Lift pump has gone, maybe. Crack open the bleed screw on top of the fuel filter housing. Ah, does the Discovery have the fuel filter in the engine bay? Does on Defenders. Anyway, open the bleed thingy downstream of the lift pump and see if you're getting any lift.

They seem to sit there happily doing not much of anything until you start messing with the fuel system, and then they fail and make your life a misery.

Cheers
Simon

__________________
96 Defender 130 crew cab
ex 85 Isuzu 3.9 120 ute

Mu-um, Dad called me a buccaneer.
What we’re you doing, dear?

Double check the pump timing, as if it is slightly retarded, it will make the engine feel sluggish.
It can be the difference between the locking pin sliding in easily and a tight fit in the hole and plate.
After one belt change the engine didn't have the 'zip' I thought it should have on the test drive. Checked the pump timing and the pin went in but it was 'tight', so loosened everything off and reset as above and it was immediately better.

Simon's suggestion re checking the lift pump is a good one too.

Also, as John said, the sulphur does nothing to the fuel, (it's a contaminant) and the ULSD that is sold in Australia from the name brand service stations have added lubricity additives by law to replace the aromatic compounds that go ta ta when removing the sulphur.
Does the CEM injector stuff have a lubrity additive ?
If not, use something like Redline's RL2 which uses an ashless lubricant, as well as detergents and a cetane booster.

Could be the injectors try cracking each injector and see if anything happens.

TIM.

I don't believe CleanPower has any form of Lubricity additives
although I can't verify this through their site !

For that I think there is another product called FTC decarboniser , that may have some lubricity properties.

__________________
300tdi Discovery 97 Man ,Tweeked.
TRV=Toyota Recovery Vehicle
93 RRC Vogue "Shopping Trolley".

Rick when you say you loosened everything off to fix the slightly tight timing pin what do you actually mean?

Am I right in that you removed front cover again and loosened the three bolts holding the fuel pump pulley?

Thanks

There's the access plate in the front of the timing case, for most it is the tensioner for the A/C belt, and that gives you access to the injector pump pulley.

So yes, it was a case of loosening off the 10mm headed bolts on the pulley plate and re-doing the timing.

I was using the shank from a masonry bit that is a pretty neat fit, and the belt had been wound over several times on installation, but it still needed a poofteenth more to get it advanced slightly and the holes and slots to be aligned perfectly after the engine was run for 10km.

I remember the engine felt the same when I first bought it and took it to a dealer for the belt change at 76,000km, it didn't quite have the zip of before.

Doesn't take long.

And make sure your accelerator cable is adjusted so you get full range of actuation.

Could this be a clue? When did you set in back to factory spec? And are you sure you didn't "set it back" too far?

As someone else suggested, check the diaphragm of the manifold pressure compensator and the free movement of the mechanism and also check that the stop screw hasn't come loose and wound itself out. The symptoms sound a lot like lack of fuel in the off-boost range.

Let us know what you find.
Ian

sorry Ian I just saw your post;

Yes , it is possible when I adjusted the position of the Eccentric cone that I didn't quite set it back to starting point , I also made adjustments to the Star-Wheel ,and the stop Screw was wound up to help the low boost driveability, I wound it up quite a bit but car was blowing a bit too much black stuff on no - low boost so I unwound the Stop screw back to where I thought it should have been. I was meant to take it to GCoopers on Friday for a proper Tune.


I also sprayed a bit of that silicon spray inside the eccentric shaft for better lubrication, so it's freely moving in/out oops ( hope you're not thinking what I think you're thinking )

I'll post it up as soon as I find out what was the actual problem is....

__________________
300tdi Discovery 97 Man ,Tweeked.
TRV=Toyota Recovery Vehicle
93 RRC Vogue "Shopping Trolley".

The vehicle has gone into Graeme coopers for a proper Tune-up and a Dyno yesterday I opened up the Bosch pump cover and checked he eccentric cone position and and it's movement free of any obstacles, had the Eccentric cone sitting at 09:00 o'clock changed it's position by 90 Degrees to 12:00 and it made quite a difference, she is now pulling away really well right thru the rev range and boosting right up to 16psi with throttle only 3/4 of way. however I still reckon there is more room for improvement , hence the proper Tune-up , would there be any interests here on Dyno figures ???

__________________
300tdi Discovery 97 Man ,Tweeked.
TRV=Toyota Recovery Vehicle
93 RRC Vogue "Shopping Trolley".