Contents of the material
Common faults, maintenance and repair of a Land Rover diesel engine
Quite reliable power units are installed across the entire line of Land Rover models. The most problematic engine is the 2.7TD diesel engine installed on the Discovery 3 and the first Discovery 4 models. Later, this engine was replaced with a 3.0TD and began to be used on almost the entire line produced by the company.
Owners who experience engine breakdowns very often wonder why this happened, is the breakdown the fault of the engine manufacturer, or is it the fault of the driver, possibly related to violation of operating or maintenance rules? We will try to deal with all the questions in order.
Question answer
Why can’t you exceed the regulations for changing the oil in internal combustion engines?
Over time, the oil loses its properties. Diesel engines contain soot that mixes with the engine oil and impairs its lubricating properties. The manufacturer recommends changing the oil every 12,000-13,000 km. But service practice shows that it is better to change the oil from 6,000 km to 10,000 km, depending on the complexity of operating conditions. The more difficult the conditions, the more often the replacement must be made.
Severe/severe operating conditions include (Land Rover Owner’s Manual, Maintenance section):
- traveling on dusty roads or sand;
- traveling on uneven, dirty roads or overcoming water obstacles;
- traveling in extreme heat or cold;
- towing a trailer, or traveling in mountainous conditions.
- driving on roads sprinkled with dry salt or corrosive substances.
How does the operation of an internal combustion engine “cold” affect?
Each start of the internal combustion engine “cold” reduces its service life. It’s all about oil pressure and temperature. When the engine is turned off, the oil flows into the sump, there is no oil pressure. When starting the engine, it takes several seconds to build up pressure in the system, and it is at this moment that increased loads are applied to the moving elements in the engine. In winter, high oil viscosity is also added, which prevents oil from penetrating into the lubrication channels.
Why is it important to change glow plugs?
With faulty glow plugs, when starting a cold engine, increased detonation occurs, the fuel does not explode well in the combustion chamber and, as a result, unstable engine operation is felt. This places excessive stress on the piston system.
Does driving speed affect engine life?
Discovery 3 and Discovery 4 have “square shapes” and there is no need to talk about aerodynamics. The higher the speed, the greater the drag, and the greater the load on the engine and transmission. And if the car is loaded, with a trailer, then the load increases significantly. You may not notice this, but you need to understand that such operation reduces the service life of the power unit.
Why clean radiators?
Clogged cooling system radiators lead to increased engine operating temperature and increased wear.
What is the effect of high sulfur content in fuel?
When diesel fuel burns in the combustion chamber, gases are formed that penetrate the engine crankcase and mix with the engine oil. Interacting with rubber elements causes corrosion and failure. This is where oil leaks from under gaskets, seals and sealant.
What oil should not be used?
The 2.7 and 3.0 liter diesel engine oil is used with the following specifications WSS-M2C-913B, meeting ACEA B1/B3 requirements, with a viscosity of 5W30. The manufacturer is not that important. But you shouldn’t choose the cheapest oils. By saving on oil, you do not save on repairs. Oils with a different viscosity and that do not meet this specification cannot be used!
Where to look for oil leaks from the engine?
There are several problem areas from which oil can leak. It is worth noting the most critical points. Oil leaking from the front crankshaft oil seal. Typically occurs in winter. It may be due to frozen crankcase ventilation, or a design error by engineers. There is a breather on the cylinder block through which crankcase gases pass. If condensation forms in it, it freezes, as a result of which crankcase gases create excess pressure in the piston cavity of the cylinder block. The pressure squeezes out the crankshaft oil seal and the oil pours out in a stream. If you do not follow this in time, then after a while the oil pressure indicator will light up on the instrument panel. Stop the engine immediately and repair the problem.
Why and when do you need to change the timing belt?
The regulations for a 2.7 liter diesel engine require changing the belt every 130,000 km. Failure to comply with this requirement leads to a broken belt, impact of the pistons on the valves and, as a result, serious engine damage. From service practice, the belt breaks after a mileage of 160,000 km.
How does a faulty fuel injector affect engine wear?
From service practice, the injector can overflow fuel in a larger volume than that required for stable engine operation. There is a stoichiometric ratio – this is the ratio of the volume of fuel to the volume of the air mixture. It is determined by the engine control module maps. If the injector is faulty, more fuel is supplied than required, as a result of which the balance of the cylinders is disrupted, detonation is not at the calculated positions, an increase in temperature in the combustion chamber, and increased load on the piston. All these factors lead to burnout of the piston, as well as excessive loads on the crank mechanism.