mrfish Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Now begins a long tale of woe, involving overheating, smoke, bad timing and just about anything that can go wrong that does. My 300tdi has been a major pain in the ass since I bought her. Recently I have been having some oil pressure problems as well as failing diffs both front and rear. However my more recent problems have driven me to the edge of despair and bankruptcy! A few weeks ago she badly overheated. The cause was identified as a split expansion tank. However that was just the beginning of my problems. The first thing I did was to make a decision to strip off the head and have a look at what damage has been caused and to try and get to the problem of the oil pressure problem (taking too long for the oil light to go out and sounding a bit ‘tappety’). When it was stripped I found problems with number 4 piston showing some signs of heat damage so changed the piston and fitted new rings to all pistons. Also took the opportunity to fit a new cylinder head and head bolts. Also fitted a new oil pump as well as a pressure relief valve and spring. During the rebuild we found that the play in the turbo was way beyond acceptable (3 to 4 mm) lateral movement. Also that the fuel lift pump was not working to fitted a new one. Living in a fairly remote area of Zambia meant that choice of parts can be a bit limited (I normally order from the UK). So for the Turbot I had to rely on borrowing from a friend. He had a new Britpart no-name turbo (not Garrett) which we fitted. After putting the whole lot back together we had a bugger of a time with sorting out some timing issues, but the long and short of it is that it now starts at the first turn of the key, the oil pressure is good and the runs very quietly and without smoke, but only when it is stationary. If you rev it there is no smoke and all is well. The problems start when taking out onto the main road. The car smoke badly (difficult to see colour easily but looks light blue) and the temp rises quickly. When I slow right down the smoke goes and temp drops. Given that there is almost bugger all left to change on the engine I am a bit stumped. My initial thoughts are that the new turbot is not actually working correctly for some reason. I asked my mechanic friend who was with me when we tested her if he heard the turbo whistle and he said he did not. Would this cause these symptom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 If it's been overheated (as your coolant-loss and heat-damage-to-pistons tale suggests) you could still have head-gasket-sealing issues (warped head) - did you check it for straightness? And cracks? The excessive temperature-rise suggests you have issues in the head-area, too. (if it wasn't overheating I'd be suggesting that the smoke was oil from the failed turbo that's soaked the wadding in the silencer-boxes and is now burning off). Can you get a cylinder leak-down test done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 I did fit a new cylinder head and gasket during the rebuild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Are you sure the engine is actually getting hot, and that it's not some electrical fault on the gauges that appears to show it getting hot? What condition is the rad? A friend spent best part of a grand on a head rebuild to cure running hot, which didn't fix it. £100 and a new rad later, problem solved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 I will check out the connector to the sender to see it it is ok. The gauge is a VDO i fitted last year and has been ok up until now. I also have a IR temp gauge but given that the temp is only high when driving is makes it somewhat difficult to use. The rad was new 2 years ago and looks ok. Gets hot to the touch all over as far as i can tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Cants see any problem with the connections Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Does the temp drop instantly? you say "When I slow right down the smoke goes and temp drops." Have you confirmed temp with an IR thermometer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwhacker Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Hi. If the engine ran ok with the old turbo and it's not wrecked I would put it back on to see if it makes any difference. As suggested get a more precise temperature reading also. I had a 300 engine that the impeller on the water pump was loose on it's shaft causing v/poor circulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco-Ron Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Remove and flush the intercooler. .. it could have plenty of oil in it due to the previously worn turbo. But it's only apparent when on boost.... did you bleed the cooling system correctly? ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 The temp does drop very quickly. I need to somehow try and stop very sharpish and turn off the engine and check it with the IR Thermometer to see what is reading on the head. The intercooler wasnt flushed so i will give that a flush out too. My immediate leaning is towards the turbo because the engine is performing rock solid when stationary. It revs easily, starts at first turn of the key and is as quiet as a sewing machine and not a trace of smoke. Its only when on the road and putting the foot on the gas does any of the symptoms appear. As far as i can tell the coolant was bled ok. But i will check again to make sure. I will try it first with the old turbo fitted and make sure the oil supply and returns are in good working order. Has anyone had any experience of these non Garret turbos from britpart? I did order a replacement Garret to give my mate a turbo back but that will take a few days to be flown in. If the turbo change doesnt fix it then i will whip the head off and change the gasket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Found a spitting cobra in the engine bay this afternoon so gave up for the day. Will try again tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 lol only in Zambia! i would lean towards turbo issues too, mostly because it is a britpart and they to my knowledge cant get anything right... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Let me ask the daft obvious questions, * Is your water pump working? The impellors have been known to come off or are loose on the shaft or be so corroded away that they achieve nothing, so check that. * Is the thermostat working correctly? Check it in a pan of water and with a thermometer to see if its opening correctly and at the right temperature. * Was the vent hole at the top? I drill mine out and toss the tiny toggle into the waste bin. * Are the top and bottom hoses clear, they have been known to internally delaminate. * Are you sure that the radiator cores are clear, have it reverse flushed to be sure. * Are you using the correct ratio coolant? Don't just use water! Turbo. Bripart and the words precision components should never be used in the same sentence never, never ever !!!!! * You can get a brand new" Garret Turbo Cassette" from several Chinese manufactures for a fraction of the OE cost, mine was AUS $95.00 including postage and has done well over 200,000 kilometres without a problem, I had the old unit re-built as a spare - it's still in the box, re-building it was more expensive than the imported unit !!!!!. * Clean out the intercooler, I do it every 30,000 kilometres (every third service) and boy, it needs it! The plastic cyclonic oil separator is an affront to any form of engineering, one day I'll get around to redesigning it. (watch this space) Good wishes for the new year and get rid of that Cobra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 I did test the pump by removing the hose and the turning the engine and it seemed at. The thermostat did work before but it certainly wont hurt replacing it. I do have a spare. Top and bottom hoses as only a month or so old and confirmed as in good condition. Will flush the rad anyway just to be on the safe side. Plenty of coolant and not just water. Interesting about the Garret Turbo Cassette. How did you get hold of that? Always worth a stab, especially at that cost. Decided to keep the cobra. Pretty effect car theft deterent This car is the bane of my life. So far spend 82hrs trying to sort it out. Whereas my wifes 300tdi 90 is rusty around the edges but never puts a foot wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Google "replacement Garret Turbo cassettes", I'm sorry but I'm unable to recall what company I got it from, I do recall however that they wanted to sell me a minimum of 100 units :hysterical:which I politely declined. Again, have a good look at the water pump impellor, they are pressed steel and do corrode away, just because they pump through an open hose doesn't mean that it will work in a closed circuit. According to LR the cooling system is a "Pump assisted" convection system, this might have worked with a down-flow radiator that was higher then the engine but the pump really does need to be more effective with a cross-flow radiator well below the cylinder engine height but that's what we have to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 IS this the kind of thing you got? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-Range-Rover-Defender-T250-04-452055-Turbocharger-cartridge-CHRA-/331396542751?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4d28c5f11f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Yes, identical to the one shown but try looking on Google, you should be able to locate a less expensive supplier. I just had a look at the carton mine came in, currently housing the re-built unit, all it has is (in English) "Core replacement Garret T250-4" and then some Chinese hieroglyphics that I cannot translate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted January 18, 2015 Author Share Posted January 18, 2015 Ok. Update.. Swapped Turbo for new Garret, changed water pump and thermostat and move timing belt for FIP by one tooth retarded. Seems to have sorted almost all of the problems though still needs a bit of tweaking on the pump to reduce the smoke from a small amount to almost zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 There is only one position for the timing belt, if you've had to retard it by a tooth then there's something seriously wrong with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 I agree with EG, the problem is possibly in the FIP. There are several blurbs on this site explaining how to service the FIP but basically inside the top of the FIP there is a rubber diaphragm , attached to the underside of this is a variable taper spindle, by turning this spindle left or right you can select a larger or smaller taper face, as the diaphragm is pressed down by the boost pressure the spindle presses onto a smaller horizontal spindle which in allows more fuel to be injected, this second spindle has a small internal spring to press it against the tapered spindle and, when the tapered spindle rises up, to return it to the idle fuel quantity. This is why, when your turbo is totally kaput the car has no power as there is no air pressure on the diaphragm to increase (or control) the fuel quantity delivery, but I digress. On inspection of the tapered spindle you will see on it's face tiny score marks from the horizontal spindle pressing on it indicating it's original factory set position. Any serious score marks and/or wear could cause the small spindle to stick. Me? I sent mine out to Bosche to be overhauled and be re-set but you can service it if you have to, as I said the information is here on site or you can google it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I agree that the FIP needs to be serviced and reset. Time is always against me though so i will either have to find someone in Zambia who can do it for me or try and persuade a skilled Landie fan to come out from the UK and stay for a short while. At least i live less than a mile from one of the best wildlife parks in the world. Even this morning i got out of bed to look out of the bedroom window and see lions on the far side of the dambo. So if you know anyone let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.