Member Since: 31 Oct 2012
Location: Highlands
Posts: 30
D3 Engine failure
Hi, my 2008 D3 2.7 TDV6 engine failed on the way home from work. It has 103,000 on the clock From looking around the internet it may be terminal with all of the horror stories. I just want to ascertain if it is knacked before I either scrap it, sell the whole thing for spares or bite the bullet and repair it. I have had everything done to the book, timing belt @ 94000, correct grades of recommended oil, regular servicing to the intervals, gearbox oil flushed, new gearbox filters etc etc £4k last year in total. The only thing I didn't have done was the fuel pump belt as I was told this should be ok?
The engine stopped suddendly with a prominent ticking noise coming from the upper rear end of the engine (possibly near side). On turning over with the starter there is compression from listening to the exhaust but the loudish ticking noise is still there. Any ideas of what to try in order to get an idea of how catastrophic the damage is people? I have stripped the covers off but thought I had better seek some advice from those in the know on these engines.
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Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
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8th Jun 2016 12:01 pm
F355GTS
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: North Hampshire
Posts: 849
ticking noise upper rear could be something as simple as a failed/ failing relay?Mark
8th Jun 2016 12:06 pm
brightyuk
Member Since: 11 Apr 2013
Location: Bedworth
Posts: 394
Can you turn the engine over by hand not in the starter? 22mm socket in the crank bolt middle of engine below fan.Vehicles
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8th Jun 2016 12:18 pm
Dogeggs2000
Member Since: 31 Oct 2012
Location: Highlands
Posts: 30
Hi guys and thanks for the welcome (been feeling a little lonely since my disco broke!) Thanks also for the rapid replies so far.
I have not tried to turn the car over by hand but will do tonight after work. I suspect it will turn ok as the starter motor does not sound as though it is meeting any more resistance than normal, (although this is difficult to quantify )
I am am certain it's not a relay as the ticking is too loud and VERY mechanical, like a camshaft or valve sort of noise, with a regular frequency of occurrence that matches the engine rotation. I can see why you would have sugggested that though but with this level of noise it would have to be a contactor!
I have read many of Disco Mikey's posts, he sounds like the man in the disco world! If needs be I wonder if he would come this far up to the North coast of Scotland very close to Thurso!! I have a 2 post ramp and full garage setup for my other landies so I could make the job easier for him I have just never messed with TDV6 engines as they mistify me!
8th Jun 2016 1:43 pm
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20853
On a 2008 car, I would suspect it's an oil pump casing issue...
Member Since: 22 Dec 2009
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 7274
If you havent had the fuel pump belt done could it be as simple as that failed and the noise is the remains of the belt?
8th Jun 2016 7:35 pm
Dogeggs2000
Member Since: 31 Oct 2012
Location: Highlands
Posts: 30
Hi, the plot thickens but I suspect not in a good way. On close inspection there is damage to the left side of the timing belt cover by the alternator, it's actually burst. Possible timing belt failure or crank failure but there is still compression? Anybody seen this before? It's getting stripped on Friday afternoon by the mechanic that did the belt 9 or so months ago as I showed it to him tonight, so I'll see what he says. He advised that there is a chance of a warranty claim on the belt components if component failure can be proven. He's a top drawer mechanic with 30 years experience and his own very reputable garage so no reason to suspect a problem with the install. Should be interesting if nothing else. I'll be sure to post full details for you! Tried posting pics but working off an iphone and when i previewed post they haven't displayed, hoping they will when I upload the post?!
8th Jun 2016 8:52 pm
WillyEckerslike
Member Since: 22 Aug 2013
Location: Out in the world
Posts: 967
As an alternative to the oil pump casing breaking, the tensioner bolt could have sheared and sent the tensioner through the timing cover.
8th Jun 2016 9:01 pm
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20853
Member Since: 22 Aug 2013
Location: Out in the world
Posts: 967
Very poorly engine whichever one it turns out to be
8th Jun 2016 9:22 pm
Dogeggs2000
Member Since: 31 Oct 2012
Location: Highlands
Posts: 30
A late update but, Disco Mikey appears to be correct.................again!! Oil pump casing failure and tensioner broken off. I am now hoping that the bottom end is ok so I have a chance of getting things sorted out. Maybe some bent valves etc but hopefully repairable??? I am planning to 'time' her up and temporarily install a used oil pump and Timing belt tensioner and turn the engine over. She seems to turn ok with just the 'ticking' noise I mentioned previously. I'll obviously make sure she won't fire up at this testing stage and see if anything else is really screwed. If this test goes reasonably well, I'll strip it and renew everything that needs renewing. Hopefully I will be able to fix it for reasonable money without removing the engine!!
Any thoughts on this methodology?
Cheers
Carl
5th Aug 2016 9:12 am
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20853
If the heads are damaged, they are £1000 a piece, (plus gaskets, head bolts etc)
A complete, running 2nd hand warranted engine can be had for similar money...My D3 Build Thread
Member Since: 31 Oct 2012
Location: Highlands
Posts: 30
Cheers Mikey, that would be very helpful indeed and provide some necessary pointers. Obviously I'm interested in any serviceable parts you might have for sale too, (unwarranted of course)!!
I'm trying to avoid lifting the body off if I can help it. I have a Bradbury 2 poster but I am just too busy with other engineering work (My job)! I think I could manage it, but with having never done it before, it will take me literally ages. Wish you lived closer as recovery to Dundee would cost a fortune. There doesn't seem to be a reasonable way out of this. The design of the oil pump casing is poor, all that repeated fatigue from a moving tensioner and point loading from the tensioner, hanging off one small piece of poorly cast monkey metal, is very disappointing in terms of a fully signed off design for mass production of such a marque! Any help is very much appreciated Mikey.
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It has 103,000 on the clock From looking around the internet it may be terminal with all of the horror stories. I just want to ascertain if it is knacked before I either scrap it, sell the whole thing for spares or bite the bullet and repair it. I have had everything done to the book, timing belt @ 94000, correct grades of recommended oil, regular servicing to the intervals, gearbox oil flushed, new gearbox filters etc etc £4k last year in total. The only thing I didn't have done was the fuel pump belt as I was told this should be ok?
)
I have just never messed with TDV6 engines as they mistify me!
