Hi All,
I just want to share an experience and look for some feedback.
Pajero 2002 DiD 248000km EGR NOT blocked off. Injectors refurbed by Alan Black at 233750km March 2013. Pump did not require attention based on Dyno test.
I recently spent several days in the North of Kruger Park. After maybe 3 days of driving at near idle for maybe 7 - 8 hours at a time my CEL (Check Engine Light) came on and the engine became hard to start when hot. I had to crank it over many times and it would struggle to catch, whereas normally it starts easily first crank. Typically the CEL light would go off if I restarted and drove at a reasonable speed, but it would come on again within a few seconds of idling the engine.
On the 4th day by the time I exited the Parfuri Gate the engine was not running at all nicely. At any incline at constant accelerator position you could feel the revs die much faster than normal. Then you would have to depress the accelerator with no response, depress further and then the engine would speed up faster than you wanted. So instead of spotting elephants we became a kangaroo.
On the tar after leaving the park the engine continued to run roughly. At light throttle not too bad, but as soon as we came to an incline speed would drop and depressing the accelerator would not make much difference. I could feel the engine holding back and at these time I could see unburnt fuel in the rearview mirror. In fact I began to doubt that I would make Mussina (was heading for Mapungubwe).
All the while I am thinking: black smoke, overfuelling, next will be hole in piston and I am extremely tense - like don't talk to me now, love.
Then I thought back to the last time we were in Kruger about 2 years ago. And I remembered this kangaroo feeling (but no CEL then). At that time I had blamed it on poor fuel from Satara. I also remembered someone else posting from Kruger with this problem some time after that. Again I attributed that to poor fuel. But this time I had not filled up in the park at all.
SO, still with knots in my gut I just eased the peddle down to get the revs up, trying to tap off a bit when I saw the unburnt fuel / felt that not all 4 cylinders firing correctly. The outcome was that by the time I got to Musina, instead of looking for a B&B (it was Easter Monday) I felt confident enough to drive on to Mapungubwe. The CEL light only came on once more and since then Dusty has just resumed her normal purr.
Today I managed to get to my local Indie and put the MUT-II tester to good use. The only error code was code 41, which reads Throttle Valve Solenoid (Although I have read elsewhere code 41 = Injectors). We cleared this.
My take on this is that the extended slow driving caused one or more injectors to foul at the tip, leading to hard staring when hot and also to the code 41 error + CEL. Driving at highway speeds burned this carbon buildup off.
Next tank I will treat with Spanjaard injector cleaner then I am going to join the 2SO club. And when in parks I will adjust my driving style to suit - periodic higher rpm.
Sorry for the long post, but I thought it might be pertinent to others.
Andrew
I am sorry to say, but after my last ordeal I would say: 'start saving up for a new diesel pump'.
I have read up a bit on the cracked piston saga on the net. I wonder if one would be able to determine a minute crack before it leads to engine failure with the use of a compression test beforehand. Maybe somthing to consider?
CATS
Ps I have never had the CEL light on in my vehicle after it started until my recent breakdown. When my dieselpump failed it just idled unevenly until it died. No CEL. What I did find was that my car started with almost no smoke after the pump rebuild where before it looked like an old diesel train started with my black 'dry' diesel cloud of smoke. How does yours start?
I am sorry to say, but after my last ordeal I would say: 'start saving up for a new diesel pump'.
I have read up a bit on the cracked piston saga on the net. I wonder if one would be able to determine a minute crack before it leads to engine failure with the use of a compression test beforehand. Maybe somthing to consider?
CATS
Ps I have never had the CEL light on in my vehicle after it started until my recent breakdown. When my dieselpump failed it just idled unevenly until it died. No CEL. What I did find was that my car started with almost no smoke after the pump rebuild where before it looked like an old diesel train started with my black 'dry' diesel cloud of smoke. How does yours start?
On second thought. Yours sound more like a stuck throttle control butterfly. Maybe check this video from 4ePikanin
Pajero 3.2 Throttle Body Cold Start: http://youtu.be/EEvaIomD4Ow
CATS
Ps sorry cant seem to get the youtube link right.
Pajero 3.2 Throttle Body Cold Start: http://youtu.be/EEvaIomD4Ow
CATS
Ps sorry cant seem to get the youtube link right.
Or even better this one
Pajero 3.2 idle butterfly mechanism: http://youtu.be/fR4NC2vVH8U
Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk
Pajero 3.2 idle butterfly mechanism: http://youtu.be/fR4NC2vVH8U
Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the input CATS.
I was wondering about EGT per cylinder - looking for differences between cylinder EGTs under load.
Crankcase pressure / blowback should also be indicative - but that is really too late.
Dyno should also show - but I hate hearing my poor car rev like that.
Ah CATS, you are such an encouragement! But I do understand.CATS wrote:Andrew
I am sorry to say, but after my last ordeal I would say: 'start saving up for a new diesel pump'.
There are several sites that talk about removing the injectors and shoving an endoscope through the top to perform a visual inspection.CATS wrote: I have read up a bit on the cracked piston saga on the net. I wonder if one would be able to determine a minute crack before it leads to engine failure with the use of a compression test beforehand. Maybe something to consider?
I was wondering about EGT per cylinder - looking for differences between cylinder EGTs under load.
Crankcase pressure / blowback should also be indicative - but that is really too late.
Dyno should also show - but I hate hearing my poor car rev like that.
Starts and runs like a dream except as mentioned above at Kruger. Very little smoke - especially after the refurbed injectors last year.CATS wrote: Ps I have never had the CEL light on in my vehicle after it started until my recent breakdown. When my dieselpump failed it just idled unevenly until it died. No CEL. What I did find was that my car started with almost no smoke after the pump rebuild where before it looked like an old diesel train started with my black 'dry' diesel cloud of smoke. How does yours start?
Redbull? Maybe worth a try. Thanks for the suggestion.Gemaskerde Tuinvurk wrote:Why not use the mitsu fuel line cleaner?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
I'd rather try that than Spanjaard... Maybe Marius can enlighten, but I think this one just kicks up EgTs.andrew.ashton wrote:Redbull? Maybe worth a try. Thanks for the suggestion.Gemaskerde Tuinvurk wrote:Why not use the mitsu fuel line cleaner?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Yes, I will look at the inlet system.CATS wrote:Or even better this one
Pajero 3.2 idle butterfly mechanism: http://youtu.be/fR4NC2vVH8U
Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk
I have a good baseline because it's not so long ago that I completely stripped the whole inlet system and cleaned it, so it will be interesting to see how much it has gunked up since then and to check that the butterfly is moving smoothly.
Before this trip I was also planning to strip out the intercooler and get Silverton to do an internal and external clean, so I will still do that as well.
Hi Andrew
I had the same problem a couple of years ago. Also in the Kruger with cruise control on most of the time. A high speed run (after leaving the park) cleared it up. Huge amount of black smoke billowing from the back had me convinced this was the end, but almost immediately felt the increase in power and throttle response. I believe the main culprit is carbon build up due to slow speeds and not sufficient heat build up in the cat. A bit of hard driving seemed to have cleared out the system. Did add two stroke just in case
I had the same problem a couple of years ago. Also in the Kruger with cruise control on most of the time. A high speed run (after leaving the park) cleared it up. Huge amount of black smoke billowing from the back had me convinced this was the end, but almost immediately felt the increase in power and throttle response. I believe the main culprit is carbon build up due to slow speeds and not sufficient heat build up in the cat. A bit of hard driving seemed to have cleared out the system. Did add two stroke just in case

If you can feel the grass between your toe's, your flying too low!
3.5 GLS F/LIF 1998 Lost to the x wife
3200 Tdi GSL 2001 Written off
3200 Di-D 5Dr A/T 2002 338 000 Sold
3500i A/T 5Dr 2001 Sold
3.2 Di-Dc GLS A/T 2008
3.5 GLS F/LIF 1998 Lost to the x wife
3200 Tdi GSL 2001 Written off
3200 Di-D 5Dr A/T 2002 338 000 Sold
3500i A/T 5Dr 2001 Sold
3.2 Di-Dc GLS A/T 2008