How dire? Fuel coming out at top of 300tdi injector.

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Just wondering how dire having fuel leaking out at the top of a 300tdi injector is? What could this be a telltale sign of?

I frequently trawl though Facebook Marketplace and someone was selling a Discovery 1 that from the description they had the car as a daily driver for a while. The fuel leaking out must have been the point where they felt they wanted to end their association with the car.

Being the curious type that I am - I just wondered if the fuel leaking out was a portent of doom for the motor or not. Or all it requires is some new washer - seals, to fix the issue.

It could have been one of those straw that broke the camel's back issues too. Just the latest in a long line of niggling mechanical issues. I did mention I was the curious type!

Kind regards
Lionel

[Tins]

Lionel, every part of the fuel injection system is visible from the outside. Even the injectors. So, either it's something quite simple, or it's something dire like a damaged head. Imo worst case is a new head. But I would like to see a video of it leaking.

[Lionelgee]

Lionel, every part of the fuel injection system is visible from the outside. Even the injectors. So, either it's something quite simple, or it's something dire like a damaged head. Imo worst case is a new head. But I would like to see a video of it leaking.

Hello Tins,

Thanks for the reply. Much appreciated. It was only a description the seller gave in their description of the vehicle. The photographs showed a car that had been very well looked after both inside and out. Priced reasonably too. Like most times when you buy someone else's problems. Ask me how I know this .... sigh!

It is raining here. The Land Rover I want to work on is out in the open. So, hence in way of explanation my multiple posts on AULRO this morning. There is not much I can do outside for a while. We did need the rain though.

Kind regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello Tins & other interested parties,

I found the ad again. Turns out I mixed two very similar advertisements together. One car is in better condition than the other. Both are being sold because of a fault. The diesel leaking one is described as:

Condition
Used - Fair

1997 Land Rover Discovery TDI

Has engine issues, diesel coming out from top of injector 1, seals?

330000 kms

Automatic

This one is a red Disco and the other one was a very well looked after white Disco - both asking similar money too.

I will do another search to see if the white one is still being advertised. Both ads having been running for over a month.

Kind regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello Tins and All,

Make that a silver Disco. The white one is a vehicle that is in very good condition - just does not come with a motor or a gearbox. I do have a motor and a gearbox = hence the mental note. One held without any great significance or weight though. After a while the cars seem to blend into each other. The main factor is a price range below $4000. The limitation being due to it being a possible 'project'. The more below $4000 the better though. My searches involve the keywords "Rover V8" and the maximum price set. Above that the vehicle would be too good for my intended 'evil' pursuit. The advertised cars are all within that price range. Anyway - the other Disco that has a potentially significant issue and the reason for sale is a coolant issue in a V8 Disco

As written, copied and pasted... the following contents shown in italics, does sound like a premonition of doom to me. Plus, the thought I just wonder how hot the engine reached and how long was it running for ... A bit of a "Danger, Danger, Will Robinson" vibe is happening for me... Plus, the asked price is way too close to the upper limit of my price range. Plenty of other options available that are more towards the bottom side of the price range to consider first. Still, I am the inquisitive type....

New water pump New thermostat New coolant hoses New coolant reservoir New Rotors and brakes New battery Recently serviced The Bad Bumpers are cracked Missing rear qtr panel glass passenger Consumed coolant. No time to explore why Runs good, drives tight and probably just needs a few weekends and sometime to get it sorted.

BTW ... it looks like the rain has set in here for the day. I suppose the garden needed it... grumble ... grumble. I'm stuck inside ... grumble ... grumble might as well look on Marketplace .... grumble.

If this rain keeps up, I might just have to write some wellbeing type of stuff .... grumble ... grumble. I wonder if there is a song called "grumbling in the rain"? It could go something like this... "Just grumbling and skulking in the rain ... la ... la ## l!!! lah ... in the ###!! rain"

Kind regards
Lionel

[workingonit]

Hello All,

... fuel leaking out at the top of a 300tdi injector...Has engine issues, diesel coming out from top of injector 1, seals?

Kind regards
Lionel

Assume injector nozzle and not injector pump. Could be as simple as a leaking fuel return line from injector nozzle 1.

[Tins]

Assume injector nozzle and not injector pump. Could be as simple as a leaking fuel return line from injector nozzle 1.

Yes. You just have to look sideways at the return lines to get them to leak.

[Tins]

If this rain keeps up, I might just have to write some wellbeing type of stuff .... grumble ... grumble. I wonder if there is a song called "grumbling in the rain"? It could go something like this... "Just grumbling and skulking in the rain ... la ... la ## l!!! lah ... in the ###!! rain"

Kind regards
Lionel

You could take a leaf from the Fab Four's book....


https://youtu.be/TNgITKvEEZ8'si=yxMdafUpPBB_Jvbk

[TonyC]

Hi Lionel,

The "top" of a 300Tdi injector is the fuel pipe coming from the pump, this could be loose, or the flair in line could be damaged.
But my bet is with the others, on the the return lines, these are just rubber fuel line, and a push fit, and are possibly 30 years old now.

Tony

[workingonit]

I think the general consensus is that if there is fuel leak then fixes are doable without spending a fortune. However, there is a need to consider that the vendor combined the words 'engine problem' with the words 'fuel leak' - is the engine problem the fuel leak, or is there an 'engine problem' that is a separate issue from the 'fuel leak'.

I have 4 Disco 1 vehicles. The first purchase had done over 600,000 kms, so it was a fair reason to sell. Regarding the other 3 purchases the owners initially liked the aura surrounding the brand, the apparent plush nature of the interior, coil springs etc - but each eventually could not cope with the cost of the mechanical issues, becoming very disaffected with the brand and just wanted the vehicles out of their lives. Only one of them was really an off roader and along with the cost of mechanical issues got rid of his because a mate gave him an apparently more reliable Nissan Patrol.