How to check if fuel line is clear

This is what I have done so far.

So far: my cylinder head had a cracked no1 injector housing so I got it repaired. Have now reassembled it but have done some other stuff at the same time including; fitting new fuel pressure regulator and removing and blanking off the EGR valve (genuine seals and washers fitted to injectors) and replaced the injector harness.

It started with difficulty, run for a minute or so then stops. I rechecked the timing - the coloured links on the timing chain align with the mark on sprockets. Timing pin fits in top and also in the bottom. Engine was kicking when it started but is running smoothly now - for at least a minute before it cuts out.

TODAY: I have purged it again for an hour..it starts well, runs nicely and cuts off after a minute or so. Whilst removing the injector seals and washers yet again - this time I noticed that no1 injector housing was full of diesel and lots of air bubbles come up through the fuel.

My thinking is that the unused fuel is not returning back to the pressure regulator switch.

I have no airline - any suggestions as to how I can check that the fuel line out of the head is clear?

Ha Haaaaa...problem solved. I undid the return pipe (of a 3 pipe pressure switch) from the pressure switch end and blew through it. There was some resistance and then it cleared ...leastways I hope it wasn't my imagination.

But I know it is clear now. Fingers crossed.

You can uncross your fingers. It didn't make any difference.
Although it did bleed quicker - only 20 mins this time

are you sure the gauze on the in tank pump is clear (if it is a TD5)

I removed it today and it is spotlessly clean.
Now can't get the ring back on

been a while since I had my pump out. so not sure which way round I did it.
either put the rubber gasket on the pump OR put it on the tank hole.
one way is bloody difficult. the other easy.

Thanks for that, I will try the other way.

xat44 said:

been a while since I had my pump out. so not sure which way round I did it.
either put the rubber gasket on the pump OR put it on the tank hole.
one way is bloody difficult. the other easy.

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Rubber o ring fitted to tank first
Griff

Thanks for this, I fitted it as you suggested and it is clear now.

Problem still exists though
Rich

Landmark2 said:

Rubber o ring fitted to tank first
Griff

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it seems i have an obsession to help you even if you ignore what i keep saying ... IMO you'll not get to the end of this untill you dont rule out 100% some things ...and you can't do that without measuring the fuel pressure at the FPR, you need something like that 50mm Pressure Gauge Base Entry 0-100 PSI AIR AND OIL-Free UK Delivery | eBay and addapt a hose to it with a M12 tubular fitting on the other side then fit it instead the FT sensor in the FPR... if the pressure will not be 4 bar steady there it means you have a problem with the fuel delivery, more obviously the pump's high pressure stage(which will let the pump run and purge but doesnt rise the pressure) even if the FPR's internal valve fails(which would make it leak bad it will not make the engine to cut out just to run bad) ... also you better not struggle "in blind" and make somehow to plug a tester in it to make sure it's not the crank signal failure.... all the rest is a guessing game

Oh no, certainly not ignoring your advice...I am totally lost in this and trying just about everything now. Took a break today and did some gardening to clear my head a bit

I ordered a diagnostic tool as you suggested and took delivery of it a couple of hours ago. I havent plugged it in yet as I needed to finish up in the garden. So I am hoping this will give me some ideas. The LR batt is on charge again for the next onslaught which will start again tomorrow.

I have worked on many vehicles (cars, lorries, vans, etc) over the years and have never been stumped before - but this is my first TD5 and it is certainly a learning

sierrafery said:

it seems i have an obsession to help you even if you ignore what i keep saying ... IMO you'll not get to the end of this untill you dont rule out 100% some things ...and you can't do that without measuring the fuel pressure at the FPR, you need something like that 50mm Pressure Gauge Base Entry 0-100 PSI AIR AND OIL-Free UK Delivery | eBay and addapt a hose to it with a M12 tubular fitting on the other side then fit it instead the FT sensor in the FPR... if the pressure will not be 4 bar steady there it means you have a problem with the fuel delivery, more obviously the pump's high pressure stage(which will let the pump run and purge but doesnt rise the pressure) even if the FPR's internal valve fails(which would make it leak bad it will not make the engine to cut out just to run bad) ... also you better not struggle "in blind" and make somehow to plug a tester in it to make sure it's not the crank signal failure.... all the rest is a guessing game

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OK, come back with the fault codes if you get any...if no fault code it's almost certain that it's a fuel delivery/pressure problem cos that system is not covered by diagnostics

It has been raining heavily here...so couldn't get out to the car till this afternoon. But...at last after much faffing about with the firmware I have some codes and these are them:
3007
3018
3135
3143

sierrafery said:

OK, come back with the fault codes if you get any...if no fault code it's almost certain that it's a fuel delivery/pressure problem cos that system is not covered by diagnostics

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but these codes didnt have a name?... or which kind of tool did u use to read them?, cos each tool has it's own numbering... except the OBDII readers which wont work on D2

Back again. I couldnt get to do any work on the car over the bank holiday week as I have been involved in many of the community events here which has taken all my time.

To backtrack a little: I took your good advice and invested in an diagnostic tool but because my partner said I could use one of her old laptops I decided to get a new one on the market (Lynx) which I thought would give me more information than a handheld.

Having a bit more time today I have plugged it in again and can confirm that the codes also have some information as follows:

3007 Ambient pressure low fault.
3018 Coolant Temp High fault.
3135 Cruise Control set switch has been stuck (closed)
3143 Turbo has been over boosting.

With regards to 3143 - I have been reading about this and today have ordered a Westgate valve (to stop breakdown in future)/

Cruise control and high water temp are taken care of (new water pump fitted)

I dont know what to do about fault 3007!!

Any suggested again most welcome.

Am also going to start a new thread because I had a quick conversation with the specialist who repaired the head and he said because the engine is flooding which is causing a hydraulic block it must be either the copper sealing washer is not sealing (I dont think this is the problem as I would expect it to make one hell of a noise) - or the injector tip has gone which was running perfectly until I took the head off.

sierrafery said:

but these codes didnt have a name?... or which kind of tool did u use to read them?, cos each tool has it's own numbering... except the OBDII readers which wont work on D2

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OK, the 3007 could be due to a clogged air filter or the AAP sensor in the airbox is fubar'd(which is friggin expensive unfortunately)

3018 could be hystorical since the engine overheated, but if you'll get it again it could be a coolant temp sensor fault which if sends signals for high temp the management will limit engine operation.