"Earwax" in 300tdi Discovery fuel system

Good afternoon everyone.

Just trying to resurrect my 300tdi Discovery after letting it languish in a hedge for the last five or so years. I did have it running last week but then it died on me and I couldn't get it started again. I replaced the fuel filter and lift pump but that didnt really do any good. Then I started removing and inspecting the fuel pipe work only to discover this horrible brown wax packed into every banjo bolt and union throughout the system.

Now I've cleaned out as much as I can wherever I can and ive got the car to fire up, but all it does is rev itself to about 2000 rpm and then die again.

I guess this brown wax is throughout through the injectors and injector pump. There is no fuel coming back through the return pipe that comes off the back of the IP although there is clearly fuel getting to the injectors.

Any ideas how I can break down whats left of this stuff without an expensive pump and injector rebuild? Ive already put a half bottle of fuel bacteria biocide in the tank which is hopefully now "coursing the veins" of the car now that some new fuel is coming up to the engine...... is there anything else I can clean out or any additive i can use to flush the remnants through?

jimllshiftit said:

Good afternoon everyone.

Just trying to resurrect my 300tdi Discovery after letting it languish in a hedge for the last five or so years. I did have it running last week but then it died on me and I couldn't get it started again. I replaced the fuel filter and lift pump but that didnt really do any good. Then I started removing and inspecting the fuel pipe work only discovery this horrible brown wax packed into every banjo bolt and union throughout the system.

Now I've cleaned out as much as I can wherever I can and ive got the car to fire up, but all it does is rev itself to about 2000 rpm and then die again.

I guess this brown wax is throughout through the injectors and injector pump. There is no fuel coming back through the return pipe that comes off the back of the IP although there is clearly fuel getting to the injectors.

Any ideas how I can break down whats left of this stuff without an expensive pump and injector rebuild? Ive already put a half bottle of fuel bacteria biocide in the tank which is hopefully now "coursing the veins" of the car now that some new fuel is coming up to the engine...... is there anything else I can clean out or any additive i can use to flush the remnants through?

Click to expand...

Strain it all through the tights of the wifelet ... make her take 'em off first tho as it isn't good for the skin ...

I ended up sending my pump and injectors to Diesel Bob, tried all sorts to get her to Rev above 2000rpm
But eventually gave up and sent it away,
The only stuff that seems to move the brown sludge is acetone, dodgy stuff

Europa486 said:

I ended up sending my pump and injectors to Diesel Bob, tried all sorts to get her to Rev above 2000rpm
But eventually gave up and sent it away,
The only stuff that seems to move the brown sludge is acetone, dodgy stuff

Click to expand...

Yeah, that would ruin any seals that were left ...

Thanks for that.... as it happens i seem to have been able to coax her into life. No need for 'er in doors tights (thank god! might find me'self down there if im lucky ....... but I was able to get it to tick over and then slowly build up the revs until I was able to drive it out. Just spent the last 20 minutes tottering around the field in it.

No idea what the long term effect on the IP and injectors is going to be. Might still result in a rebuild in time but for now im happy that the things able to drive around under its own steam.

jimllshiftit said:

Thanks for that.... as it happens i seem to have been able to coax her into life. No need for 'er in doors tights (thank god! might find me'self down there if im lucky ....... but I was able to get it to tick over and then slowly build up the revs until I was able to drive it out. Just spent the last 20 minutes tottering around the field in it.

No idea what the long term effect on the IP and injectors is going to be. Might still result in a rebuild in time but for now im happy that the things able to drive around under its own steam.

Click to expand...

As my D1 300tdi is also in the condition of not having been started for 5 years I am extremely concerned about this.
Can you, or anyone, tell me if the gunge will be, or in your case was to be found already in the pump and injectors, or if it just got there from the tank?
As this would radically change my approach to the problem.
Thanks in advance to anyone who posts a reply.

Hi my D1 had stood for 10 years so quite a bit longer than yours, remarkable it started more or less first turn
With a new battery and was drivable albeit not above 2000 rpm,
Done all the usual stuff, new fuel filter/ gascolator clean out/ new fuel/ new fuel pump and clean out the tank and fuel lines, it still wouldn’t Rev so sent to Diesel Bob with the injectors,
I also tried some injection cleaner that gave a marginal increase in power but the injection pump was definitely gunge up and had to be rebuilt,

Europa486 said:

Hi my D1 had stood for 10 years so quite a bit longer than yours, remarkable it started more or less first turn
With a new battery and was drivable albeit not above 2000 rpm,
Done all the usual stuff, new fuel filter/ gascolator clean out/ new fuel/ new fuel pump and clean out the tank and fuel lines, it still wouldn’t Rev so sent to Diesel Bob with the injectors,
I also tried some injection cleaner that gave a marginal increase in power but the injection pump was definitely gunge up and had to be rebuilt,

Click to expand...

So just to be clear. You think the gunge was already in the injection pump and injectors and didn't just get there from elsewhere when you tried to start it?

Yes I believe it had contaminated the whole system unfortunately,
I cleaned Gasilator with acetone and replaced the sender unit in the tank and flushed through with petrol so decided to get the pump overhauled,
With the new pump and injectors it runs as good as it ever did, 70mph all day long isn’t a problem, I kept cleaning the gasilator and replacing the fuel filter on a regular basis for a few months to be safe,

Europa486 said:

Yes I believe it had contaminated the whole system unfortunately,
I cleaned Gasilator with acetone and replaced the sender unit in the tank and flushed through with petrol so decided to get the pump overhauled,
With the new pump and injectors it runs as good as it ever did, 70mph all day long isn’t a problem, I kept cleaning the gasilator and replacing the fuel filter on a regular basis for a few months to be safe,

Click to expand...

Cheers!
Thought I knew my 300tdi pretty well but "gasilator"?
New one on me!! would you mind telling me what and where it is?
Not now looking forward to getting mine started.
Not afraid of using acetone use it quite a bit for other stuff, especially mixed with ATF to free stuff off that's welded itself together with rust. Used it the other day, neat, to help separate two bits of brass screwed together.
When you say "pump" did you mean lift pump or injection pump. and if the latter would you mind telling me how much it cost.
Just looked up "gasilator" and found "gascolator" which i call a sedimenter or sediment bowl. So maybe that's what you are talking about. i'd do that anyway, so no worries there.
wondering how safe it would be to mix a bit of acetone with diesel and see if I could pump, that through the injectors to clean them.
not looking forward to this at all.

Yes sorry I meant sedimenter but a similar device in aviation is called a gascolator a term I use more frequently,
I fitted a new lift pump ( Delphi) and had the Injection pump and injectors overhauled by ,
http://dieselbob.co.uk/index.aspx
You can try a few bottles of Forte injection cleaner and see how it goes, you may be lucky
Good luck,

If my experience is anything to go by its worth just removing and cleaning every banjo bolt and union you can get to. The gunge seems to build up around the corners and edges rather than down the lengths of the pipes, although it must find its way down the pipes if you try to run it.

Not sure what the gunge is but ive found something similar in the carbs of chainsaws that have been sitting for a while. Something to do with the solvents in modern fuels evaporating over time and leaving a waxy residue behind, usually in the filter and the carburettor.

You might not have any gunge in it though. Have a look at the fuel filter and unions first and see what they look like, you might get lucky.

Europa486 said:

Yes sorry I meant sedimenter but a similar device in aviation is called a gascolator a term I use more frequently,
I fitted a new lift pump ( Delphi) and had the Injection pump and injectors overhauled by ,
http://dieselbob.co.uk/index.aspx
You can try a few bottles of Forte injection cleaner and see how it goes, you may be lucky
Good luck,

Click to expand...

Cheers!

There's something called "diesel bug" which is growth of micro organisms in diesel causing it to sludge. Google the name for a better explanation.
Itseems to be more prevalent in recent years because of the increased content of biodiesel in modern fuels.
The combination of unused vehicles and condensation is an ideal medium for the sludge to build.
Last year I read of a spate of problems for Scottish farmers where their tractors were sludging up. Some had to carry tools and extra filters when out working as the problem became so severe.

Most now buy an additive for their fuel bowsers and I'm not sure if distributers treat it.