Hello, I am experiencing awful starting from cold, ign key in press start button wait 10 secs press brake and start button, the usual dash lights illuminate not glow plug this only comes on if I can remember when it’s Blinkin icy.
Engine turns over and it fires up, very lumpy tick over very rough and NO acceleration at all until the temp gauge starts to move.
Will not rev up still lumpy, When temp gauge gets to mid range engine runs as tho nothing is wrong No flat spotting and drives as tho it’s okay.
Had the car from new, now mileage is 133,000, 9 years old March 2009. Td4 2.2 HSE.
After 100.000 I have serviced the car myself using genuine landrover parts, Castrol GTX oil. Oil,air,fuel,cabin filters. All brakes stripped lubed. Brake fluid change. Only not done yet is auto box oil or haldex filter.
Tonight after many scratches of scalp, put digital multimeter on battery put meter where I can see screen, ign on 12.8 volts
Turn ign on reading is 11.5 volts- glow plugs energised? Crank over to start still lumpy as the same.
Recently replaced, throttle body due to squealing, Map sensor which broke during throttle body replacement, airflow sensor.
Something tells me temperature sensor?
Fuel tank 3 quarters full with shell v max diesel.
Anyone got a lead to next repair or trial???

Glow plug failure. My wife had a Citroen ZX a few years back that had exactly the same symptoms, poor starting then lumpy running until warm then OK usually with a bit of black smoke on start up too. Turned out that one glow plug had failed. I replaced 3 as they came in a pack of four but the 4th one was in a difficult position under an air con compressor so didn't bother with that one. I tested them in situ with multi meter.
Glow plugs come on even in warm weather to get you started and stay on for a few minutes. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

The FL2 will start and run OK down to about 0 degrees Celsius.
At least this is how mine was behaving with not a single glow plug working.
Once below 0, will progressively have problem to start and at -5 will not start at all.
But down to 0, will start without any lumpiness.

castrol GTX ? what grade ?5/30 or 10/40
iether the oil is too thick when cold over jacking the lifters and reducing compression, will have rough tick over and wont rev, may also smoke slightly whistish blue.
or
You may need to be a little inventive and put a piece of clear fuel pipe close to the fuel filter and check for whether loads of bubbles are streaming through the fuel line due to it picking up air somewhere.
or
have someone with a proper diagnostic tool to look at live date to ensure all the correct values.
manifold pressure, not running about 1014 so often overlooked
Rail pressure
Engine temp, live data, ensuring its going through its incremental rises
EGR %
AFM response

Just a start but some of the easy things to check to make sure your not missing something simples Jaguar x-type sport gone
Jaguar x-type 2.2d sport one of my best cars ever sadly gone
Freelander 2 GS auto 2008 most unreliable ever ! gladly gone
Freelander 2 GS manual 2013 only time will tell !

Well, thank you all for advice, regarding the oil question the grade was 5w 30, but a good thought, may drain and refill with 0w grade just to try, as it does emit blue smoke with a whitish tinge.
Here is something last night I removed from the under bonnet fuse box the glow plug relay to try this morning cancelling out glow plug activation the start up was exactly the same lumpy and smoke. So the oil will be drained tomorrow for another trial.
Not 100% sure about the glow plug issue but piece of mind will replace all 4 and the relay. Just to add during May this year I removed the inter cooler and flushed it out with cleaner and turps what a lot of oil residue in the bottle after.

I think with reading all the info on freel2 my next port of call will be the glow plugs etc but also the egr valve
Happy hunting!

If it’s on its original battery which is now 9yrs old I would definitely start there.

Last edited by Jack frost on 31st Aug 2020 8:56 pm. Edited 2 times in total

Glow plugs should read less than 3 Ohms but they need to be disconnected from power lead individually, probably quicker than removing them. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Again thank you to all replies, the battery was replaced this year with a battery from Halfords their own brand with a five year replacement warranty which when the label was peeled back is the identical battery used on a Vauxhall Grandland.

I am draining the oil tomorrow and also changing the fuel filter to a Purflux, contemplating the none removal of air intake to replace the glow plugs and also visiting the landy dealer in Stoke for all parts. 4x glow plugs, glow plug relay, coolant temp sensor, air intake temp sensor, local hospital for replacement skin from worn out old farts knuckles having spent considerable time on Mercedes also bmw motors.

Will keep you all posted on progress and results.
Might be a trade up to a replacement landy? If all fails, pity tho this one has been the best car ever owned, 133k one owner been round France and Switzerland with caravan in tow for ten years with no breakdowns,punctures, or anything really.
What’s wrong with it?

Mine has always been a bit sluggish when cold always thought that was the norm


 If it wasn't so bad it'd be funny.

🐑
Freelander 2 HSE auto 2014 ( Florrie ) ..... Try again.
Freelander 2 GS 2012...... Gone.

Well, having read everything on this forum I decided to change the oil to a lower ie viscosity “0”, Nope didn’t have any affect after burning the midnight oil last night for a 8 degree cold start this morning
So, again leaving out the glow plug relay, but this time making a blanking plate for the egr valve, from a member who mentioned the plate I decided to do just that.
After leaving the car in a wind tunnel effect and also parked in a no sun area as today was sunny when I got home leaving my company car having sat in the freelander feeling a chill started up the car, this time key in foot on the brake going for the start knowing no glow plugs ie no relay. The car started up fine, no lumpy tick over, no miss firing, no smoke, revved to 7000 with no hesitation
Quickly stopping the engine to remove the blanking plate, again a re start- back to its old self, lumpy, poor acceleration loads of whitish blue smoke.

So it’s the egr valve at fault any ideas how to simply un stick it, Blinkin expensive and looks awful to swop out, can it be cleaned in situ?

I frantically await a reply as closure needs to be on this, being a pain in the rump!

Try some 'Forte Diesel Turbo Cleaner' its supposed to be able to clean Variable Geometry Turbos and EGR valves.
I'm using it at the minute as my turbo is a bit sticky due to not going anywhere lately, seems to be working.
Got nothing to loose and its cheaper than a strip down.  Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

SIMPLES,if everything is ok with the blanking plate fitted, why remove it iv been running mine same year as yours for 5yrs with plate fitted no problems.[/quote]

davyboy wrote:

Well, having read everything on this forum I decided to change the oil to a lower ie viscosity “0”, Nope didn’t have any affect after burning the midnight oil last night for a 8 degree cold start this morning
So, again leaving out the glow plug relay, but this time making a blanking plate for the egr valve, from a member who mentioned the plate I decided to do just that.
After leaving the car in a wind tunnel effect and also parked in a no sun area as today was sunny when I got home leaving my company car having sat in the freelander feeling a chill started up the car, this time key in foot on the brake going for the start knowing no glow plugs ie no relay. The car started up fine, no lumpy tick over, no miss firing, no smoke, revved to 7000 with no hesitation
Quickly stopping the engine to remove the blanking plate, again a re start- back to its old self, lumpy, poor acceleration loads of whitish blue smoke.

So it’s the egr valve at fault any ideas how to simply un stick it, Blinkin expensive and looks awful to swop out, can it be cleaned in situ?

I frantically await a reply as closure needs to be on this, being a pain in the rump!

Well, spent some time removing the egr valve what a job that was, on removal the whole assembly was caked in carbon, the pipe that feeds the throttle body nearly blocked.

All now cleaned out and refitted, took some time as well in removing the inter cooler as I did this in early June this year and found it to be very oily, Same again 1600 miles on. Removed the egr blanking plate too.

Refitted and all rubber hoses checked and cleaned, started the engine and hey presto no misfire, lumpy tick over smoke or other,
Refilled with correct grade of engine oil Castrol 5w 30 new genuine oil filter.
Put some Fortes fuel additive in as advised from a previous member to free up the turbo vanes.

Now here some more information if required, I have been on YouTube and noticed the site regarding Oil catch cans ie the oil in my inter cooler I have purchased and just finished the fitment of a Mann oil catch can. This particular can has same bore size of oil breather hose so shouldn’t restrict air flow. All fitted nice and neatly with no issues

Going to test this now and will report back my findings regarding oil in the inlet system.

What are other members views regarding Oil catch cans?

Please reply.

Saw Ed China do one on a MK2 Jag the other day if that helps