Starting issues - (have searched forum)

[Fingle]

Hi

A very fed up 300tdi owner.
Been having recurring starting issues for about a month. Symptom = turns over for ever and if im lucky eventually starts with an enormous plume of white smoke, if im unlucky the battery just drains.

Tried new glow plugs, new fuel pump, and a non return valve on the fuel line, its a bit better, but nowhere near how it should be starting.
So I come to you cap in hand, begging for other options to explore rather than reaching for the sledgehammer

 

[neilly]

Afternoon,

Do you have fuel at the injectors?
Once it is running, if you turn it off does it restart straight away.

Cheers
.

 

[Fingle]

Yeah once started it will start on the nail. Until you leave it for 4 + hours

 

[biolandy]

Think you have air ingress somewhere,causing repriming of the whole fuel system when you go to start it-fit a clear piece of pipe from filter outlet to injection pump inlet and check for bubbles-no bubbles allowed.
Favourite candidates are the fuel connections above tank in boot-ruptured/perished leak off lines or knackered lift pump..
Not forgetting the sedimentor if still fitted

 

[Fingle]

Yes thats what we thought hence fitting new lift pump and a non return valve on the pipe.

 

[haigy]

Lazy starter motor

 

[Fingle]

Would that not manifest itself at all times? Once ive started her, shes fine all day (perhaps a little slower on the uptake after 4 hours or so)

 

[Disco1BFG]

Think you have air ingress somewhere,causing repriming of the whole fuel system when you go to start it-fit a clear piece of pipe from filter outlet to injection pump inlet and check for bubbles-no bubbles allowed.
Favourite candidates are the fuel connections above tank in boot-ruptured/perished leak off lines or knackered lift pump..
Not forgetting the sedimentor if still fitted

+1 - almost certainly air getting in. Clear pipe is the way to go, and ....Deffo no bubbles allowed

 

[Yorkie57]

Not sure if it is relevant to a 300 but see thread "starting issues and cutting out"

 

[pete1987RRC]

It only takes a small leak to let air in which may not leak fuel. Check joints for tightness then Check all the joints and re seat them if needed.

 

[Fingle]

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[chris-the-gerbil]

I've just had this on my 300tdi. Crank for ages in the morning, but if you stop and start it then it starts on the button.

The problem was perished rubber bleed hoses on the injectors letting air in, and there is hard a plastic pipe from number 1 that goes back to the fuel pump that was also leaking. After pulling them off and replacing with fuel piping from Halfords (they do a metre length - get the one marked for injectors) problem solved. I didn't replace the hard plastic pipe with similar - I used a length of flex hose and was careful to route it against chafing which is what did for the hard pipe in the first place.

Not sure if this is your problem but another thing to look at.

 

[Fingle]

Probably a daft question but where can i get correct width clear hose ?

 

[julianf]

Look on ebay - nylon airline.

If you use compression fittings on it, rather than tails, make sure you get the little brass inserts to stop it collapsing.



Further suggestions -

Sticking solenoid on the IP? Cheap enough to change, but, last time i did one, i had to grind down the spanner, as it was too thick (cant remember any more than that!)
Timing will make starting a pain, but you would also see power loss.

 

[Fingle]

got clear hose. simplest place to use it to watch for bubbles?

 

[Magicgrotto]

Hi fingle
1st take your fuel filter OFF ! how much fuel is in it ? Half full ? suspect lift pump crackerd
After that your getting AIR in the system
As above check fuel tank outlet / under round plate in back floor ! next bypass sedy bowl near drivers side back wheel on inside of chassis !
then make sure ALL Banjos are tight & that the bleed screw on top of filter is tight !
Next check leak off pipes are good & not wet !
As for were to put clear pipe ! Between fuel filter & main pump probably !

Steve

 

[Yorkie57]

When I had this on my TD5 after exploring (and replacing) all options but the injector seals it was the seals all along.

 

[Magicgrotto]

Haaa but that's on a td5 this is a 300tdi

 

[Fingle]

Only just had a new fuel pump last year (one of the first things they tried), I replaced injector hoses as well. The sedimenter had a load of crap in it, that was emptied and cleaned. Last time I took it to the garage, they said it looked like there was water in the fuel still. Had 6 months of just putting up with it, just takes a long time to crank and sends clouds of white smoke into the great blue yonder. Today it took waaaay to much cranking and ended up killing the battery. Remembered the sender tip. When I looked at it, it looked pretty tip top, there was mild corrosion to the pipes but just superficial, not great flakes etc. Decided as it was open id chuck some epoxy putty in there anyway. (See Pic)
Getting seriously fecked of with this now. It actually seems worse now, as at least before it would start on the nail in summer, now its a bastid any time of year.
Is bypassing the sedimenter a good idea if its actually collecting a lot of crap?

 

[neilly]

Only just had a new fuel pump last year (one of the first things they tried), I replaced injector hoses as well. The sedimenter had a load of crap in it, that was emptied and cleaned. Last time I took it to the garage, they said it looked like there was water in the fuel still. Had 6 months of just putting up with it, just takes a long time to crank and sends clouds of white smoke into the great blue yonder. Today it took waaaay to much cranking and ended up killing the battery. Remembered the sender tip. When I looked at it, it looked pretty tip top, there was mild corrosion to the pipes but just superficial, not great flakes etc. Decided as it was open id chuck some epoxy putty in there anyway. (See Pic)
Getting seriously fecked of with this now. It actually seems worse now, as at least before it would start on the nail in summer, now its a bastid any time of year.
Is bypassing the sedimenter a good idea if its actually collecting a lot of crap?

Did you go through all the points listed above to try and solve this problem?

Cheers