Mark Monkey Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Hi My LR (Defender TD5 2002) is starting with some difficulty (doesn't just fire up, takes a quite a few turnovers) and then runs lumpy. I've then driven her around the block - stopped - and after a few moments, its revving freely and running fine. I can then go for a drive - start and stop and its ok. Then when I pull back on the drive (has slight upward slope), its back to being weird again. Prior to this I had checked the RED plug on the ECU and it had oil in it (see Oily-ECUPlug.jpg) and the connector has what looks like a frayed black wire (look at the base of it, near my thumb) which I don't know if its normal? Other wires look ok I have a Nanocom, and its throwing no Fault codes. Don't know what else to look at on it Any ideas of where to look next? (BTW - I've ordered a new Injector Harness and Rocker Cover Gasket in the hope of stopping the oil) - just wondering if I need to replace the ECU Loom as well ! I'm a newbie at this Defender stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightning Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 You will likely find that replacement of the injector harness will cure the running issues. Take the rubber gasket out of the red plug so any remaining oil drips out rather than possibly getting into the ECU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Monkey Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 Is there a rubber gasket on the red plug? Where is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Had this on my 90TD5 at about 10,000 miles - Give the red plug on the main harness, and the matching socket on the ECU, a good blast with brake-cleaner; then as mentioned hook the rubber gasket round the inner edge of the main harness plug out to let any further oil drain out. When you replace the injector loom under the cam-cover, give the matching plug on the engine-bay wiring harness a good blast with the brake-cleaner and let it dry before re-plugging it to the replaced injector-loom. Oil will continue to emerge from the red plug over a period of weeks - so pull it off and blast it with brake-cleaner regularly until no more oil appears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thingybox Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 (edited) I'm having this problem at the moment, I have a 2000 Defender Td5. It's taking several attempts to start the vehicle and runs extremely lumpy with masses of white/grey smoke when it does eventually fire. I had all my injectors replaced last year, head gasket changed two months ago, recently had ECU tested and injector loom replaced, along with both relays under the driver's seat, and a direct earth to the negative terminal on the battery. Found an earth cable worn in several parts within the ECU's loom, soldered in repairs but it's still poor to start. I'm now looking at the Mass Air Flow sensor. Had the Defender idling earlier and unplugged the MAF cable. The engine is supposed to stall once the MAF is disconnected. It didn't... I've got to get hold of a multimeter so I can check if there's power going to the MAF before cleaning it and/or replacing it. After that, I'm at a loss... Edited January 2, 2021 by thingybox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrovernuts Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 While your injector loom does need replacing, I think you are getting fuel run back when you park it on your slightly up hill drive. Try replacing your fuel filter housing and think it will be fine. I think you can get the fuel non return valve separately now but unsure how well they work. Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Hi Mark! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Diffcult starting, lumpy running-after-start: Does it start easier if you do a few fuel-system purge-cycles [see manual] before trying to start it? If so, how old are the copper injector-seals? I consider these to be a 60,000-mile service-item. You may be able to run a TD5 longer, but the copper seals *will* be leaking after 60K miles, letting combustion-gases back into the fuel-galleries and feeding carbon-crud back to the fuel-tank, where bacteria grow and produce 'Diesel Fungus' that clogs the pick-up-pipe-filter and kills the fuel-pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varun Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 Hi Mark did you find a solution Having the same problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filbee Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 I was having difficulty starting mine from cold (started fine when hot), a lumpy idle for a couple of seconds after starting, and noises on the first pump prime of the day suggesting air was in the fuel system. I tried changing the non-return valve and air bleed valve in the filter head, but that made no difference. I then changed the injector copper washers and o-rings and all seems to be well again, although it's early days as I only did it yesterday! For reference my truck has done about 150k miles and I had already replaced the fuel pump and FPR a couple of years ago for other reasons. Hope that helps 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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