2011 Defender engine problem

[btm]

Howdy all,

I have been driving a IIa for the past 29 years and just purchased a 2011 Defender 90 SVX shorty. I purchased in from a seller in Alice Springs and had it looked over by the Land Rover dealership in Alice before having it trucked up to Darwin. They gave it the all clear after noting a couple of issues - nothing to major other than the dreaded clutch rattle. When i picked it up from the transport company, i noticed straight away that when i reached about 3000rpm in third gear the engine started to splutter and surge!!! It would lose power, but if i slowly accelerated up through the gears i could get up it up to 100/110 but it still splutters and carries on? When i tried to tow a trailer on the weekend it was even worse, as i was only able to manage 55/60kph in third at about 2500rpm, if i dropped it into 4th it started to violently surge and load and unload the drive-train to the point i thought i was going to snap something??

Can anyone please give me a suggestion where i might start trying to fix this problem? After owning my old IIa for so many years of trouble free (relatively speaking ) motoring, i'm worried i've bought a very expensive lemon!!

any thoughts or suggestions very welcomed.

cheers,

tim.

[DazzaTD5]

I can only suggest the obvious...
*Do you or anyone have a diagnostic tool that can read any codes? There are but only a few codes on a Defender, even the last ones arent that technical.
*Change fuel filter.
*Intermittent Crankshaft Position Sensor, a fault one wont bring up a code.
*How many K's has it done, has the clutch been replaced under warranty, unfortunately I have seen numerous "warranty" clutch replacements that "they" have damaged the CPS on removal or fitting gearbox.

*I'd also suggest if a 2.4 it might be flow control valve on the back of the high pressure fuel pump (fuel solenoid back in the ye ol days) but it doesnt have the characteristics of it failing.

On the lighter side of things:
*After driving a ol series Landie for that many years I'm surprised you know how to rev an engine to 3000rpm
*How can it possibly be faulty? the dealer gave it the all clear
*Worried you might have bought a lemon? no no... but you did buy a LAND ROVER so it will have quirks that need to be ironed out
*Thankfully the Defender TDCi (puma 2007 onwards) has the smallest list of "quirks" to be found in a LAND ROVER model
and famous last quote:
*Its a Land Rover Defender you need a real mechanic

[btm]

Thanks Daz, you're a champion.

my brother has a code reader(?), but I'm not sure where to plug it in - sorry if that's a really dumb question? yes you are right, it was a rare day that saw my IIa over 3000rpm (unless i was trying to over take some old Toyota or Jeep of the same era ). Bronte has done 108,000 clicks and i just bought a new fuel filter today ($124.00) from the local dealer - i think he saw me coming from a looong way away...! Thank you for all the other suggestions too. I'll put the new filter in and see if there's an improvement, fingers crossed.

cheers for now.

tim

[DiscoMick]

I paid $100 for a fuel filter from a dealer.
The OBD port should be in the fuse box under the steering wheel.

[roverrescue]

BTM
Grab a manual for your jigger
If it is the 2.4, there is no in-tank fuel pump and changing the fuel filter is not as simple as it is in the 2.2 model

A

[btm]

Thanks DiscoMick and Roverrescue

[DazzaTD5]

Thanks Daz, you're a champion.

my brother has a code reader(?), but I'm not sure where to plug it in - sorry if that's a really dumb question?

Under steering wheel there is a panel, two plastic retainers, undo and the port is behind panel.

No dumb questions here. Dumb is not asking.

[DiscoMick]

BTM
Grab a manual for your jigger
If it is the 2.4, there is no in-tank fuel pump and changing the fuel filter is not as simple as it is in the 2.2 model

A

The fuel filter is down the back near the tank. Fill the filter with fuel before fitting it.

[spudfan]

I have a 2.4 and it would surge occasionally. It turned out to be the VCV valve. Changed it and all was O.K. Some people say that you have to do a learn procedure after the VCV change but I had no way of doing this. Mine has been fine without the learn procedure.
Price comparison VCV
When I do a fuel filter change on the 2.4 I fill the new one with diesel then put it on and start her up.
The filter has "lugs" in it. When you remove the old one if you lie under the filter housing and look up you will see where the lugs slot in, then it is a simple twist. I cannot get a correct grip by hand to remove or fit the filter so I use a strap spanner just to turn it.
The fuel filters can be expensive, especially from a dealer. I buy them in bulk from here.
Service parts for the Defender 2.4 2007-2011
I use the Mahle filters.