Thread: Loss of power and LOTS of smoke

Bugger. 2 months out of warranty. Having had a better look it does look like the leak might have come from the inlet line from the fuel filter. And thinking back, after putting everything back together and trying to start it, when it wouldnt start it sounded like it wasnt getting fuel so i gave the lift pump a few pushes and tried again. Maybe that explains the leak. Not 100% thats where the leak is but pretty sure. Hoping so
Timing is definitely out, cant get the pin in the injection pump when the marks line up and flywheel locking pin is in. Same problem i had first time round when i was trying to set tdc. Will pull the cover and see if it has slipped a tooth. Probably didnt tension the belt properly :banghead:
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Hope that is the leak, would the best possible outcome there.
The combination of some air getting in there and the timing a little bit out explains your non starting.

With the timing pin in you can safely take the pulley completely off (the 3 nuts you loosen to adjust the timing) and get a better view whether the shaft seal is leaking.
Worth considering taking the pump out and replacing the paper gasket from your pics (helps keep gunk out of the timing housing) or leave it be if you dont make a habit of submerging the engine bay.

Tighten that fuel line up (new washers maybe?), another good go at the timing and see what happens.

Good luck

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Grrrr. Timing cover has diesel in it. Fuel pump obviously failed somewhere. Not happy.

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Oh no!

How much fuel? Any chance it has worked its way in from that loose fuel line, on account of the blown gasket?

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There was probably about 200ml or so in there, I'm guessing the main shaft seal has failed.

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Sadly have to agree, not much chance of 200ml migrating in from a leaking external fuel line.

Morning Brett,

While I'm no mechanic, my 300tdi ute recently went through something similar with diesel pouring out from the timing cover while the engine was running. Cutting a long story short, turns out the recently installed timing belt was being'shaved' with the fragments impacting the fuel pump seal, which eventually gave up, hence the fuel discharging from the timing cover. With the help of my regular workshop in Perth, we got the ute to a reputable Land Rover workshop in Bunbury (was in Bunbury for work), and they confirmed the diagnosis. Three working days later (this happened on a Wednesday afternoon), the team at Bunbury had replaced the seal and the timing belt and all has been good since. Leading up to all this, there was no smoke to speak of (apart from the usual diesel exhaust). The last repair came in well under $800 (but let's not look at the income that was lost as a result of this failure...&#128545
I hope your mechanical challenges are resolved soon.

Regards, Martin