Defender 130 300tdi won't start....

[Pindone]

Hi,
First time poster, long time reader...


I have the opportunity to buy a defender 130 with a 300tdi engine from a guy at work. The problem is it doesn't go anymore haha. He was driving it along the freeway, the bottom radiator hose burst and he stopped immediately and had it towed. He fixed the hose, tried to start it but it wouldn't go. It turns over as normal but won't start.


It has done only 129000km and had the timing belt done at 60K but he hasn't done it at 120K. The head was replaced at also at 60K as it was deemed to be "porous" in the invoices in his folder of receipts....


Is anyone able to provide me with any advice on checks that I could perform to determine how serious the issue is. ie cylinder compression?


Any help would be appreciated as if it turns out to not be to major, I'll be able to get back into a landy again.


Cheers


Mark

[Blknight.aus]

if hes blown a radiator hose off and he hasnt over heated it the head gasket has gone.

if hes over heated it,,, the head gasket has gone anyway.

most likely its down on compression between 2+3

remove the glow plugs and the rocker cover, roll the engine over by hand untill you hit TDC with both valves closed and squirt air down the glow plug hole if it leaks out the expansion tank, gone head gasket. if its out the inlet or exhaust thats valves and out the body of the head thats the rings or the gasket again.

you might get lucky and its as simple as the wires come off the fuel solenoid. Ive seen that a time or 10

[Pindone]

Hi, thanks for the fast reply. So
I shouldn't don't worry about a leak down detector, just simply get a compressor and blow air down and if the gasket is no good bubbles should appear in the reservoir?

[dero]

Try the wire on the injector pump solenoid first [ as Dave said ] you never know your luck .

[Jojo]

With the head gasket gone it probably would fire up eventually, but run lousy (so it was with mine anyway). Failed fuel solenoid sounds reasonable to me. Should be an easy fix. Even a head gasket is not too difficult to replace. If your mate gives you a good price, I'd go for it. Low Km-Tdi's are becoming increasingly rare.

[rick130]

you might get lucky and its as simple as the wires come off the fuel solenoid. Ive seen that a time or 10


Try the wire on the injector pump solenoid first [ as Dave said ] you never know your luck .

Ditto, and it doesn't need to come adrift, just corrosion will render the solenoid inoperative or at least an intermittent fault.

[Pindone]

checked the solenoid wire and its in place and secure. i'll do the compressed air check through the glow plug holes tomorrow.


He wants $4K for it. Its got a brand new set of cooper st's on it and new pads, shocks. Going through the list of receipts he has ploughed a lot into it over the time he has had it.


What do people think for $4K even if I have to put a replacement engine in it?

[Pindone]

I checked the solenoid wire and its all secure. I'll try the compressed air in the glow plug hole tomorrow.

My mate is after $4K for it. It has a new set of coopers with sunraysias + the original set of wheels going with it. Warn winch, snorkel etc. He is after $4K what do people think about that, considering, worst case I might need to put a replacement engine in it if it is cooked?

[Blknight.aus]

checked the solenoid wire and its in place and secure. i'll do the compressed air check through the glow plug holes tomorrow.

He wants $4K for it. Its got a brand new set of cooper st's on it and new pads, shocks. Going through the list of receipts he has ploughed a lot into it over the time he has had it.

What do people think for $4K even if I have to put a replacement engine in it?

Buy it.I'm baby sitting a workable tdi 300 for someone, I'll arrange shipping of it for you if you want it or if you get the vehicle out my way I'll help on the instal for you.,I also have a near new clutch assembly I'll throw in (changes because the throw out carried died.

Pm me if your interested

The other thing to cbeck is open all 4 injector unions and have someone hold the throttle wide open while it's cranked over if you dint get fuel spurting out you have a fuel supply issue. The engine should maintain an even "beat" on the starter as it cranks over.

Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Forum Runner

[wrinklearthur]

It might have a gut full of coolant in one or more of the cylinders, anyway do as the other have said, pull the glow plugs and after doing the compressed air trick, with the glow plugs still out, try the starter, any liquid still in the cylinders will blow your hat off as you turn the engine over with the starter.

Trying to start the engine without clearing the liquid out first could end up with a bent conrod.
.

[Pindone]

Well I ended up buying it. Ran all the tests suggested then a compression test. cylinders 2,3 and 4 were down. With that, I said off with the head. Nothing but bad news from there, the cylinders were lightly scored. Water in those cylinders too..
A neighbour who is a mechanic said its too far gone to just hone though.


I picked up another 300tdi to go so no worries there.


Next question is, is the engine that overheated worth rebuilding myself? Does anyone know rough costs of what it would be to rebore, and shave head/block etc?

[roverrescue]

Next question is, is the engine that overheated worth rebuilding myself? Does anyone know rough costs of what it would be to rebore, and shave head/block etc?

-Price is pretty location specific - more important is the shop doing the work...
- I say strip the old engine - as in proper strip just a bare block no jazz, lightly cleaned. Then put block, crank and cam in the ute.
-Print out the block specifications for a 300 from the manual just for reference.
-Drive to friendly engine shop. If the first thing he/she does is go to the tool chest grab a set of micrometers and bore gauges in various sizes - well you have found your machinist. If he grunts and says 4 swear words associated with landrover or some such just keep walking... IMHO of course.
-By sounds of it you might get away with just a linish to the crank and cam, and 10 thou over bore on the block. New pistons with rings matched to the bores, new cam bearings matched to the line bore on the cam (maybe let the engine shop supply all this for a little fat)... then you can get all the rest from Turners (head/main and conrod shells/gaskets etc etc) Machine work should come in well under a gorilla including full clean, line bore on the cam, new cam bearings, linish on cam and crank and bore/hone on pots with a final decking... Pistons will depends on what they supply...
-The above will be the most reasonable way to rebuild the old one and quite likely it will be a better engine than the one you sourced AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW THE 300tdi ENGINE REBUILD MANUAL TO THE LETTER you rebuilt block will be a ripper.

Anyways, once you are up and running perhaps rebuilding the old one becomes a moot point or perhaps like me you enjoy being able to rebuild to the best of your abilities with absolutely no time pressure. Who cares if it takes you a year to get it all done... Just use litres of light hydraulic oil or some such to keep shiny pieces shiny. I like to throw all bolts/plates/rods etc etc in a 20 litre bucket and fill it with diesel... Long term zero corrosion storage

Anyways - clearly I am rambling

S

[wrinklearthur]

^^^^ all of the above and then get the radiator seen to as it would be suss after the mullock out of the engine was stirred up when it cooked.

To protect your investment buy a low coolant alarm off Dave's Interesting Things

https://www.davesitshop.com/emporium/index.php?_a=product&product_id=48
.

[Pindone]

Thanks fellas for the advice. Sounds like I will go ahead and rebuild it and take my time as you suggest. It'll be a great educational project. I'll keep the forum posted as to costs I come across as it might help others.