OP's question was regarding the alignment which is clearly out with the alternator sitting further back in relation to the fan pulley. From the pictures by the OP, I think as well as the alignment issue the adjuster bracket used to set the belt tension is mounted incorrectly which may or may not result in difficulties tensioning the belt correctly when the alignment problem is solved. Best to correct that now to save some trouble later on when the alignment is corrected.

Okay, here is a picture of a Defender 200tdi from Glen Coyne's website (glencoyne.co.uk) . You can still see the alternator adjustment bracket is at the diagonal rather than horizontal.

This is actually Western's picture I found on a search (hope you don't mind Ralph?). It shows the correct position of the adjusting bracket for the alternator as I was trying to describe above.

I also think your adjuster isn't mounted correctly. On your picture it looks like it is almost horizontal. On my 19J (and I'm sure the defender spec 200tdi is the same), the adjuster is mounted to the timing cover plate lower so that it points upwards towards the alternator at about a 2 o'clock position. Someone may have a picture to help you.

Maybe it's a special "parking assist" feature fitted to those vehicles

This could be a slippery slope to a full rebuild. I assume that the engine has been fully serviced, valve clearances checked and adjusted as required, timing has been checked and the hoses from the turbo, intercooler and manifold are in good condition?

That's a very good point. Pack plenty of rags at the bottom of the bore over the crank.

No, it got nice and warm within a mile or two. The injectors spray fuel directly into the swirl chamber so shouldn't be penetrating through to the piston... I hope.

I'm not aware of different types of nozzle for the 19J. I've got a late type (1990). The more I think about this the more I blame the pistons being made of substandard stuff that can't take the heat. The hot spots aren't damaged, the injector nozzles themselves didn't look damaged on the surface and I don't think it's the oil jets on the underside. I'm going to replace the pistons, put my recon turbo on (Richard's old turbo with new chra), get the injectors tested and then put it all back together. If I can be bothered I might take the head off in 12 months to see how the pistons are coping.

They are the original ones but I got them refurbed by a diesel specialist near Reading I think whilst I was working that way. I'm away in Germany at the moment so can't pop out and look at them but I didn't notice anything obvious visually. I'm not going to fiddle with them, I'll speak with diesel bob first and possibly send them and the pump to him

Thank you, that is very kind of you. I might look into how much a courier would be.

They weren't blue box but I am now highly suspicious of them. I will get them checked. I think the first port of call will be diesel Bob as a few people on here have recommended him.

Thanks Richard. I'm going to do as Bowie says and then start saving up!

That's the plan! I'm going to get my injectors checked out as well. It looks like the engine was trying to lower its compression ratio on its own!

I used a flexihone on a two stroke engine. I found it harder to use than the normal 3 legged type. Use plenty of lubrication when you do it. Have you got anything to practice on first? I wonder if you went to a local scrap yard and could find some steel pipe roughly the same bore size to have a go on so you know what you have to do to get a good cross hatch pattern.

I must say Ralph I very much enjoyed reading your 200tdi rebuild thread and it made me want to do the same. I think a defender 200tdi would look much more home in my 110 than the 300 tdi did. As my 19J has only done 2 and half years of driving before ruining the pistons following the rebuild I really must consider my options. I know Mike has a defender 200tdi.... All I need is some money. I have two lottery tickets for tomorrow 🤞 And oh yes I have a rear diff eating itself and my LT77 has quite a lot of play in the input shaft. What a good job I don't need my 110 as a daily driver!

That's the thing, you are right Richard. It does drive nice when the pistons are not melted and doesn't have that tdi clatter. You are right, I love the originality. When I look at my engine in bits and melted pistons, it is disheartening but then again its just for fun and not my daily driver. The 300tdi I used to have just didn't look at home at all and looked thrown in (albeit by me!), that's why I took it out and sold it to fund my 19J rebuild. The 19j has the look I like in my late 80s 110.

I saw that too. As my plan is to get it running again as cheap as I can I have sourced some old stock "AE" pistons. Makes me wonder if AE did make them in the first place and just rebrand them, something they have stopped doing? Who knows.

Hehe, that thought goes through my head each time I look at my poorly 19J in bits and then messaged you the other day! I don't think I have defender spec 200Tdi money at the moment, particularly now I've posted pics of my pistons, I think your engine has just gone up in price Mike I think at the moment my plan is to get my 19J running again as cheaply as I can then save up for a defender 200tdi. Maybe have a garage sale to build the funds up.

I have had a split diaphragm in the past and I haven't got any of the signs this time like a pressurised tank or the white smoke. But I shall check to be sure.