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Setok



Member Since: 16 Jan 2009
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 422

Finland 
Rough running — possibly only 4 cylinders
We just got back from doing a Baltic tour (read about it here: http://travellingsalesman.mobi/). However now the Landy is running quite rough. The whole car feels like it is shaking and the sound seems like it might only be running on 4 cylinders.

Initially it appeared after a few moments of running. Then when reaching temperature, turning it off and firing up again seemed to help, at least for a while. Just recently that doesn't seem to be working either. Or the shaking returns very quickly. You can hear it change.

Additionally it seems like the fan is constantly running.

I looked externally at the ECU plug (as I'm not sure if it's OK to pull it out without removing the battery too), and didn't see any telltale signs of oil. OTOH it could be on the inside of the plug. Though I'm not sure why it would start shaking only after a while, and why the fan would be running. Things which may or may not be related: some of the Latvian roads were very rough with a good bit of shaking. Not anything I would have thought the Landy couldn't handle. Also on Monday it was pouring down with very heavy rain. No leaks inside, though.

Any ideas? It's a 2003 TD5.[/url]
Post #75892 14th Jun 2011 8:32pm
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Zinke



Member Since: 27 Jan 2009
Location: Scunthorpe
Posts: 670

United Kingdom 2003 Defender 90 Td5 HT Epsom Green
Pull the red plug off the ECU and see if there is oil inside, there is a seal in there so it doesnt normally leak out untill its really bad. My betting is there will be oil there. You are safe to unplug the either plug on the ECU as long as the ignition is turned off.

Pete.
Post #75922 15th Jun 2011 12:36am
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Setok



Member Since: 16 Jan 2009
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 422

Finland 
OK, Haynes seems to be recommending I disconnect the battery before removing the ECU cable. I can't really see the logic to that as wouldn't the ECU be out of the loop anyway with the ignition off (not really that familiar with ECUs and how they work)?

Another piece on the Internet seemed to be saying the whole ECU should be removed before pulling out the cables.

These are basically the reasons I haven't looked already Smile
Post #75942 15th Jun 2011 8:26am
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Zinke



Member Since: 27 Jan 2009
Location: Scunthorpe
Posts: 670

United Kingdom 2003 Defender 90 Td5 HT Epsom Green
If your not sure then disconnect the battery but in reality there is no need to, but sometimes its better to be safe than sorry. Even if the engine was running at the time then i think all it would do is create some fault codes.

I really cant see what you would gain by removing the whole ECU before disconnecting.

At the moment im removing my red plug at least once a day to try a flush out the oil thats in the main loom after replacing the injector loom and i never disconnect the batter and have no problems or faults caused by doing this but as i said before just disconnect the battery if your unsure.

Pete.
Post #76042 15th Jun 2011 4:58pm
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Setok



Member Since: 16 Jan 2009
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 422

Finland 
OK, I removed the connector and it's completely bone dry. I guess that's good. However the vibration continues. It's clearly not firing on all cylinders.

I can't figure out why the fan is running constantly. And why, initially, a reboot seemed to help. Now it runs smoothly for maybe a couple of seconds and then continues to be rough. High revs seem to smooth it out a bit, but that might be just that it's not as easy to spot then.

I had a look under the engine noise cover, and I noticed an interesting thing: the component that I think is related to the EGR thingy has a rubber pipe that should presumably go into a metallic bit. At least that's what it looks like in the Haynes manual. However they are not connected and there's a screw inside the rubber pipe. The metal bit is open.

Probably not related. Or could it be?
Post #76110 15th Jun 2011 8:49pm
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Zinke



Member Since: 27 Jan 2009
Location: Scunthorpe
Posts: 670

United Kingdom 2003 Defender 90 Td5 HT Epsom Green
Did you remove the white lock plate in the plug and looked behind that? In the early stages there my just be a trace of oil behind it, worth looking as it just pops off.

The pipes to the EGR is just a crude was to blank it off, it will in no way cause the problems you have.

By the sounds of it you really need it connecting to a diagnostic computer to see what fault codes if any are there and look at the live fuelling data (cylinder balances would be the main ones to look at). Also a long shot but worth checking would be engine and gearbox mounts as they can often fail and let things move around, prob not this but worth a check.

Pete.
Post #76142 15th Jun 2011 10:04pm
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Setok



Member Since: 16 Jan 2009
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 422

Finland 
OK, no I didn't look behind the white plate. I didn't realise it comes off. I'll have a look.

It's going in to the stealers for a look (the AC needs repairing) next week. I just would have had a use for it today, and more over the weekend. Now I'm quite wary about driving it as I'm concerned of the damage it might do to run it in this condition. My first thoughts were the engine mounts too, but I don't think it's that as you can quite clearly hear it run rough. And you can hear when it suddenly changes from smooth to rough.

On the EGR thing, it's normal to blank off only the other pipe? No idea how that works.

Any idea why the fan would constantly be running at high speed?
Post #76150 16th Jun 2011 4:53am
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Zinke



Member Since: 27 Jan 2009
Location: Scunthorpe
Posts: 670

United Kingdom 2003 Defender 90 Td5 HT Epsom Green
Yeh its fairly normal to blank or remove the EGR, mine is fitted with a kit that totally removes the valve giving better air flow into the engine. The EGR isnt good for the engine but is good for the emissions.

The fan will turn all the time the engine is running, if it sounds like its working hard all the time it could be the viscous drive thats faulty.

Pete.
Post #76183 16th Jun 2011 9:06am
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Zagato
Site Supporter


Member Since: 08 Jan 2011
Location: Billingshurst West Sussex
Posts: 5013

United Kingdom 
Faulty injector perhaps Confused They can determine which one is faulty these days but in the past they used to replace the lot Shocked
Post #76193 16th Jun 2011 10:32am
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Setok



Member Since: 16 Jan 2009
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 422

Finland 
Oh the fan is definitely working hard. You can hear it spin up very shortly after starting. This never happened before so my thinking is it must be related to the rough running, but how?
Post #76213 16th Jun 2011 12:30pm
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JSG



Member Since: 12 Jul 2007
Location: Berkshire
Posts: 2412

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
How hot is the engine getting? The only time I had a viscous fan coming on all the time was on my old P38. When the rad and intercooler came out to get to the fan they were clogged with weed from the lake at Billing. Cleaning the rad and intercooler out cured the problem.

It may be your engine is overheating and that is causing the problem. John

http://www.hampshire4x4response.co.uk

2011 Tdci 110 CSW XS
Post #76214 16th Jun 2011 12:36pm
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Setok



Member Since: 16 Jan 2009
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 422

Finland 
The guage is sitting at approximately its usual position. It might just be me but I think it's getting there quicker than normal. Then again, I haven't exactly been measuring it before.

Could it also be the other way round? A faulty injector/running that causes the engine to heat up more/quickly because of more intensive vibrations?
Post #76215 16th Jun 2011 12:46pm
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Setok



Member Since: 16 Jan 2009
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 422

Finland 
OK, looked behind the white bit and interestingly there was a bit of oily residue there. Not very much, and it was kind of yellowy orange in colour, which I thought was odd. But maybe it really was very thin oil. I cleaned that up as well as I could, but alas it made no difference.

Again, it ran smooth for maybe 2–3 seconds on firing up, and then returned to rough.

Not understanding ECUs and that kind of stuff, I can't figure why it would run like that. I guess we should've imported a TDI!
Post #76324 16th Jun 2011 7:54pm
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Setok



Member Since: 16 Jan 2009
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 422

Finland 
And we'd really have a use for it this weekend, so how much damage do you think it might cause to run it like this? Not long trips, but out and about to collect bits and bobs.
Post #76325 16th Jun 2011 7:57pm
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Setok



Member Since: 16 Jan 2009
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 422

Finland 
OK, seems to be sorted. The dealer swapped in a new injector loom and so far everything is good. I still think the fan might be coming on earlier than before, but it might be I have just become more sensitive to it. Plus the radiator is full of insects...
Post #77836 25th Jun 2011 9:26pm
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