200 TDi, fuel starvation?

Hi all,

Wonder could anyone shed light on this please? I have recently bought an 1987 ninety, it already had fitted a Disco 200TDi, we had to re-route the exhaust as the previous owner had run it through the passenger footwell (nice) It ran fine when I picked it up but now after ticking over for a couple of minutes it seem that there is no fuel getting to the engine so it coughs and splutters for 30 seconds then picks back up again. So far the work we have done is it now has the correct down pipe fitted and the exhaust is now straight through, new air filter, new fuel filter. Today we tried bleeding the system by loosening the injectors until only diesel and no bubbles come through, but that didn't seem to cure it as the diesel was still fizzy with air coming from the injectors, also by-passed the fuel filter to see if that could be dud and changed the fuel lifter just in case but still coughs, fart and burps.
Any suggestions guys

Cheers sharpy

perhaps the fuel pickup inside the tank is blocked,
or tank dirty,
or fuel lines buggred(letting air in),
or fuel pickup coroded through and letting air in,
or lift pump not workin 100%,
or or or or or ;-)
there are a lot of factors.. driving a 200tdi myself, and i know the pains.

when u pump the lift pump with the "cam" on pump... and the bleed screw undone ontop of the diesel fiter...
does it squirt diesel out? or just air/diesel /air?

i wouldnt bother takin out the injectors as the trouble seems to be between the tank and lift pump...

correct me if im wrong.

check the fuel sedimenter isn't blocked (my guess is that it is) and also check the leak off pipes on the injectors

did u manage to find out wot the problem was with your fuel as mine is doin the same, it jus keeps drawin air from sumwer but i cant find wer its comin from. iv changed the filter and fuel pipes, iv had the tank off and cant find anythin wrong ther so im stumped

i seem to be having the same issues any joys??

sharpy said:

It ran fine when I picked it up but now after ticking over for a couple of minutes it seem that there is no fuel getting to the engine so it coughs and splutters for 30 seconds then picks back up again
Any suggestions guys

Cheers sharpy

Click to expand...

I had the engine out of my 200Tdi, when I refitted it had a very similar problem, the engine died as soon as you tried to rev it.

In the end it was the fuel lift pump knackered, which really threw me cos it had been working perfectly prior to having the engine out. I guess it must have failed coinidentally.

Hi guys this is the first time I have used this site can anybody help with my problem I have a 1989 110 with a 200tdi conversion it starts fine and runs well then all of a sudden it just looses power and dies I pop the bonnet pull the pipe apart from the tank to the pump there is a sucking noise as if there is a vacuum put it back on prime the pump a couple of times and it starts first time runs great for sometimes 30 miles sometimes 3 or 4 so far I have replaced the lift pump twice fuel cap tank sender unit , fuel filter,injector leak off pipes and the lift pump pipes had the tank off and all looked fine and have blown the supply and return pipes through, I am now at a total loss what to do next any help would be great.

have you checked the inside of the tank? if theres dirt inside it could block the pickup inside.
and how old are the supply lines?
mine was letting air in 10ears ago.. noticed by manually pumping the lift pump and loosening the bleed screw on the filter assembly, and noticed alot of air in the line.
thus replaced with new supply line and all is good.

Stop solenoid or wiring, to confirm 100 percent remove the solenoid, and refit minus the rubber washer and its spring, then drive it if it doesnt play up you are getting warmer.
Even if the solenoid clicks as you apply 12 volts thats not a garauntee its actually working.

lynall said:

Stop solenoid or wiring, to confirm 100 percent remove the solenoid, and refit minus the rubber washer and its spring, then drive it if it doesnt play up you are getting warmer.
Even if the solenoid clicks as you apply 12 volts thats not a garauntee its actually working.

Click to expand...

good tip thanks Lynall

Check the breather in your filler cap.

also check the fuel pick up pipe isnt picking something up. I had a piece of insulation tape in my tank that kept getting sucked up

Another thing is when you remove the solenoid, if theres any swarf on the plunger the injector pump is on its last legs
I had loads of grief with mine, ran fine for days then would die, gut the solenoid to get me home, new solenoid and away it went again, sometimes for weeks, then would do the same again, in the end 2nd hand inj pump and its been no bother for the last 2 years.
You need to cut down cheap 24mm spanner to get the solenoid out, hammer and screwdriver works if you are stuck

Thanks for the tips I have had the tank out and it does not look old there is no rust or dirt inside and when I replaced the sender unit I also fitted a new compression fitting on the pipe from the sender I have tried the click test on the stop solinoid, can that playing up make a vacuum in the feed pipe?

What the sol does doesnt matter as the pick up pipe goes to lift pump, then filter, then inj pump, so if the engine if off but rotating ie its dies down a hill the lift pump is still lifting fuel, if its lifting its creating a vacuum.

I have just ordered a new stop solinoid as they are so cheap I will give it a go and let you know is there anything else I can try while I am waiting?

Have a look at the banjo, I think its the return one on the inj pump 17mm head has a non return valve in it, looks like std banjo but has nrv inside
At least I think it does!

Thanks for that I will take the banjo out and have a look do I need to blow it through or clean it or does it come apart and how do I know if it is working

I would guess it only allows fuel back out to the tank, once engine stopped no pressure and it shuts, maybe worth a google to check.
Bosch ve pump
Cant really see it being the cause of your troubles, but got to be worth a look.
Just googled it, bosch call it and overflow restrictor, what it does fcuk knows!

Here you go really boring
Overflow restriction
The overflow restriction (Figure 6) isscrewed into the injection pump’sgovernor cover and connected to thepump’s interior. It permits a variableamount of fuel to return to the fuel tankthrough a narrow passage. For thisfuel, the restriction represents a flowresistance that assists in maintainingthe pressure inside the injection pump.Being as inside the pump a preciselydefined pressure is required as a functionof pump speed, the overflow restrictionand the flow-control valve are pre-cisely matched to each other

Wow that's technical thanks for that, it really is great to know that there are people like yourself out there ready to help, thanks again