monkie

I understand from your first post that you cracked open the pipes from the FIP to the injectors and no diesel came out when the engine was cranked over and when you checked the FIP it was full of air. Is that right? You say you have checked the lift pump is working and bled air from the FIP, is it still full of diesel after you try cranking the engine over with the injector pipes loose or is it full of air again when you come to check it? Someone else might be able to confirm - I would have thought that if something had caused the FIP to stop delivering to all 4 injectors then the engine would have cut out straight away as if you had pulled out the key?

Is this what you mean? http://www.paddockspares.com/mrc7279-flexible-tube.html I think I've got both spare somewhere, if you want me to dig them out you can have them for nothing if you like.

I was thinking pump/injectors too when I read your post, is it smokey? Although I remember my old car years ago (mondeo with the Ford 1.8TD engine) behaved like you have described at tick over and got worse and worse quickly - it turned out to be the cylinder head gasket. If you have access to getting a compression test done and the coolant checked for exhaust gasses then that might be an easy and cheap way to rule a head gasket out before you get the pump/injectors inspected.

Yeah sorry about that. I typed it before you had put that link up, there was a delay. Its certainly a strange noise on that clip. Have you ran then engine for a short while with the belts off to rule out the ancillary stuff driven off the belts, I thought about that when someone on the other thread mentioned the viscous fan.

I would have thought that the fuel flowing through the pump will take all the excess heat away? Might be a mad idea, but I'm sure you would be able to use some garden wire to hold some loft insulation round it while you take it on a quick drive round the block to see if it has made a difference?

Can you put a video or sound clip up of the noise Richard? In terms of heat, I would imagine that the fuel would carry any excess heat out of the pump?

You mention that you checked the solenoid - have you got power to the stop solenoid as you are pumping the lift pump handle so that it is open and allowing fuel into the injection pump? The advice in the post above coupled with plenty of fuel in the tank should get the air out. If the pump has lots of air in it then it will take a few minutes to bleed out. I find it better to use slow, full strokes on the lift pump to produce a constant and steady flow of fuel rather than a series of spurts. Also make sure that all of the unions are sound so that air isn't leaking back in after your efforts. I'm sure the 12J system is the same as the 19J. When I beld my system on my 19J a while ago, I forgot to properly tighten the joint where the injector spill rail connects to the return pipe to the top of the filter and had to do the job again when it wouldn't start again in the morning!

Really interesting thread Richard, I've been thinking for quite a while about stripping down my leaking LT77 and was going to look at my transfer box while I was there - I haven't plucked up the courage to start messing around with either yet! When I did my engine swap recently there was a hell of alot of play on the input shaft. I think its jointly the fear of all the parts springing out onto the floor that has been putting me off and the more rational fear of realising I haven't got the right puller or other tools halfway through stripping it down! Have you seen Trailer fitter's video on stripping down an LT230? plus there is this on here about rebuilding the LT77 http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=52887

I recently rebuilt a 19J engine that is painted the same colour as the picture above. I spoke to Turners and they told me that the block colour they use is red oxide. I painted my 19J block with red oxide and the head with high temperature black paint from Halfords. I was worried red oxide wouldn't cope with the temperature of the block but so far so good.

Before you spend any money on parts, I think it will help you to identify the exact point of the leak if you give the whole area where the oil seems to be coming from a real thorough clean. It should then be a bit more obvious where the oil is coming from (and to what extent) when you take it for a drive post the clean up. Obviously a gasket set won't be a lot of help if it is a loose or broken pipe. HTH

Not got one myself, but sonic baths are quite affordable these days for cleaning small parts such as injecotors and they just use water. No nasty solvents

....Also, Wikipedia is useful, but it is best to get information on any chemical from a MSDS (material saftey data sheet). MEK MDSD link: http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927358

That's right. MEK and lots of other commonly used stuff aren't very nice or as the above suggests, not yet tested. If you look up the MSDS for Nitromors for example (which you can buy in B&Q) you will see it contains DCM (a chlorinated solvent) and methanol. Also body fillers for example often contain styrene. All of which are potentially very dangerous to your health..... if you don't take sensible precautions. As with most chemicals, be sensible and wear rubber gloves, eye protection, don't use it in enclosed spaces and keep well away from sources of ignition - you'll be fine. (really of the above is just as applicable to petrol)

Not heard of it before either, have you used it before or someone recommended it? Don't know what job you have in mind, but if it's a powerful solvent you are after for getting rid of those last residues left behind that petrol, paraffin or similar won't shift, then this stuff is available off ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone-Butanone-MEK-1ltr-/171837937595?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6567#bsi-c MEK (Methyl ethyl ketone), but be warned - it smells like some one is holding a white board marker pen up your nose. If you get some, use it outside in the fresh air!

I don't think it would hurt to get a new lift pump, but it is worth checking for air leaks in the whole fuel system first. If the injector spill line is damaged or not on properly, air can get in causing difficult starting.

Halfords sell a special little kit for this purpose, I used this on my 300Tdi a few years ago and so far it is still on there ok: http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/garage-equipment/fuses-electricals-fixings/halfords-diesel-spill-off-pipe?cm_mmc=Google+PLA-_-Garage+Equipment-_-Fuses,+Electricals+&+Fixings-_-187990&_$ja=tsid:60494|cgn:GoogleShopping|kw:187990&istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istItemId=wiaamaq&istBid=tzxp&_$ja=tsid:35522|cid:344535484|agid:25437357364|tid:aud-80976661069:pla-221240598244|crid:89797547524|nw:g|rnd:7058299206146274336|dvc:c|adp:1o1&gclid=Cj0KEQjw9tW5BRDk29KDnqWu4fMBEiQAKj7spyGUBeDlYJVjD8cZDHwkPpia0DlFVJngfNeqGle-WJMaAnZH8P8HAQ Halfords call it "diesel spill off pipe", I've always known it as leak off or spill rail. Probably one of those things where there are loads of names for the same thing.

Did you have a go at getting the head gasket sorted?

Well, I'm sure someone will know for certain and chip in. I wouldn't start it up untill someone has clarified if you will be okay with the different gasket. I don't know how fine the clearance is - best to play it safe.

Its to do with piston protrusion. Its measured on all 4 pistons relative to the block then the greatest amount of protrusion is used to determin which thickness head gasket to get. I don't know how much risk there is of the piston hitting something if you use the wrong gasket. Have you ran the engine yet?

Hopefully this will help to give you confidence that this job is well within the scope of the average DIYer. People have mentioned videos on youtube, trailerfitter does some really good videos showing you how - he even has one on this very topic, and you can see the head on a 300Tdi isn't a heavy to lift as you might think. The only parts this video doesn't show is you have to drain the coolant, remove the injector pipes, take the feed wire off from the 4th glow plug (nearest the bulkhead), remove inlet and exhaust manifolds, take off the oil feed pipe at the back of the head, and then the rocker cover off (don't think I've missed anything?)- all easy jobs! The next video after it covers putting the head back on again. Tempted yet?

I would suspect the valve seals and/or turbo too before anything else. I would have thought that if the pistons/bores were worn the problem wouldn't go away? Can you make it smoke by just revving it on the drive? If so, take off one of the pipes between the turbo and inlet manifold and see if the smoke goes away. If not then I would consider taking the head off to change the valve stem seals.

Its even easier than that - You only need a valve compressor if you plan to take the valves out. You don't need to do that if you are just changing the gasket.

Try the above first, but don't ignore it if that doesn't help. This happened to me a couple of years ago and I ignored it for a while. I think I had noticed a lot of air in the fluid (can't quite remember). When I drove off the drive one day (luckily backwards and in the daylight) I saw a trail of PAS fluid. I stopped and took a look under the bonnet to find the pulley for the PAS pump hanging out of the pump with fluid everywhere. I think it was down to a failed bearing, but was hard to tell as I was looking at a load of broken metal! I don't know if you would be able to feel roughness in the bearings if you took off the serpentine belt and felt the PAS pump pulley by hand for anything unusual - might be worth a try, I didn't think to look!

It isn't a very difficult job because you aren't going to have to worry about the timing belt unlike other vehicles with overhead cams. You will need a good socket set,a can of penetrating oil and a torque wrench. The Haynes manual is a good reference for torque figures of all the nuts and bolts for when you put it back on (don't guess). Here is a good guide from Les on how to take off the head on a 300Tdi..... http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=8179 Let us know what part of the country/world you are in. Someone might be able to help you if you get stuck. Don't use a cheapo head gasket from a blue box!

Looking more closely to your engine bay picture there is little give away that tells you a 19J turbo diesel was orginally fitted to your land rover. If you look infront of the airfilter box, bolted on to the inner wing is a little cylindrical thing on it's side. They were only fitted to 19J engines as far as know. They were fitted to tell you when the airfilter was clogged up.