SpudH
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 1,256
- Location
- County Kerry, Ireland
Here's one for the Diesel guys
Backround: 1999 P38 DSE, engine blew a gasket on drive home from buying it, engine rebuild (new block, head etc) at 70,000 miles, 78,000 up now (in 4 months). There is an old analog PSI chip fitted (was in it when I got it).
Problem : twofold but related I think. When accelerating reasonably hard I get what I would describe as a fluttering sound coming from the engine. I'm almost certain it is fuel pump/injector related. It dosen't do it everytime and the engine feels more powerful when it is not doing it. It is at its most noticable as the engine crosses 2,500 revs with moderate acceleration but this is intermitent. As luck would have it it didn't do it when I took it to my specialist for a service so I wasn't able to let him hear it.
Second problem is that on a few occasions in the past the engine would die as I drove along the road and the injector light would come on for a second but then go out, the power would come back and I'd be able to drive along no problem. Then on Monday I had a 450 mile round trip to do and it did it 3 times on the return leg but still kept going and hasn't done it since.
I have it booked in to my specialist friday morning to be hooked up to the diagnostics as he didn't get a chance the last time (my fault not his) and I just wanted to check if anyone had any ideas. Do you know if the injector light coming on will register as a fault?
Other info:
I think he checked the tank sender pump last time and said it was ok (at least that is what I could pick up from the polish guy doing the service, he said (in broken english) that there was fuel pressure at the filter so therefore the sender pump was ok, and then pointed to another striken P38 and said that one had a fooked sender pump but your one is ok).
I haven't changed the return hoses at the injectors but there is no sign of diesel or perishing of the rubbers.
I can't see any bubbles in the clear pipe coming from the filter, at least not at idle. (as an aside does anyone know how to rev the engine from under the bonnet?)
I cant hear the sound at tickover or even when someone prods the accelerator so I'm assuming it only happens when there is load on the engine.
I remember reading somewhere in a thread someone saying that the injectors made a rattling noise if things weren't right but I haven't been able to find that thread again.
Disconnecting the chip does not cure the sound, only makes the thing unbelievably slow. I speed checked it a while back to see if the chip was working and got the following figures 0-60 15.6 secs with, 18.4secs without chip, 30-70 17.2 secs with, 20.3 secs without. I've averaged around 23mpg(real not indicated) for the 8,000 miles I've put up. So I'm getting pretty close to standard power and economy with the chip which means I'm well down on power without it. I get very little/none black smoke when accelerating, with the chip I should be getting a good bit which all leads me to believe I'm pumping less diesel than I should be.
Which brings me back again to the injector light coming on and the fluttering sound.
Any ideas?
Backround: 1999 P38 DSE, engine blew a gasket on drive home from buying it, engine rebuild (new block, head etc) at 70,000 miles, 78,000 up now (in 4 months). There is an old analog PSI chip fitted (was in it when I got it).
Problem : twofold but related I think. When accelerating reasonably hard I get what I would describe as a fluttering sound coming from the engine. I'm almost certain it is fuel pump/injector related. It dosen't do it everytime and the engine feels more powerful when it is not doing it. It is at its most noticable as the engine crosses 2,500 revs with moderate acceleration but this is intermitent. As luck would have it it didn't do it when I took it to my specialist for a service so I wasn't able to let him hear it.
Second problem is that on a few occasions in the past the engine would die as I drove along the road and the injector light would come on for a second but then go out, the power would come back and I'd be able to drive along no problem. Then on Monday I had a 450 mile round trip to do and it did it 3 times on the return leg but still kept going and hasn't done it since.
I have it booked in to my specialist friday morning to be hooked up to the diagnostics as he didn't get a chance the last time (my fault not his) and I just wanted to check if anyone had any ideas. Do you know if the injector light coming on will register as a fault?
Other info:
I think he checked the tank sender pump last time and said it was ok (at least that is what I could pick up from the polish guy doing the service, he said (in broken english) that there was fuel pressure at the filter so therefore the sender pump was ok, and then pointed to another striken P38 and said that one had a fooked sender pump but your one is ok).
I haven't changed the return hoses at the injectors but there is no sign of diesel or perishing of the rubbers.
I can't see any bubbles in the clear pipe coming from the filter, at least not at idle. (as an aside does anyone know how to rev the engine from under the bonnet?)
I cant hear the sound at tickover or even when someone prods the accelerator so I'm assuming it only happens when there is load on the engine.
I remember reading somewhere in a thread someone saying that the injectors made a rattling noise if things weren't right but I haven't been able to find that thread again.
Disconnecting the chip does not cure the sound, only makes the thing unbelievably slow. I speed checked it a while back to see if the chip was working and got the following figures 0-60 15.6 secs with, 18.4secs without chip, 30-70 17.2 secs with, 20.3 secs without. I've averaged around 23mpg(real not indicated) for the 8,000 miles I've put up. So I'm getting pretty close to standard power and economy with the chip which means I'm well down on power without it. I get very little/none black smoke when accelerating, with the chip I should be getting a good bit which all leads me to believe I'm pumping less diesel than I should be.
Which brings me back again to the injector light coming on and the fluttering sound.
Any ideas?
