P38A Duchess won't fire up.

She's been faultless nearly for 18 months, come to start her yesterday morning and after an initial 'fire' of maybe a second or two it won't go. Battery proper throws it over but nowt, after 3 or 4 attempts she does go, this is not normal for her at all. Same thing this morning so I've just had a look see in-between the rain showers. Fuel pump relay and fuse OK, jumped the relay and I can hear the pump going(2001 dhse with cup holders..) some bubbles in the clear line, tried starting after the bubbles ceased and instant start like normal. I'm going to check the pump flow rate possibly tomorrow and the glow plug feed but I wouldn't have thought the glowplug(s) were down because of the instant start. It's something sudden that's happened. Is the fuel non return in the tank pump? I feel that either the pump has gone weak or I have an air leak somewhere letting the fuel run back. I'll fiddle some more tomorrow.
Pipes on the sender were all good iirc when I recommissioned her and dropped the tank to do the awkward brake pipes.
If I need a new pump, what are recommended makes?
110 faithfull tratter transport saves the day

Agree air seems most likely as she fired straight away after. Worth checking spill pipes even if you did them recently (which I think you did?) I think you can rule out glowplugs as she started, with no glowplugs it won't start at all easily from cold

Leak offs! Of course! Never thought of them and I should of.
Yes, all replaced with quality gates stuff, same on my tratter and they last for years on that but worth a check, Ta.

Leak offs is first port of call for air in the system.

Flossie said:

She's been faultless nearly for 18 months, come to start her yesterday morning and after an initial 'fire' of maybe a second or two it won't go. Battery proper throws it over but nowt, after 3 or 4 attempts she does go, this is not normal for her at all. Same thing this morning so I've just had a look see in-between the rain showers. Fuel pump relay and fuse OK, jumped the relay and I can hear the pump going(2001 dhse with cup holders..) some bubbles in the clear line, tried starting after the bubbles ceased and instant start like normal. I'm going to check the pump flow rate possibly tomorrow and the glow plug feed but I wouldn't have thought the glowplug(s) were down because of the instant start. It's something sudden that's happened. Is the fuel non return in the tank pump? I feel that either the pump has gone weak or I have an air leak somewhere letting the fuel run back. I'll fiddle some more tomorrow.
Pipes on the sender were all good iirc when I recommissioned her and dropped the tank to do the awkward brake pipes.
If I need a new pump, what are recommended makes?
110 faithfull tratter transport saves the day

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Check the leak off pipes.

Not going to get the chance to look today but I bet its the cap on number 6, the only one I didn't change.
Short bit of gates with a 4mm steel plug will sort that.

As everyone says leak off pipes first port of call

Had a bit of time today to have a look. Turns out fip to number 1 injector leak off was leaking right at the injector. Fixed that but not tried a start, confident that is the issue though. Gates pipe had gone mushy at the leak which surprised me as it lasts years on the 110.

Flossie said:

Had a bit of time today to have a look. Turns out fip to number 1 injector leak off was leaking right at the injector. Fixed that but not tried a start, confident that is the issue though. Gates pipe had gone mushy at the leak which surprised me as it lasts years on the 110.

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That's not encouraging about the Gates pipe, just forked out for the stuff to replace the leak off pipes on mine in th hope it would last me out.

Datatek said:

That's not encouraging about the Gates pipe, just forked out for the stuff to replace the leak off pipes on mine in th hope it would last me out.

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I've always recommended it, now feel guilty....
It's possible, maybe, that the last lot I got off ebay and used on the 38 is fake stuff? The gates that I used on the 110 and that lasts for years came from my local indy but was twice the price hence getting from ebay instead. I will say though that the pipe did appear to have a little damage around the leak area so it's possible that in the gloom of my garage I caught it some how and never noticed 18 months ago. The rest of the leak offs looked fine.

Flossie said:

Had a bit of time today to have a look. Turns out fip to number 1 injector leak off was leaking right at the injector. Fixed that but not tried a start, confident that is the issue though. Gates pipe had gone mushy at the leak which surprised me as it lasts years on the 110.

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Was that the reinforced stuff?

I wonder if the airflow under the inlet manifold is a little restricted so the pipe gets hot.

Grrrrrr said:

Was that the reinforced stuff?

I wonder if the airflow under the inlet manifold is a little restricted so the pipe gets hot.

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The rears are likely to et hotter

Grrrrrr said:

Was that the reinforced stuff?

I wonder if the airflow under the inlet manifold is a little restricted so the pipe gets hot.

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Yeah, gates pricey stuff, fine for years on the 110.

Flossie said:

Yeah, gates pricey stuff, fine for years on the 110.

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Damn. That's what I have on mine following the last rebuild.

Grrrrrr said:

Damn. That's what I have on mine following the last rebuild.

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Like I've said earlier, number 1 to 2 leak off was fine as we're all the others up to number 6 so I suspect I nicked the leaky one installing it 18 months ago maybe.
Pleased to report that duchess fires up instantly again now.

Flossie said:

Like I've said earlier, number 1 to 2 leak off was fine as we're all the others up to number 6 so I suspect I nicked the leaky one installing it 18 months ago maybe.
Pleased to report that duchess fires up instantly again now.

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Nice one Chris

Bugger, spoke too soon.
Yried to start yesterday morning and it did after lots of cranking, around 12 hrs later, last night, started instantly so I suspected just a bit of air from doing the leak off and all is fine now.
Buuutttt...same thing this morning, lots of cranking to get her going.
Why do things go wrong when I'm up to my eyeballs in other stuff that can't wait.

Flossie said:

Bugger, spoke too soon.
Yried to start yesterday morning and it did after lots of cranking, around 12 hrs later, last night, started instantly so I suspected just a bit of air from doing the leak off and all is fine now.
Buuutttt...same thing this morning, lots of cranking to get her going.
Why do things go wrong when I'm up to my eyeballs in other stuff that can't wait.

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Glow plug failure on a couple of cylinders?

Datatek said:

Glow plug failure on a couple of cylinders?

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Possibly but because she started right up last night after being stood 12 hrs odd I can't really see it. Plus the bad start then the 12 hrs stood was just a 30 sec tick over so no latent heat in the block.
I'll get to the bottom of it when I've some spare time.
Might order a set of plugs anyway ,gonna need them at some point, beru in at the mo but they could be years old but all tested good during the recommission . Bosch duratherms are recommended I believe.

Flossie said:

Possibly but because she started right up last night after being stood 12 hrs odd I can't really see it. Plus the bad start then the 12 hrs stood was just a 30 sec tick over so no latent heat in the block.
I'll get to the bottom of it when I've some spare time.
Might order a set of plugs anyway ,gonna need them at some point, beru in at the mo but they could be years old but all tested good during the recommission . Bosch duratherms are recommended I believe.

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Beru are best. Mine have been in there years now and it starts instantly.