I purchased a Defender 200Tdi from a forum vendor here about a year and a half ago. It's been part of an ongoing project which has just progressed to the point where I'm ready to get the engine running.
The engine was purchased as good condition, running, with a new timing belt kit fitted.
Today, I began taking the necessary steps to get the engine to run (it's currently installed in the project Series III). I wanted to be sure it turned freely, so I put a 30mm socket on the crank bolt and began to turn the engine clockwise (running direction) . It initially turned fine, but after less than one full rotation, it stopped suddenly and solidly - just as cyl #1 was approaching TDC.
I rotated the engine back counterclockwise, and it turned about 350* and then stopped solid again - just as cyl # 1 was approaching TDC again.
At this point it was apparent that this good condition, running 200Tdi was in fact neither.
I first removed the timing cover to make sure the new timing belt had been installed correctly. The timing marks would not line up, because I could not get cyl #1 to TDC (it was off by half a tooth on the crank pulley). But they looked OK.
Next I pulled the valve cover to check for any abnormalities in the valve train. Everything looked OK there as well. It was now becoming clear that something inside either cyl #1 or #4 was causing an interference, keeping the engine from turning over past TDC.
Off with it's head... 40 minutes later, this is what I found:
Cyl #1 at the top of photo
Close up of top of piston
Cylinder head close up
Cylinder # 1 is in really bad shape. There are some pits in the cylinder wall and a very bad rust ridge around the top. There is no way the engine ran in this condition, as promised when I bought it (remember it did not even turn over because the rust in the cylinder was so bad).
Granted I bought this from the vendor some time ago, but it has been stored inside ever since it arrived in the crate.
I have sent these photos directly to the vendor for a response, but I would like some opinions from those of you who may have seen something similar with a Tdi or who have rebuilt one.
Thanks all.
------ Follow up post added January 11th, 2015 10:30 PM ------
Also, there are some cooling passages in the block that are rusted shut but also seem to have globs of RTV in them - I can't imagine this is normal?
The engine was purchased as good condition, running, with a new timing belt kit fitted.
Today, I began taking the necessary steps to get the engine to run (it's currently installed in the project Series III). I wanted to be sure it turned freely, so I put a 30mm socket on the crank bolt and began to turn the engine clockwise (running direction) . It initially turned fine, but after less than one full rotation, it stopped suddenly and solidly - just as cyl #1 was approaching TDC.
I rotated the engine back counterclockwise, and it turned about 350* and then stopped solid again - just as cyl # 1 was approaching TDC again.
At this point it was apparent that this good condition, running 200Tdi was in fact neither.
I first removed the timing cover to make sure the new timing belt had been installed correctly. The timing marks would not line up, because I could not get cyl #1 to TDC (it was off by half a tooth on the crank pulley). But they looked OK.
Next I pulled the valve cover to check for any abnormalities in the valve train. Everything looked OK there as well. It was now becoming clear that something inside either cyl #1 or #4 was causing an interference, keeping the engine from turning over past TDC.
Off with it's head... 40 minutes later, this is what I found:
Cyl #1 at the top of photo
Close up of top of piston
Cylinder head close up
Cylinder # 1 is in really bad shape. There are some pits in the cylinder wall and a very bad rust ridge around the top. There is no way the engine ran in this condition, as promised when I bought it (remember it did not even turn over because the rust in the cylinder was so bad).
Granted I bought this from the vendor some time ago, but it has been stored inside ever since it arrived in the crate.
I have sent these photos directly to the vendor for a response, but I would like some opinions from those of you who may have seen something similar with a Tdi or who have rebuilt one.
Thanks all.
------ Follow up post added January 11th, 2015 10:30 PM ------
Also, there are some cooling passages in the block that are rusted shut but also seem to have globs of RTV in them - I can't imagine this is normal?