P38 diesel not starting

Stock engine with heat exchanger to heat oil

Chrispndry said:

Stock engine with heat exchanger to heat oil

Click to expand...

There is a heater built into the oil filter housing.
Heaters are no good when the vehicle is parked, the oil will wax unless it's been processed to remove the glycerin content.

I run 2 p38s on veg the hse is the one I am having problems with I have ran it on veg for 2 years the other for 18 months. The hse has had a heat exchanger for the oil and a preheat chamber for starting...the other not been touched and starts off the button.
I have been checking flow rates today...new.in tank pump in a bucket give 180ml in 10 seconds....once in the tank it give 70.to 80ml in 10 seconds...removed all extras heat exchanger and pre heater incas they were blocked...next step is fuel line from the tank it was starting good until the cold snap, it tried but ran the battery down. Also thinking maybe new battery time too.
I have the chance of a l322 vogue handy money so may start with big percentage of diesel small percentage of veg...see how it goes and increase until it becomes noticable.

Chrispndry said:

I run 2 p38s on veg the hse is the one I am having problems with I have ran it on veg for 2 years the other for 18 months. The hse has had a heat exchanger for the oil and a preheat chamber for starting...the other not been touched and starts off the button.
I have been checking flow rates today...new.in tank pump in a bucket give 180ml in 10 seconds....once in the tank it give 70.to 80ml in 10 seconds...removed all extras heat exchanger and pre heater incas they were blocked...next step is fuel line from the tank it was starting good until the cold snap, it tried but ran the battery down. Also thinking maybe new battery time too.
I have the chance of a l322 vogue handy money so may start with big percentage of diesel small percentage of veg...see how it goes and increase until it becomes noticable.

Click to expand...

I do not fancy your chances running an L322 on unprocessed veg oil.

I filter it to 0.5 microns I have been told if the viscosity is right it would run a viscosity cup is what I need I think. I have just tried a solid state pump pushing veg oil it pushes 190..200 ml in 10 seconds that's from bucket to jug...will try it on the truck tomorrow see if I can push it up to the filter I have put a in tank sender body in the tank with no pump just a pick up pipe so will see what happens.

Chrispndry said:

I filter it to 0.5 microns I have been told if the viscosity is right it would run a viscosity cup is what I need I think. I have just tried a solid state pump pushing veg oil it pushes 190..200 ml in 10 seconds that's from bucket to jug...will try it on the truck tomorrow see if I can push it up to the filter I have put a in tank sender body in the tank with no pump just a pick up pipe so will see what happens.

Click to expand...

Filtering does not remove the glycerin which is what gums things up.

So making bio is the alternative or pure diesel.....would it not run on say 80 diesel 20 veg

Chrispndry said:

So making bio is the alternative or pure diesel.....would it not run on say 80 diesel 20 veg

Click to expand...

I would happily run old mechanical injection on veg, but I wouldn't fancy trying it on modern electronic injectors. Even 20% you have the glycerin. Trouble is that if you try it and it fails, it could be very expensive.

A guy in the village is running a seat leon on 1 litre petrol 10 litres used veg....been on it a month now...

Would that be a 1.9pd engine, around 2004\5?

Chrispndry said:

So making bio is the alternative or pure diesel.....would it not run on say 80 diesel 20 veg

Click to expand...

I looked at making biodiesel years ago. You can get some decent automated kits and I was going to get the waste oil from the chippy. Then the council started grabbing all the waste oil for their reactor and after that I decided it was more hassle than it was worth.

I had a friend who used to shove the odd can of veg oil in and top up with diesel and he had no noticeable issues.

Grrrrrr said:

I looked at making biodiesel years ago. You can get some decent automated kits and I was going to get the waste oil from the chippy. Then the council started grabbing all the waste oil for their reactor and after that I decided it was more hassle than it was worth.

I had a friend who used to shove the odd can of veg oil in and top up with diesel and he had no noticeable issues.

Click to expand...

What was he running

Datatek said:

I would happily run old mechanical injection on veg, but I wouldn't fancy trying it on modern electronic injectors. Even 20% you have the glycerin. Trouble is that if you try it and it fails, it could be very expensive.

Click to expand...

had a look at the one for sale it was a shed...found a nice looking p38...it might join my collection

Chrispndry said:

What was he running

Click to expand...

I think it was a Skoda Favorit VRS. It was like a VW Golf but the Skoda version. In summer he put more in and in winter, less. Mind you, he also added LPG, methanol cooling, a bigger turbo and nitrous. The nitrous was a step too far and that was the end of the engine.

I run mine on just diesel, it never lets me down and starts at - 6° or less.. Why run it on chip fat sh8t.. If I had an oil cleaner/separator I could run it on old engine oil because I collect 1.5 thousand litres a year, free.
There is a good member who has found a good mix of fat and fuel with a sufficient mix of other stuff. He does a great deal of mileage to justify the effort. If you do the mileage then do it right, if it's a question of budget then don't run a range rover.. But hey we are all different.

Wrote this below, but reading this thread I am thinking glow plug check and then replace as needed, then sync BecM (where to get software?) with ecu? is there a rebuild kit for FIP, and is this quite easy/straight forward to do in place or needing removal?

Hello, Hello a new dilemma

After sorting out the door latch actuator issue, with new ones and rf ant unplugged. Driven and enjoyed including last Monday a long day out, (the cold week) followed by on Thursday started up so as to defrost and ready her up to go out. About 45 minutes later dressed up came out and all that happened was cranking, crank, crank and now staring up. The only thing I did earlier is to put back the trim around the seat bottoms and then refit the dome light.

Coinsidence?

When I jumped in, there was a quick flash on the dash “Alarm Triggered” (It had been taking longer to start up, each time, the few weeks before. I thought it was the cold) and then this issue with starting. Took the other car as it was 6Pm and dark. The cranking acted like immobiliser was active.

So after a few days, when I had a chance to look, the battery was drained, have another battery, so swapped and charged up the other, it drained that one to as noticed again that it is going asleep, then waking up again….old issue back.

But as far as fuel took off manifold as saw a decent leak from FIP about middle/ top section - so this will need attention and from certain videos it is not looking an easy job. Did get a reader from the mechanic around the corner and code 25 and 27 Glow Control (this cleared) Anti Theft device would not clear. Ran scan four times and 27 only then next to scans both 25 and 27.

Was key coded out of the RR, my access code did not work but the 1515 approach worked. No errors on the dash except sunroof not set. Will not even cough or splutter a start up…..

is BeCM scrambled? Is there a relation between the two issues or is it just two separate issues that have come together to play mind games with me?

- If your battery died it may not start easily particularly if the starter/glows etc are also worn. You’d need to see what voltage it has running and standing to see if it’s healthy.
- glows error code may clear but if there is an issue it will come straight back. You should check they are actually getting voltage with a DVM. Sometimes it’s just a fuse.
- FiP is DIY with bit of help off here. Gasket/seal kits for it aren’t expensive. Fuel leaking out means air can get in so may contribute to non starting.
- if you get any issues with immobilisation you should plug the RF unit back in while you sort the issue.

Often with P38s it’s not one issue but a few small ones collaborating. Start with the small things you can sort yourself ‘start with the simple stuff’ as we say. The main issue is your battery ; if it’s weak it can cause all sorts of phantom errors associated with becm. Without proper electricity for the systems diagnostics should be seen as false readings.

You may even be lucky and the FIP seals are fine but the diesel is from #1 leak off.

Grrrrrr said:

You may even be lucky and the FIP seals are fine but the diesel is from #1 leak off.

Click to expand...

I recently had a leak from no1 injector which made it seem FIP leaking. Replacement injector and seal all is good

There is a puddle of fuel around injector one. So might start with that and then look at the FIP kit as number two. Then also tackle at testing glows for voltage. not done before but am sure can figure out, if I find a diagram. Is the fuse in the engine fuse box, I assume?

i will look at all the niggles, with volts BeCM, as I believe it all started with the actuators and then the fuel issue has come along to just be friendly

cheers for all the help.