Rough running

[RichC4]

Just had to pull over on the hard shoulder because it's started running rough suddenly. Any ideas what it might be. No lights on the dash.

1kz-te engine.

 

[BobMurphy]

Have you re-fuelled recently ??

Any other recent activities that might be relevant ??

Otherwise we're all guessing !

Bob.

 

[RichC4]

Not refuelled recently, it's been parked for most of the week, but ran fine last time. 3/4 of a tank on the fuel gauge.

I have breakdown coming since the M60 is not a great place to be doing stuff.

 

[RichC4]

Just to add it sounds a bit like it's running on three cylinders, maybe an injector has failed?

 

[BobMurphy]

Indeed not - I used to drive the M60 !

Apart from looking for loose connections around the injector pump and checking the hose connections around the turbo to inlet there's not much to suggest.

Is the radiator hot at the top (i.e. full of coolant) ?

How old is the timing belt (and were you revving it) ??

Was it producing smoke/fumes from the exhaust when the problem happened ?

Good luck with the breakdown guys - I hope they find something simple.

Bob.

 

[BobMurphy]

Injector possibly - but they are mechanical simple things.

Are all the injector pipes tight ?

Bob.

 

[RichC4]

Tow man says like it sounds like a cylinder has blown. Bugger. New short block maybe?

 

[BobMurphy]

Does he mean the head gasket has blown ?

Not necessarily the end of the world, providing the head is OK. I was thinking "Cracked Head" but didn't want to jump to the worst scenario just yet .

You stopped as soon as you detected a problem; had you continued the exhaust blowing past the gasket may have damaged the face of the block and the head. I wouldn't condemn the block just yet.

I would have suspected a lot of steam in the exhaust and low water level in the radiator if the head gasket has blown (I remember blowing a gasket on a Volvo 240 estate on the M90 - great clouds of steam out of the back).

Are you going to work on it or leave it to a garage?

Bob.

 

[Shayne]

Bad fuel was my first thought because not much causes sudden problems but now i'm thinking she dropping a ring .

 

[RichC4]

Sounds like it might have rod knock. He suspected a cracked block but nothing visible outside in a quick inspection.

Maybe oil pump failure and the big end bearings have gone? Hard to say without pulling stuff apart.

What's the best way to inspect the engine internals without tearing it apart? Borescope down the glow plug channels?

 

[Higgy]

Same thing Happened to me once in the Old 90.. Suddenly running like it was on 3 cylinders. Turned out to be air getting in a corroded fuel pipe along the Chassis, Try Priming the fuel filter plunger next time you start it till it's Hard, Make sure you getting fuel up ( No air in system) exact same thing and same problem on my Old Isuzu Trooper 3.1 Too..... Check simple cheap stuff first......... Good luck i hope it's not Major

 

[Shayne]

Run a bottle of diesel straight to the pump .

 

[RichC4]

I think I want to check for mechanical damage first, what's the easiest way to check the internals?

 

[BobMurphy]

I'd start by draining the engine oil and looking at the magnetic sump plug. If its covered in magnetic bits have a look at the bottom of the oil catch can for any non-magnetic bits.

If its looking bad - drop the sump and have a poke around the big ends and mains.

Remove the injectors and do a compression test on each cylinder, that should indicate if the head gasket has failed (or you have a dropped valve / holed piston / ring failure).

If all looks good - get the injectors checked out at a specialist (not cheap !).

Before going down any expensive routes - let us know what you've found .

As an aside - the head gaskets are made up of multiple thin steel (?) sheets. The compression is adjusted by using gaskets with differing numbers of sheets and you are advised to stick to the same quantity that the manufactures fitted. My '90' has a "3-sheet" gasket, I think the highest number is five.

I have seen the head blow between the gasket sheets - ballooning the upper & lower sheets into water channels in the head & block. This means that the head and block are not damaged by the failure - though the head may have warped if its had a hard life.

Bob.

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

Check simple cheap stuff first.

First rule, as in the majority of cases its not complicated. If it runs without sounding catastrophic I'd knock each injector pipe off in turn to pin point which cylinder is not performing. If its clanging and banging I wouldn't run it anymore without a decent mechanic listening.

 

[RichC4]

Drained the oil, there's some swarf there which means presumably more in the sump. Turns out you need to drop the axle to get the sump out on these so I've not done that yet.

 

[RichC4]

Bottom of the drained oil.

 

[Tractionman]

Sorry to see that Rich, not looking good mate.
Is that part of an Allen key in there ?

 

[Shayne]

I was going to say a destroyed bearing but the allen key confused me ?

 

[RichC4]

Don't think there's an allen key in there, what makes you say that?