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Freelander cold starting problem


BogMonster

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It's a long shot but....

We have a Freelander on our company fleet which has an intermittent cold starting problem. Symptoms are that after sitting overnight it cranks for ages and ages until it starts, then once it has fired (which can take 2-3 minutes cranking sometimes) it is fine, usually for the rest of the day. Symptoms are similar to fuel draining back i.e. air getting into the system, except for the fact it is worse in warmer temps (10-15 deg C ambient) than in near freezing temps :blink: nope I don't understand that one either.

Everything has been checked or changed in the fuel system - pipes/filter, injector pump (there have been 2 or 3 here with an identical fault which has turned out to be "something" in the injector pump) glow plugs changed (a couple were dud but it made no difference), timing checked (twice), all the temp sensors have been changed and anyway the readings on the Testbook are all what you would expect. No fault codes in the ECU.

In fact I think everything has been changed except for the engine ECU... and it doesn't seem like an "ECU fault" though we haven't got a new ECU to try (never ever had one fail on an L series so it isn't a stock item in this part of the world) and the cost of a new one in specially is a lot for a "might fix it but probably not" (though we have already spent about 2 grand on the darned thing :angry: ). EGR has been disabled so it isn't that.

We are baffled, and Land Rover haven't been able to shed any light on it either except to say it could be low compression (which it can't be since the fault is intermittent, stuffed bores are either stuffed or they aren't... plus it isn't gassing and there is no lack of power)

Since the next step is to take it to the tip (its a hire vehicle and not a lot of use the way it is because the battery can't hack it though amazingly the starter motor is still original!) I thought I would ask in case, just in case, anybody on here has had a similar problem with their L-series diesel and found what it was...? It's been playing up off and on for about two years and my tether is nearing its end... :angry:

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It's a long shot but....

We have a Freelander on our company fleet which has an intermittent cold starting problem. Symptoms are that after sitting overnight it cranks for ages and ages until it starts, then once it has fired (which can take 2-3 minutes cranking sometimes) it is fine, usually for the rest of the day. Symptoms are similar to fuel draining back i.e. air getting into the system, except for the fact it is worse in warmer temps (10-15 deg C ambient) than in near freezing temps :blink: nope I don't understand that one either.

Everything has been checked or changed in the fuel system - pipes/filter, injector pump (there have been 2 or 3 here with an identical fault which has turned out to be "something" in the injector pump) glow plugs changed (a couple were dud but it made no difference), timing checked (twice), all the temp sensors have been changed and anyway the readings on the Testbook are all what you would expect. No fault codes in the ECU.

In fact I think everything has been changed except for the engine ECU... and it doesn't seem like an "ECU fault" though we haven't got a new ECU to try (never ever had one fail on an L series so it isn't a stock item in this part of the world) and the cost of a new one in specially is a lot for a "might fix it but probably not" (though we have already spent about 2 grand on the darned thing :angry: ). EGR has been disabled so it isn't that.

We are baffled, and Land Rover haven't been able to shed any light on it either except to say it could be low compression (which it can't be since the fault is intermittent, stuffed bores are either stuffed or they aren't... plus it isn't gassing and there is no lack of power)

Since the next step is to take it to the tip (its a hire vehicle and not a lot of use the way it is because the battery can't hack it though amazingly the starter motor is still original!) I thought I would ask in case, just in case, anybody on here has had a similar problem with their L-series diesel and found what it was...? It's been playing up off and on for about two years and my tether is nearing its end... :angry:

Clutching as straws

Airflow meter ! last starting problem

Injector pump belt could have streched or the pump its self!

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Belt was changed during one of the re-timings so it isn't that - and the injector pump has been changed as we have had a couple of vehicles with apparently identical problems which turned out to be "something" in the injector pump. But that was a grand and a bit down the pan with no improvement...

Can't recall if the AFM has been done or not (I know all the temp sensors have been changed) but I will certainly double check it, it is giving an airflow reading and doesn't log any faults but then the Td5 ones do too, its just the wrong reading.... I've not seen it cause starting bother on other vehicles (Td5 ones fail regularly and give too-low air readings but they always start OK, just a lack of power is the problem) but I can't recall us ever changing an AFM on an L-series so I will check it out... maybe the L series needs an accurate airflow reading for cold start injection, must admit I hadn't thought of that...

Ta ;)

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Sorry, didn't see that in your first post.

If it's a hire vehicle,what are the hire company doing about it? Does it smoke while you crank it?

It's fly by wire, what about the stop light switch, is that OK?

It might be worth Les or myself asking JONV8 on LRUK, he is very good on LR diagnostics.

Chris

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No I meant it is a vehicle owned by our company that we hire to other people :) and in its current state it is not a lot of use.

I have disconnected the AFM pending arrival of a new one in a few weeks, but at the moment the damn thing seems to be in "behaving itself" mode anyway... sod's law!!

Yes it smokes when you crank it and then when it starts there is usually a massive cloud.

Not sure what effect the stoplight switch would have? I know it cuts the throttle down to idle if you press brake and accelerator at the same time on an L series, as far as I know it is OK as it has no ill effects when driving, once the thing is started then it is fine for the rest of the day.

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