Escape

Yes, you can try to bump start the car, that will take the starter out of the loop so it can't cause interference. But if it doesn't start easily when towed, it could still be the injector seals. Sometimes at higher rpm the leaks can be overcome. Also worth checking the red plug to the ECU under the seat for oil contamination coming from the injector harness.

We need a bit more info. Are you using the remote or the key in the driver's door? Is the sill button moving? The handle has some mechanical parts that can fail, can't really think of something that is sensitive to heat. Temperature differences are too small for expansion to have an effect. There are some microswitches in the latch, those could have bad solder joint as @FridgeFreezer mentioned. But that would still allow you to mechanically unlock and open the driver's door with the key. Filip

I've needed my spare once while on the road (not in a Land Rover) and twice while off roading. I must admit these days I usually don't carry one. In the Range Rover the spare wheel well is taken up by the LPG-tank, in the Esprit I leave out the spare because that gives me extra storage in the front (the rear boot gets hot so not suitable for groceries or such). I do tend to take a spare when going on longer trips. Most moderns don't have a spare either, certainly not a full size one. Either it because of cost cutting, trying to get weight down (better ways to do that!) or simply because there no longer is room for one (the spare wheel well is often used to house the adblue tank). You do get a repair kit and compressor, but that wont always be enough. Even if there is a spare, that is very rarely checked so might not be much help when you need it... A few years ago we had to cut short a greenlaning trip with friends because of a flat. The spare was a lot smaller than the off road tyres fitted, so @elbekko wisely decided to leave for home so as not to put too much strain on the driveline. We were lucky enough to find a tyre shop along the way that was willing to help out on a Sunday, but we did miss out on some fun. He carries a full size spare ever since!

That must be quite a sight!

I actually like that! I don't know why I never really thought of it before. After that video I'd definitely consider it as a sensible option for access to LEZ etc, cheap with a modern(ish) engine but none of the gizmos that I hate in just about all other modern cars. And it certainly has character! Just slap on some Ladoga stickers and I'd be on my happy way. 😀

From what I've heard and seen, the TDV8 seems a bit easier to work on than the TDV6. The manual claims it can be done without removing the body and I've seen estimates of 8-9 hours to replace 1 turbo. So should be doable. I'll get someone to take some pictures and will try to do a write up.

You make it sound real easy! Want to come over and show me? 😁

Very true! Especially as it's an automatic so once it starts running on oil there's not much you can do to stall it, except pull off the intake hoses. And I wouldn't want to be the one undoing the hose clamps while the V8 just behind it is revving towards an explosion! Next question, any tips to replace the turbos? Filip

That does not sound good... A replacement engine might be the best/easiest way to go. We did a headgasket job on an M51 last year but not long after it suffered similar problems and spewed engine oil all over the place. He's now fitting another engine, as that turns out cheaper and easier than replacing the head etc. (especially as he still hasn't paid me for the replacement engine...) Best of luck! Filip

We finally managed to identify the problem. Yesterday I got my hands on a scope so we tried the relative compression test. It took us a while to interpret the data but there didn't seem to be any evidence of compression loss on one or more cilinders. While cranking over the engine, we noticed it didn't really make a difference if the electric fuel supply pump was running or unplugged. Even unplugged the engine would fire a few times before dying. So the high pressure pump must be good enough to get the fuel from the tank. Then we started hearing bubbling noises from the intake, surely that can't be normal and they weren't there before! Some more investigation showed oil in one of the hoses from the airfilter to the LHS turbo. And a noticeable drop in engine oil level. So there we have it, one of the turbo's has had it, spewing oil into the intake and possibly blocking the exhaust. I was surprised to see the turbo's are not too expensive (£200ish) and if I read the workshop manual correctly should be just accessible without a body-off. So we'll probably give that a go. Thanks all for the suggestions and support! Even though it's not the easy fix we hoped for, we're very glad to have found a cause. Filip

Have fun guys!!

I have to agree with you both. The engine starts with a set of default values, once turning the problem manifests itself. It doesn't feel like the ECU is shutting down deliberately though, more like desperately clinging to idle but failing. We came to the same dreaded conclusion it's beginning to look like a mechanical issue... Which might well mean the end of the road for this car, considering it's got around 250k miles and pretty poor bodywork. It was de facto replaced by a newer RRS 3.0 last year, but kept around for occasional use.

Thanks a lot for your effort Ed! 👍 I do have the manual and have been going through it looking for clues. I'll try and answer all your questions: - I can't get the engine to run anymore. That only worked last Tuesday, while I was looking at the intake and had one intake hose disconnected. Now it starts, tries to settle at idle, very lumpy and usually dies within a second or so. Just enough to get a couple of revolutions after the starter has disengaged, rpm rising to 600-700 once and immediately dropping, bouncing around 500 rpm a couple of times before stalling. It feels like it just needs a little bit more to catch and keep running, like last week. That was a very lumpy and rough idle, but last until I turned it off. Tacho signal confirmed by the dash and diagnostics, so I agree the CKS should be OK. - EGRs have both been blanked, from what I read on other forums and confirmed by @L19MUD that shouldn't throw any codes on a 2007 3.6. Even if it does throw a code, I don't think that should prevent starting. Especially if a faulty EGR was the problem in the first place. As per above, I certainly can't get the engine running to play around with EGRs. - Fuel pressure: I can't read the fuel rail pressure with Lynx (it has no problems on other engines like the TD6), Torque gives values and while those seem off you could see it rise when cranking and falling again when stalling. We did get an error code for FRP when we tried disconnecting it to see if that made a difference (it didn't). What we did was measure the supply pressure from the pump in the tank. I was told those have a habit of running but failing to maintain pressure. It's regulated to only 0.5bar so I'm not sure how important it is, on the other hand with such low pressure any drop would mean a big difference. - I'll recheck the wiring/connectors were possible. At the moment we're leaning towards a mechanical problem, like skipped timing chain or something else causing loss of compression. - The fault codes I saw were all for stuff we disconnected: fuel rail pressure, EGR and MAF. I'll see if any come back ater the next attempt when I've confirmed all connectors are properly seated. Filip

A little update, not much good news unfortunately... Last weekend I made and fitted blanking plates for both EGR valves. No discernable difference, in fact I couldn't get the lumpy idle to last for a bit (as happened last week). Rechecked fuel supply pressure while cranking and as there was a slight drop I pressure as the engine tried to fire, so decided to swap the filter for starters. That seems to have cured the slight drop, but hasn't improved the starting. But this does seem to rule out the fuel supply pump. While starting today I had the oil filler cap off for a change. A bit of smoke, maybe more than I'd expect but I guess some blowby is normal. I couldn't feel for pressure pulses and at the same time turn the key, so that will have to wait till later today for a pair of extra hands. Starting to reach the end of my tether... @Simon_CSK the Icarsoft certainly is cheap! If that had been available, I might have opted for it. Mind you, my Lynx Pro was 'only' about €1000, for full LR coverage up to D4/RRS. Filip

It's got a flat, and it worked fine with the tow pole (which has a trailer hitch on one end) to move one of the Classics around the Shop. 👍

You could start by measuring the resitance of the old dampers if you still have them.

That makes 2 of us. Though I was right, it's not a standard Defender. 😛

If the shop puts it on diagnostics, they'll be able to check the sensors. CPS is unlikely, that's also needed for starting and idling. My guess would be the drive-by-wire throttle pedal (or associated wiring).

The bonnet and grill clearly show it's no standard Defender. Could well be suspension upgrades actually made things worse.

@L19MUD thanks a lot for the info and especially confirming you can blank the 3.6! I forgot to mention only one exhaust (RH) has black spots under it from the repeated starting, seems to confirm the RH isn't doing much, likely EGR stuck open. Will dive in and blank tomorrow. @Simon_CSK the reason I got the Lynx is because it was a very reasonable price for the complete package. I don't want to be limited to one model, as I never know what will turn up next. I am disappointed there doesn't seem to be any more updates coming, now only for the Lynx Evo. I've heard good things about the ICarsoft, so will have a look.

See if you can get your small trailer on, that will prove it's the right size. But don't hurt your back hauling that thing around, better put it in a wheelbarrow or such. 😉 Looking forward to seeing it for real next weekend!

@Simon_CSK today's tinkering seems to confirm your EGR theory. First the good news, I got it to start and idle more or less. Too low on revs and lumpy, on the verge of stalling. Touch the accelerator and it dies. Now for the strange part, I didn't really change anything. I was looking at the intake system again, rigged up 2 hoses directly from the MAF to the intake but that made things worse again. The longest time the engine kept running was with the right bank all plumbed as standard and the left bank open at the throttle valve. What struck me was the amount of smoke coming out of the intake after each attempt. It looked very much like exhaust gasses. Only way those could get into the intake would be via the EGRs (don't even want to consider any worse scenarios!). But the smoke made it all the way back to the airfilter, which means it had to pass backwards through the turbo? If one or both EGRs are stuck open, that would explain the difficult starting and stalling. So I guess I'll have to go in. At least the EGRs are not buried under the cylinder banks as on the TDV6... Filip

It is reading the codes and sensors, just not showing any that would explain the engine dying. Lynx has served me fine over the years on other vehicles, though not as user friendly or complete as the Rovacom. The only thing I'm really missing is a reading of the fuel rail pressure on the TDV8, like it does on the TD6.

Simon, yeah, I don't like EGRs either. Which is why I had a look at the throttle valves. I did not yet disconnect the EGRs, and yet there was an improvement. I could try jamming the throttle valves open, so the engine is sure to get clean air. I wouldn't mind researching the fault codes and working through it, but as said there aren't any (apart from the MAFs after disconnecting). What reader are you using? I also don't have spare parts to just throw at it, would be easier if it was a P38... Blanco, my first thought was fuel pressure as well. Now it seems to point more to the air intake side of things. Fuel guage is working, distance travelled and indicated range is plausible. The fuel can't be more than a few months old, the car was in regular use until a month or so ago, be it mostly short trips. I'm getting sensor readings from the ECU while starting, so it seems to stay awake. Filip

A Freelander2 is a very capable vehicle, especially with proper tyres. If the track is anything but a proper challenge section, it should do just fine. And they're easy to live with on the road as well. If you want the most ability for the least money, an older Range Rover (P38 or L322) or Discovery 2 would be even better. But not everyone likes driving a 'proper' 4X4 on the road every day. Filip