1.8 vs. 2.0 TD

[DEANO3528]

Tim and woodrow, play nicely!

It's ok, I'm watching the quality and quantity they throw at each other.

[GBMUD]

Good price, out of curiosity how did you find buying at auction.

Nerve racking.

The worst thing is taking a chance without being able to check the car out properly. Oh, and watching the monkeys start the cars. In the case of mine, being unable to operate the remote fob properly setting the alarm off and then just cranking it until it started without waiting for the glow plugs. Tit. When it did fire he just floored it and raced the engine from cold. W-anchor.

Stay tuned for a report after I get to drive it later.

Chris

[jules]

How odd ... I always thought the engines were in the cars long before they were in the Freelander - I wonder why it had that?

The rover engines are all made at LR factory up till BMW cocked thinks up

[GBMUD]

Well, I found out why it was in the auction. The bloody head gasket has gone. Whoever sent it there knew it too as there is a hole in the rad-cap to let the gasses out. I now have to replace the gasket, any top tips? Is this a common failing of the 2.0 diesel? Is it likely that there will be any warping? I will do the timing belt while I am there too as the car has done 65k so must be due.

On the bright side there does not seem to be much wrong with the rear door that a new handle will not fix, it seems to open and close OK.

Once again, I will keep you posted.

Chris

[TJ101]

as the car has done 65k so must be due.

Chris

?? 65k ?? have you the v5 doc,, I would do a search on google// phone book, and find the previous owners,, to see if the miles have been played with,, BCA will sell as mileage not warranted, due to age, but I would check it out !! to see if the last owner says different,,

[woodrow]

Well, I found out why it was in the auction. The bloody head gasket has gone. Whoever sent it there knew it too as there is a hole in the rad-cap to let the gasses out. I now have to replace the gasket, any top tips? Is this a common failing of the 2.0 diesel? Is it likely that there will be any warping? I will do the timing belt while I am there too as the car has done 65k so must be due.

On the bright side there does not seem to be much wrong with the rear door that a new handle will not fix, it seems to open and close OK.

Once again, I will keep you posted.

Chris

PM me your reg number and I'll see if I can find any history on it.

Havent heard of any head gaskets on these but the belts should have been done on its 48k service

[jules]

Pete Barret in Bournmouth

He looks after all my cars

He has quoted me £358 for a head gasket change labour and parts on Disco Td5

His labour rate is £20 hour

He does all the work to the TD4 and the 1.8 racers and built my challange truck.

He can collect

Give him a ring on 07809 273943

[reads90]

Pete Barret in Bournmouth

He looks after all my cars

He has quoted me £358 for a head gasket change labour and parts on Disco Td5

His labour rate is £20 hour

He does all the work to the TD4 and the 1.8 racers and built my challange truck.

He can collect

Give him a ring on 07809 273943

Top bloke would still use him if it was not so far for me to take my car there

BTW the car and me are now in Aus

[jules]

On the bright side

the engine is used on all Rovers so a cheap doner can be found as you coul pick up a rover 2lt d for less the £250. so if there is any damage it can be swaped out no worries.

Pete is a one man company so please be polite if he is busy he will do it when he can he does not have loads of chaps working for him which is why he is cheap but I find very good.

If its any help I work in Chichester and Live in Southampton so I could take it home and Pete could collect it from My house making it a bit cheaper for you.

[jules]

I have the original rear door off the dakar truck if its any use to you £50 but the skin is dented and there are holes in it but all the glass is there and the handle and lock are complete.

The handle is £80 from a dealer

[GBMUD]

£80? I might just take you up on the offer of the door, thanks, I will let you know.

I am planning to change the gasket myself, I have plenty of time so it will save me the labour at least. I broke the back of getting the head off earlier on, just the timing arrangements to investigate and the head to remove. I will offer it up to a straight-edge/surface table and see if there is any warping. Any tips on how much is acceptable? It looks like a good thick (3 hole) gasket.

The odometer is a digital one so more difficult - though not impossible - to interfere with. The wear on the seats, wheel, peddles is about right for 65k IMHO. I think the viscous coupleing may have gone however although I do not know how to test that properly. It feels rather like driving my Defender with the diff-lock engaged, especialy in tight turns.

I have the V5 and I will try to find out what is what with it. Last keeper was up north somewhere, not sure how the car ended up in Surrey.

Woodrow, PM'd. I will do the belts anyway and then I know that they have been done - peace of mind.

Thanks all, look again soon for the latest disaster and share in my misery.

Chris

[BogMonster]

I think the viscous coupleing may have gone however although I do not know how to test that properly. It feels rather like driving my Defender with the diff-lock engaged, especialy in tight turns.

That feeling is normal, as long as the tyres aren't scrubbing excessively, should feel sort of like you have hauled a couple of notches on the handbrake on full lock. I guess Range Rover viscouses (should that be viscii?) do the same thing, though I've never looked at one.

[woodrow]

Woodrow, PM'd. I will do the belts anyway and then I know that they have been done - peace of mind.

Thanks all, look again soon for the latest disaster and share in my misery.

Chris

Replied, will let you know!

[jules]

I have loads of trim bits and a full bet of factory seat covers form a early freelander if you want to make it look a little nicer..

If what your saying is true I would say buying a lemon is somthing we have all done and unfortunatly clocking a freelander is very easy if you have the right kit.

Somtimes its better not to know.

My disco had no history I gave it to Pete and told him the check everything for my own piece mind.

he did and changed all the fluids every filter it had and I then know everything is good and it made a big diffrance to the car the only thing we did not catch in time was the head gaskit.

The fuel filter had never been changed,nore the auto box filter that had only done 67k but we found nothing to say otherwise on the car.

If its any conselation

The wheel on the camel was changed at 90k due to it had warn through to foam I changed the gear nob and hand brake handle all at the same time but I had seat covers on the whole time I had the camel but did two sets of them.

Julian

07976 819947

[LR90]

I would say buying a lemon is somthing we have all done

Yep, done that. MkII Escort 1.1 for my mates girlfriend, from an auction, with as it turned out more air gaps than metal but you learn.

[GBMUD]

Well.

I have had the head off. Some evidence of No.2 having been blowing into the water jacket. It is all back together now bar for some small bits that I will attend to in the morning so I hope for some news by lunchtime... I am doing the belts and an oil change while I am there so it may take a little longer.

Wish me luck.

Chris

[jules]

Good luck

nice to see your post is much more positive.

[GBMUD]

Well. It is all back together, there is a leak in the radiator (is that what caused the failure in the first place?) and it will not start. I have checked that it is not the immobiliser by locking the doors and unlocking again woth the button, cranked it for ages, checked the glow plugs (new) have power, cranked it some more, cracked off an injector and found plenty of diesel (fountains!), cranked it again, bled the pump and flattened the battery. Why me?

I can only think that perhaps the injector timing is wrong. I used the LR book instructions, taken from a CD, but the pump pulley shown in the picture was differernt to mine and the timing pin seemed to go in in a different place. The marks left by the last guy to change the belts seemed to line up though so I am sure I got it about right. There is some adjustment available to the pump timing - to compensate for a stretched belt I guess - could that stop it running altogether if I had it wrong? Perhaps I should revisit that, it is the one thing I can think of that may be wrong.

I am feeling pretty positive Jules, however I might sound.

Chris

[jules]

The only starting trouble I ever had was from the injector belt being off timing.

Check the Air Flow meter (don't ask me how) plugged in etc. that will afect the starting of the L engine.

[GBMUD]

The injector pump is now timed perfectly - after about an hour spent trying to get the timing pin in the flywheel. It did fire a few times but would not run before I reset the timing so I guess it was not far off. I cannot get it to fire at all now. The only thing I can think of is that there is still air in the system. Anyone got any handy hints on how to let any air out? Other than that I am stumped. It seems to have compression, it appears to have fuel, what can be wrong?

Chris

[white90]

direct 12v connection to the stop solenoid incase it is an imobiliser prob.

then if you have fuel/compression is should run, or try a tow start

[GBMUD]

I don't bloody believe this. I did tow start it this morning and it started and ticked over smoothly, no problem. I drove it home - about a mile - and the engine stopped before I got back. Not just died but stopped with a mechanical clonk and a rattle. I thought at first that it was the cam belt (new) but a quick look reveals that it is intact - which is encouraging. I have no idea what is the matter now and, since I am supposed to be moving house on Monday, it is going to have to wait until at least after Christmas and maybe even new year until I have the time/inclination to see to it. My only hope is that the fuel-pump belt (new) has snapped and that it will be a simple fix. [fingers crossed]

Chris

[jules]

I am affraid I have never had to strip one so Im out of ideas you have checked the fuel cut off reset on the bulk head.

I had a chat with Pete about it before you said that you were doing it yourself, he has done a few in rover cars and if you give him a ring he may be able to help over the phone

[CJ1]

I don't understand why people say that the 1.8 is under powered as I have found all 3 Freelanders I have had and the 1 I now have more than powerfull enough for me, I don't floor it everywhere and don't do high speed everywhere but found it shifted when I need it to and cruises nicely. I knew about the Head Gasket, VCU and IRD issues before I bought my 3rd Freelander, and bought the my current Freelander as spares or repair with Head Gasket gone, but only bought it as it was off a good friend of mine who I have been trying to get the Freelander off of for 4 years lol. I have also read posts about people say how they uncomfortable and don't handle the road well. I totally disagree, only issue I came across was after being in a normal car for a few years I came to a corner too fast on my first day with the Freelander bringing it home and found myself plastered on the drivers door and window, learnt my lesson after that lol, but so comfortable, take all the bumps in the roads round my way which are really bad, even been over cobble stones and hardly feel a thing. I didn't want a petrol one initially and gave up hunting for a Diesel when about 3 days after I had given up my friend text me to say hers had failed its MOT. I got my Freelander with FSH, 85k Miles, 3 owners, MOT Failure down to Head Gasket making it fail the emissions for £300, It is the Millennium Edition, and I love it, and the repair costs are TINY in comparison to a lot of other vehicles. I had a TDCi Mondeo where the injectors weren't far off £200 each, Fuel pumps and head gaskets are all rediculous money, And after thinking about it, I would rather pay for the head gasket to be done every year than have to keep replacing injectors etc... I am a little bit nervous about the 4wd system as they are clearly sensitive to things like tyre changes and I want to keep mine 4wd as I do go light off roading and want to green lane. Yes Diesel might be economical, but Petrol is quicker.