TD5 injector harness - a different idea

I was looking for RAVE last night on google before I gave up and ordered the DVD from Incisor. got onto several threads on UK forums.
A bloke in UK had just put blade connectors on all five wires before the ECU and reckoned that had fixed it. I even had the connectors asembled today before I chickened out. The injector connectors are all at the bottom of the ECU plug so I just took out the gasket, so it should drain away instead of filling the plug. I cleaned the ECU plug a week ago and it had a bit more oil in it today.

I was thinking along the lines of the UK bloke and wondering whether a Busbar with screw connectors would be the go. Along with the gap between the wire ends I think you would have to solder the ones on the ECU plug end so that the capilliary action was broken. the oil should then just drain out of the busbar holes.Especially if you pointed the ECU end up hill.
I have a new under rocker cover harness on order from UK ( and injector washer sand seals Although its not making oil) , so I might do both. The only caveat is there is not much spare room for extra wires around the ECU harness.

I have a new boost modulator on order as I have a miss at just about WFO 4000RPM.
Took the genuine side steps off today , fitted an ARB battery tray , found the washer problem was a failed attempt at gluing a nozzle back on.
Ah the joys of tD5 ownership
Regards Philip A

The most simple & effective solution, I found, was to fit a modified harness, [ modified - the part of the harness in the rocker cover directly above where the harness exits the rocker cover, is filled with some type of epoxy mix, stops the oil migrating to the harness. Just incorporate into your service routine checking of the red plug on the ECU, because there will be residual oil migrating down the harness. No need to flush the harness, just check.] Has worked for me, my modified harness came from my local independant dealer, Bob

Hi all,

I've just spent some time reading through links posted in The Good Oil re the oil in TD5 ECU harness problem. As most of the posts are around 7 years old i was wondering if in the intervening years there has been a definitive fix for this problem either from LR, or after market suppliers.

onebob

Well since my fix with epoxy and write up here a while ago, all still going strong with on oil passing the plug, but then I actually went further and replaced the outer plastic shield with RG213 shielding in a vein attempt to reduce RFI on ham frequencies. just remember there is no need to replace these looms as is easy preventative maintenance and landrover never change the design either.

Par the insulation back along the harness somewhere make sure the wires don't touch and let the oil drip out before it makes it to the computer. Or cut and wire it to a terminal board that is also left open to drip and thus preventing any further capillary action

I guess in my mod i never really explained what is happening here. The loom can be full of oil and the car will perform as normal, after all, the loom enters the head and is fully oil bathed to the injectors. The issue where things go pear shaped is at the pins to ecu. The close proximity vs current thus causing the breakdown across the pins within the connector. The injectors consume large currents and you be surprised how much so any idea or mod as chopper suggests will work so long as you stop the oil before it enters the ecu plug. Oil in the entrance to the cylinder head can be full of oil but the distances and method of connecting will not affect the engine so concentrate on ecu side if nothing else if on the fly and you get a miss or two.

DLS have looms for $50 AUS,just replace it every 12 months. Pat

I thought this issue was well and truly sorted.

Similar to what PAT said. Check the plug at the rocker cover every service. If any signs of oil then replace the harness under the rocker cover, if not do nothing as nothing is wrong. This procedure will ensure you take action before the main loom gets too contaminated.

I'm lead to believe the newer injector harnesses are better constructed but to be honest I didnt even check when I put the newer one in I just slung the old one away and popped in the new one (10 min job).

I treat it as a service item, its not like they are expensive. My last one did over 100k before any signs of oil at the connector. I'd rather replace the cheap and vulnerable item than be cutting into the main (and expen$ive) loom.

Ian.

Hi,

Thanks for all the helpful responses - I never thought of the injector harness as a service item but it makes sense because of the hostile environment it lives in so it will be changed asap. I'll have a bash at washing the oil out of the ECU loom but are also thinking about the ways discussed of interrupting the capillary action in the ECU loom if the new the injector harness doesn't arrest the problem. Thanks to all for your input.

onebob

I have only replaced mine once and that was over 200k ago. The first went at 250k. Makes me wonder if it is a time based issue rather than km's which in my case would be 5-6 years. I also fitted a plug in tuning box which must break the flow of any oil to the ECU.