300tdi vac pump- this is it's insides.

Diesel engine design doesn't allow a vacuum pipe to be run to a brake booster (to help you press the brake pedal more easily) from the inlet manifold as has been the practice for many years on petrol engines. Diesels need a separate pump somewhere; driven off a belt like an aircon compressor; on the back of the alternator; or on the side of the engine, pushed up and down by a cam on this particular model Defender.

Another thing to note is that some synthetic engine oils can cause these pumps on the 300Tdi to sieze up. I know from bitter experience!

Well... using Ace's instructions my mechanic pulled the leaking pump apart, made a new gasket, tapped some threads into the housing, put it all back together again, and I now have a non-oil-leaking land rover for the first time in ages. He said it was an easy fix.

Much better than getting a new unit at the price quoted by Land Rover. Hope it lasts.

Just a quick question regarding "spongy brakes" mine has done that occasionally lately but not all the time. I was thinking flush brake fluid and bleed but am now wondering if perhaps the Vac pump needs checking first.

Excuse the ignorance but I didn't think about the Vac pump as I thought if it was faulty it would cause a hard pedal. (Lack of vacum assistance to brake booster)

Can someone set me straight!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cookiesa

Just a quick question regarding "spongy brakes" mine has done that occasionally lately but not all the time. I was thinking flush brake fluid and bleed but am now wondering if perhaps the Vac pump needs checking first.

Excuse the ignorance but I didn't think about the Vac pump as I thought if it was faulty it would cause a hard pedal. (Lack of vacum assistance to brake booster)

Can someone set me straight!

---

I would be thinking along the same lines. Lack of vacuum = hard pedal.

Have you checked your wheel bearings. Loose bearings will allow the discs to knock the pads back - soft pedal on first application.

No, I will tonight, thanks. Seems more likely to do it on rough tracks than around town

wow. I am no mechanic and actually havn't worked much on engines but after reading your repairs to recapping the vaccum pump and replacing the rivets i feel like i saved myself about 500 big ones. Very easy to do and only took me about 3 hours to complete...not a drop comes out of her now. Cheers mate..

Sorry, had some drama's with our Feroza (Head Gasket) so haven't had a chance to look any further in to this yet!

I re did mine the other week end only I jist drilled out the riverts and put new bolts one by one in. Its good to see someone else has taken it apart I was scared it was going to be a pain in the ass to put back together ;) but either way mine doesnt leak now either :)