300TDI belt change in Exmouth?

[d@rk51d3]

Brother in law gave a call today, his TDI Defender is running rough, and stalls on idle.

Local spanner claims it's the timing belt, and that it's a 7 hour job costing about $1000. :D:D:D:D

Probably be cheaper (and quicker) to fly over from Adelaide and do it myself.

Before he gets totally reamed, are there any other suggestions to look for (possibly a holed fuel line)?

Or,

Is anyone here from Exmouth, and able to lend a hand (ie - do the job, as he's not mechanically minded) ?

Might put him onto the upgrade kit tonight. Costs under $300 posted, and might extend the repair time to a total of 2 hours.

[weeds]

Umm $1000 seems a little steep, I think I pay 600-700 from a landie repairer

Timing belts are either good or snapped, I have read the they skip a tooth but I thinks that's pretty rare

Re upgrade kit, I would assume all tdi's would have this fitted by now

I would look else for the rough running, not using water by chance?

[DeanoH]

I would look else for the rough running, not using water by chance?


or...............dirty fuel, poor fuel pressure, loose fuel cut off solenoid connection ? or any number of things.

Did this happen all of a sudden or slowly creep up on him? What process did the local bloke go through to offer slipped timing belt ? I'm with weeds here, without more info I'd be looking else where.

Deano:)

[d@rk51d3]

Fuel is my hunch too. However Im getting third hand info. Im trying to contact him, but its like pulling teeth.

[d@rk51d3]

Another victory for the AULRO brains trust. :cool:


Called me back today to say that the mechanic found a split in the fuel line, just before the injector pump. :cool:

All fixed, and running like a charm.


Mechanic refuses to believe that the timing belt can be done in under 2 hours.
Reckons if anyone is capable of those sorts of times, they can come on up and get themselves a job. :D

[d@rk51d3]

Well, it's reared its ugly head again............


Just had a Major service not long ago in Perth, and a standard service a couple of months ago (for what ever that is worth) and had a new lift pump fitted.

They took a recent trip out to Tom Price, and started losing power.
Limped home to Exmouth at a max of 70kph.

Running has gotten progressively worse. Now maxes out at about 20kph, and stalls on idle.

I've suggested checking Fuel pressure, boost pressure - delaminated hoses, compensator and tube, Diesel snot in long range tank.

Anything else?

[wrinklearthur]

Well, it's reared its ugly head again............
Limped home to Exmouth at a max of 70kph.
Running has gotten progressively worse. Now maxes out at about 20kph, and stalls on idle.
I've suggested checking Fuel pressure, boost pressure - delaminated hoses, compensator and tube, Diesel snot in long range tank.
Anything else?
I would fit a tee piece into the line from the filter to the lift pump and run a pipe up to a vacuum gauge, I would expect a very slight vacuum when everything is working well, but if it gets to say 10" Hg, then chase back through the system looking for a blockage or restriction.

New filters can block if there is a lot of crud coming from the tank after a change of fuel or suppliers.

A crack letting air in is another problem that's not easily found, to check for air in the system, this is done by diverting the return line that goes from the injector pump to the filter, into the bottom of a glass screw top jar and a outlet that is about halfway up the jar returning the fuel back to the filter,
Fill the the jar completely with diesel fit up to the screw top which has the pipe attachments fitted, then watch to see if the jar has the fuel displaced by air.

check for any cracks at places like where the pick up pipe leaves from the fuel tank and pin holes in the wall of the sediment collector.

[DeanoH]

Well, it's reared its ugly head again.........................They took a recent trip out to Tom Price, and started losing power. Limped home to Exmouth at a max of 70kph.

Running has gotten progressively worse. Now maxes out at about 20kph, and stalls on idle.

I've suggested checking Fuel pressure, boost pressure - delaminated hoses, compensator and tube, Diesel snot in long range tank.

Anything else?


Look for the simple things first.

Anything happen to the vehicle just prior to this problem ? Run out of fuel, change filter, clean sedimenter ? or anything else affecting the fuel supply ?

One thing I found with my 300 Tdi is that the priming must be PERFECT otherwise the engine will go like a dog. It will NOT come good on it's own by sucking air out of an improperly bled system.

I would imagine the engine would behave in the same manner if there was a hole small enough to allow air to be sucked into the fuel line. It may not be big enough to leak fuel but enough to let air in.

My 300 Tdi has these crappy hard plastic lines in the engine bay that are just asking to crack or to wear a hole in them by rubbing. The copper washer on the bleed screw on the top of the fuel filter may be rock hard after many years and not sealing correctly.( Especially if it's been recently undone for bleeding).

It took me 3-400 pumps of the priming lever (at full stroke) to get the priming right when I cleaned out the sedimenter. :( And I bled in two stages. 1st. at the fuel filter bleed screw and 2nd. at the fuel line banjo on the injector pump. I then 'cracked' each injector fuel line with the engine running.

How I test if the priming is OK is to run the engine at a couple of thousand revs by holding the injector pump lever. I hold it firmly for a couple of minutes and if the revs start to decline without decreasing tension on the injector pump 'lever' then I reckon the engine is probably starting to run a bit 'lean'. If you then drop the 'lever' back to idle and the engine nearly stalls and carries on then it is definitely starving for fuel. Mightn't be too technical and I've no idea what the recommended method is but this works for me. :)

Deano :)

[d@rk51d3]

Well, it turns out that the new lift pump was shagged.

Another on the way.

[roverrescue]

deano,
Your lift pump must be a little suspect.
Im yet to meet a 300 with a known good lift that wont self bleed after a sedimenter or filter change.
Hit the key till it kicks, keep it flat to the boards while it runs rough for a few seconds and then voila!

Of any small diesel engines, the bosch rotary is perhaps the easiest to bleed.
If it wont self bleed its either an air leak or lift pump issue.
S