300 tdi earth problem

I have a '96 300tdi defender that suffered an earth failure. The first I knew was when the alarm went off while my landy was sitting "quietly" on the drive. I've not had any false alarms in the 3 years I've owned the vehicle. I ignored the first incident that stopped after, say, 30 seconds. About two hours later it went off again; by the time I got to it the second cycle of alarm sounds had started, the first having reset. The noise of the horn/alarm was accompanied by the sound of an electric motor running at high speed AND a smell of burning. I was unable to disarm the alarm with the keyfob and, due to the burning smell, quickly disconnected the battery without identifying where the "electric motor" sound was coming from. Anyway...... I traced the fault to a failure in the earth connection where the wrap-around solder tag connects to the chassis immediately after the negative wire leaves the battery box (the defender is a SWB). Having fixed the earth problem, I am now able to re-connect the battery and start the engine with no problem. However, if I attempt to increase rev's the engine runs EXTREMELY lumpy and black smoke belches forth from the exhaust.

Does anybody have any clues please. I'm not sure how much of the earth fault is a red herring but the object of my passion had been running perfectly just the night before. I have not yet traced the source of the burning smell, the handbrake cable has been suggested!! (but I don't believe that could be causing the problem I now have.....unless my sanity has departed me entirely?)

Any opinions very gratefully received.

Thankyou Dave

Reply to
David Bromell
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"David Bromell" wrote

Maybe EGR valve stuck open?

-- Jon

Reply to
jOn.....

Do check your handbrake cable for damage - this really does happen - it happened to mine. Davey

Reply to
Davey2

Thankyou to everybody that passed on helpful suggestions. Have now "sorted" the problem which turned out to be a knackered EGR system - I guess it didn't like the episode with the dodgy earth!! Anyway, have got round it by fitting a blanking piece between the EGR valve and the output into the air inlet manifold, it was just a piece of shim in s/steel. I guess I'll get round to diagnosing the EGR correctly and sorting it properly in the summer!!

Reply to
David Bromell

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