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batfink82



Member Since: 23 Feb 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 17

injector harness - how to seal?
Hi,

just checked my red ecu plug and there is some oil in there, having read similar posts I know I need to replace the injector harness and clean down with some brake cleaner.

i have read some mentions of sealing the connector shell with oil resistant silicon sealant, my question is does anybody have any pictures / more advice on how to get the best seal? I am not a 100% sure on where to put the silicon?

any advice appreciated! cheers
Post #134347 25th Mar 2012 9:01pm
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excossack



Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5745

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 SW Caledonian Blue
I replace the section under the rocker cover on mine for a new one from a main dealer and so far (18months plus) its been OK. I didnt seal mine. 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock
Post #134350 25th Mar 2012 9:05pm
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T1G UP



Member Since: 08 Dec 2009
Location: Bath
Posts: 3101

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Orkney Grey
with the replacement loom they don't need sealing. Fit the replacement loom and forget......for a while!
Post #134379 25th Mar 2012 10:13pm
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yobbie



Member Since: 15 Nov 2010
Location: Isle of Wight
Posts: 711

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 90 Td5 Heritage LE Bronze Green
I had mine replaced 2 years ago after only having the Defender a week. I asked if I should maybe carry a spare on long trips, but was told since replacing them he's not had any back as they seem to have improved them.
Post #134382 25th Mar 2012 10:20pm
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wslr



Member Since: 18 Jul 2010
Location: Wellington, Somerset
Posts: 581

United Kingdom 
Once you have oil at the red ECU plug, you will find that even having changed the injector loom, you will still get some oil coming through. Obviously this is because there is still oil on the main engine loom, so give it some time to leak through to the plug and clean it out again. Either Genuine Part or the Allmakes PR2 looms work without modification.
Post #134405 25th Mar 2012 11:12pm
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batfink82



Member Since: 23 Feb 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 17

thanks for the advice - just ordered some parts through JGS 4x4 hope they are decent......

got a slight rubble / vibration at 60mph so I ordered some GKN ujs at the same time

that is next weekend taken care of!
Post #134407 25th Mar 2012 11:36pm
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Gareth



Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 1038

England 2003 Defender 90 Td5 CSW Oslo Blue
Where do I find this ECU and the red plug? Is it the one that's under the drivers seat?

How does oil get into the plug in the first place, does it seep down the wires between the conductor and the insulation? has anyone got any pictures of the contamination to look for? 2021 Defender 110 X-Dynamic HSE D300 MHEV
1966 S2a 109 aka Betsy
1968 S2a 88 aka Bob
2014 Jaaaag F Type 3.0 Supercharged.
Post #157368 22nd Jul 2012 9:51pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11240

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Orkney Grey
GarethR wrote:
Where do I find this ECU and the red plug? Is it the one that's under the drivers seat?

Yes:


Click image to enlarge


GarethR wrote:
How does oil get into the plug in the first place, does it seep down the wires between the conductor and the insulation?

Yes, exactly that. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #157374 22nd Jul 2012 10:04pm
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Gareth



Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 1038

England 2003 Defender 90 Td5 CSW Oslo Blue
Bow down Thumbs Up 2021 Defender 110 X-Dynamic HSE D300 MHEV
1966 S2a 109 aka Betsy
1968 S2a 88 aka Bob
2014 Jaaaag F Type 3.0 Supercharged.
Post #157382 22nd Jul 2012 10:29pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16894

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
T1G UP wrote:
with the replacement loom they don't need sealing. Fit the replacement loom and forget......for a while!


Oh yes they do!

I had this problem on my TD5 Discovery, which differs from the TD5 defender only in the location of the ECU.

The dealer told me that the only rememdy was a new injector harness and engine loom, the former is cheap (£40 or so IIRC) and the latter is very expensive and a hassle (=> £lots) to fit.

In the end I bought a new injector harness and did the job myself, very simple to do.

Renewing the injector harnes involves removing the acoustic hood (if fitted) and the camshaft cover, it is then obvious how to remove and replace the harness.

The engine loom can generally be saved. Clean the connectors with a suitable degreaser (I used denatured alcohol followed by brake cleaner), and it is also a help if you have a source of compressed air to blow the oil out and dry the connectors. The oil in the engine loom will continue to emerge at the ECU connector for a couple of weeks after you have fixed the problem, so it is worth cleaning this end each week until it stops.

The ECU itself can be removed from the car and cleaned (alcohol followed by brake cleaner worked for me). There was so much oil on mine that I decided to open it up to check inside, and a small amount of oil had made it into the ECU. Again, alcohol and brake cleaner, but observe static handling precautions when dealing with the internals.

Afterwards everything has been fine (for 7 years and nearly 200,000 miles), but read the bit below carefully!

Important note - why the problem occurs in the first place:

Many articles I have read about this oil-in-the-harness problem have said that the root cause is oil migrating from the cambox past the connector shell sealing O-rings into the engine harness (and I believe that the only change to the later harness connectors was to the O-rings). Certainly in the case of my car, this was not the problem, and there was no evidence whatsoever of oil making it past the O-rings. The oil actually migrates past the connector pins inside the connector shell, since there is no sealing whatsoever there. The connector shell itself is arranged vertically pointing downwards, and therefore fills with oil which has nowhere to go except to seep past the pins. To compound the problem, it will then emerge into the female part of the connector which delivers it straight into the conductors of each wire in the engine harness with the result that the insulation of each condutor in effect forms a miniature hosepipe to the ECU. This is of course very sloppy design - the designer should have specified a properly sealed connector system for this application, of which there are many.

However the result of this is that if you simply replace the injector harness with a new one, even if you seal round the outside of the connector before fitting it, it is only a matter of time before you have the problem again.

The only permanent cure is to fill the connector shell of the new harness completely with a suitable oil-resistant silicon sealant so that the shell is completely sealed to prevent oil ingress into the connector in the first place. Do this, and you will never have further problems (well, I haven't in nearly 200k miles).

Hope this helps!
Post #157383 22nd Jul 2012 10:29pm
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K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
A word of caution some silicon sealants can be electrically conductive therefore ensure the sealant you are using is fit for purpose. Better still use an electrical potting compound to be sure.

Something akin to:

http://www.intertronics.co.uk/products/irs2013.htm If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!
Post #157394 23rd Jul 2012 5:41am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16894

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Excellent advice, K9, why didn't I think of that!

Actually I used a silicon I had to hand (I forget exactly what) which I knew to be non-conducting. It's been ok for over 150K miles since, but if anyone else is doing this a potting compound would be a better bet.
Post #157418 23rd Jul 2012 10:23am
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K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
blackwolf wrote:
Excellent advice, K9, why didn't I think of that! Actually I used a silicon I had to hand (I forget exactly what) which I knew to be non-conducting. It's been ok for over 150K miles since, but if anyone else is doing this a potting compound would be a better bet.


Even as a sparky you get caught out sometimes. I did just last week with the very same issue... Embarassed Did an insulation check on a switch I had sealed into a top hat assembly to keep the water out and inadvertantly shorted out the contacts myself by using what I had to hand. Had to dig it all out use gasket cleaner and repot again!

I know I keep banging on about this stuff but Sikaflex 29I in not electrically conductive and is marine grade. If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!
Post #157426 23rd Jul 2012 12:04pm
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ZeDefender



Member Since: 15 Sep 2011
Location: Munich
Posts: 4731

Germany 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Baltic Blue
Go Sikaflex! Whooooo Thumbs Up Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing...
Post #157443 23rd Jul 2012 2:25pm
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Yorkshire90



Member Since: 22 Sep 2011
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 193

United Kingdom 
ZeDefender wrote:
Go Sikaflex! Whooooo Thumbs Up


Renaming my 90 Sikaflex... I must have absorbed so much into my body I could bounce to the frikking moon! Mr. Green Rolling with laughter Shocked "Big green" 2000 Td5 90 IRB Developments modified (2004-2011)

Discovery 3 TDv6 GS Auto 2011-2012 *Missed the Defender too much*

IRB Developments rebuild: Project Ice cube 2012-......

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic11056.html
Post #157576 23rd Jul 2012 11:06pm
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