People Hi from Greece,
I would be extremely obliged if you could shed some light and share your knowledge on a problem a fellow LR owner is experiencing here in Greece.
The vehicle is a 2005 model year Defender 90 TD5 station wagon. The car has been tuned with a Jeremy Fearn remapping and slight increase in turbocharge pressure about a year ago.
Since then there was absolutely no problem and the car has picked up some serious power and torque (it was also fitted with a cruise control kit and THREE (3) Quaife ATB differentials but this is another story which can be told in another post if you are interested)
Back to the posting reason now.
A couple of weeks ago the bleeder from the fuel filter has broken suddenly and the fuel tank has emptied on the side of the street. The owner has not realised the problem in time and he was trying to start the engine.
When the problem was traced the car was taken to the authorised dealership where they replaced the filter.
They added about 8 litres of diesel but the car was not starting well so they added 8 more litres and it started OK.
The owner took the car and drove to his home.
About 30 km away (that is almost 20 miles) the car started developing a very uneven idle when hot and when left without pressing the accelerator pedal was almost ready to "die". Serious black smoke also was coming off the exhaust when the car was moving and the accelerator pedal was depressed so as to gain speed or torque. There was also some small hesitation on picking up speed or torque but nothing very serious.
The owner took the vehicle back to the dealer where they ended up replacing one injector (the one in the middle of the five). It has cost him a whopping 950 Euros (800 pounds !!!!!) for this injector and replacing it.....
But the car still continues to have a very low and erratic idle when hot.
When it is cold the idle is steady and at the proper rpm range (eventhough it lacks a rev-counter the driver hears no difference on the sound of the engine while idling and still cold) The black smoke has dissapeared and there is no lack of apparent lack of power or torque at the moment.
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We fear that the crud and dirt that has accumulated inside the fuel tank after 5 years of driving may have found their way into the fuel system following the rapture of the fuel filter bleeder.
It does make sense since the distance covered following the replacement of the fuel filter (before the replacement of the 3rd, middle, injector) corresponds to around 3 to 4 litres which is, AFAIK, the volume of fuel required to fill up the fuel delivery and distribution system. So we are afraid that dirt and crud may have contaminated the other four fuel injectors also.
the owner has used fuel conditioner and fuel system cleaning additives but without any serious results. He is also using SHELL DIESEL V-Power fuel for now just to make sure that if something can be cleaned without removal this will be tried.
What are your suggestions?
Do you know anyone in the UK who repairs/reconditions/restores/remanufactures the injectors from the TD5 engine?
Your help, assistance and ideas are always a treasure.
Take care Pantelis Giamarellos LAND ROVER CLUB OF GREECE
P.S. I will also be having information on how the new KAISER locker from Brazil will perform. We have already ordered two units (one for the front and one for the rear differential) to fit them on a 2003 model year Discovery 2 V8. I have been assigned as the exclusive representative and distributor of KAISER lockers in Greece and Cyprus and will test them extensively on the D2 and one of my cars (the ex Camel Trophy Discovery 200Tdi, 1993 marshal 1 vehicle) before I introduce them to my region. Will of course keep you updated for them also.