Disco 2 Not starting - probably fuel issue

mad85 · May 10, 2019

So the day has finally arrived that my TD5 has left me stranded and a tow truck had to come to my rescue.

The car was started but it started knocking badly before it eventually died and would not start. The engine turns fine but it just would not start. Things I noticed:

1. While I try to start it,I can hear the double tone alarm of the water sensor of the diesel filter.
2. I tried to prime the system. I can hear the tank pump but it also leaks badly from the fuel filter while priming.
3. I tried to prime multiple times but all seemed for nothing.

I had already ordered a new filter housing since I had noticed a small leak a while ago - can this be the reason why it is not starting?

I was thinking about attaching a gauge to check the pressure from the tank pump. Where would be the best place to attach such a gauge and what fuel pressure should I expect?

Thanks a lot!
Mark

1988smithy · May 10, 2019

Have you bled the filter using the plastic screw cap on the bottom? Turn it slowly anti clockwise and it should let any water out....have a bowl handy underneath you dont want whatever comes out going everywhere. If it's leaking at the filter though it'll draw air in so you need to sort the filter and/or filter housing first imo

Is it leaking from both the filter and the housing in separate places or just between the two?

mad85 · May 11, 2019

To be honest im not sure from where it is leaking. Had no clue that you can bleed the filter. Thanks for that.

What about checking fuel pressure and the required psi?

mad85 · May 11, 2019

Actually had taken a video of it knocking before dying completely

Nig43 · May 11, 2019

That's the engine missing on one cylinder.

mad85 · May 11, 2019

Ok, i guess it was losing the fuel pressure until it died out ?

mad85 · May 11, 2019

There seems to be a problem with the connector of the fuel pump... The earth seems to have overheated and caused some melting. I also noticed that the fuel gauge is not working reliably. To try and work i spliced the wires and connected them directly, without the connector. Thisi seems to have made the connection better. Also replaced fuel filter which seems to have fixed the leak. While the bleeding procedure was ongoing I pulled out the fuel lines from the pump one by one to see if fuel was going in and out and in all there was fuel spray, except for the air return line, which I think makes sense.

The car is still a non starter though. I was not able to test the fuel pressure since I could not connect a gauge. Mechanic who has worked on this vehicle has said that for some reason the bleeding procedure has never workee since he started working on this a couple of years ago and usually he has to tow it on gear until it fires .

Do you think this could be a case of a bad fuel pump? Or could be something else? While firing there is no hint of it trying to start. From exhaust there is no smoke but there is a air coming out

Fuel regulator seenms ok and was changed a couple of months ago.

Any ideas please????

jamesmartin · May 11, 2019

mad85 said:
To be honest im not sure from where it is leaking. Had no clue that you can bleed the filter. Thanks for that.

What about checking fuel pressure and the required psi?

4 bar ,remove fuel temp switch from fpr and test there i use an oil pressure gauge

jamesmartin · May 11, 2019

mad85 said:
There seems to be a problem with the connector of the fuel pump... The earth seems to have overheated and caused some melting. I also noticed that the fuel gauge is not working reliably. To try and work i spliced the wires and connected them directly, without the connector. Thisi seems to have made the connection better. Also replaced fuel filter which seems to have fixed the leak. While the bleeding procedure was ongoing I pulled out the fuel lines from the pump one by one to see if fuel was going in and out and in all there was fuel spray, except for the air return line, which I think makes sense.

The car is still a non starter though. I was not able to test the fuel pressure since I could not connect a gauge. Mechanic who has worked on this vehicle has said that for some reason the bleeding procedure has never workee since he started working on this a couple of years ago and usually he has to tow it on gear until it fires .

Do you think this could be a case of a bad fuel pump? Or could be something else? While firing there is no hint of it trying to start. From exhaust there is no smoke but there is a air coming out

Fuel regulator seenms ok and was changed a couple of months ago.

Any ideas please????

fuel spray rather than a good flow green pipe (2nd from left)at pump is feed to head, blue next to green feed to filter housing

mad85 · May 12, 2019

new fuel pump fixed the problem, thanks for all the help.

mad85 · May 12, 2019

jamesmartin said:
4 bar ,remove fuel temp switch from fpr and test there i use an oil pressure gauge

yes noticed but it was too awkward to remove that switch... ended up trying out a spare fuel pump, which fixed the problem. I guess the old pump was not providing adequate flow/pressure...

mad85 · May 12, 2019

In case some one, like myself, had a problem with a melted female connector, the equivalent should be bmw 61138367076. I have found this info on the forum and have bought this connector online. Will confirm when it arrives if it is indeed the right connector, bit looks like it

Disco 2 Not starting - probably fuel issue

mad85

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1988smithy

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