TD5 AIR BLEED VALVE in Fuel Filter

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my 51 reg td5 only has a air bleed valve in the front left union all the other 3 are empty.i know at a later date landrover started putting a non return valve in the back lefthand union as microcat shows .when i bought my td5 it had a starting problem ,every time it had been stood for a period of time it would start and then die after 2-3 seconds ,but if you turned the ignition and let the pump run for 20 seconds it would start on the button.It took me 12 months to pin point the problem to the fuel filter housing where some absolute penis had placed non return valve (part no.vub 305045 or something simlar) where the air bleed valve should be ...be careful this little part could end up costing you alot of money...fp reg,o-rings,copper washes etc
 
my 51 reg td5 only has a air bleed valve in the front left union all the other 3 are empty.i know at a later date landrover started putting a non return valve in the back lefthand union as microcat shows .when i bought my td5 it had a starting problem ,every time it had been stood for a period of time it would start and then die after 2-3 seconds ,but if you turned the ignition and let the pump run for 20 seconds it would start on the button.It took me 12 months to pin point the problem to the fuel filter housing where some absolute penis had placed non return valve (part no.vub 305045 or something simlar) where the air bleed valve should be ...be careful this little part could end up costing you alot of money...fp reg,o-rings,copper washes etc

Air Bleed valve in Front left union? No kidding?
Is that "front" as in nearest you as you lean in the wheel arch?

Or "front" as in towards the front of the car?


I will need to check the unions on the RIGHT side, front of car end of the filter, but I bet they are both empty. The inner one (nearest chassis) is the hot return from the cooler, and the outer one is filtered fuel at low pressure heading back to the high pressure stage of the pump.

In my one now the rear inner union is empty, the rear outer one has the air bleed restrictor in it.

Letting thr pump run a while before trying a start certainly helps mine, but after 80k miles, this is a new problem. I am fascinated by the message earlier about voltage on ECU pins, and I will check that.
 
The two diagrams on page 2 indicate the early fuel filter housing set up with just an air bleed valve (Rave) and the later set up with the non return valve (microcat)
 
sorry charlesy ,air bleed valve in left hand union pointing to back of car as yours is ..your 2 unions pointing to the front of the car will be empty....Rob
 
sorry charlesy ,air bleed valve in left hand union pointing to back of car as yours is ..your 2 unions pointing to the front of the car will be empty....Rob

Gotcha .... and mine does NOT have a non-return valve.
maybe I should fit one?
But whatever, I will be checking this advice as soon as possible.

sierrafery
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Transylvania, the west part
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Re: Hard start after night TD5

It's the only way to make sure that the difficult starting is an air intrusion or a management issue.

An other easy test which u better do before everything is to check the inputs of the CKP sensor to the ECM . take out the ECM as to have access to the red plug with a multimeter. U can insert from behind the multimeter's pins in the red plug as to make contact: (+) to pin 13 and (-) to pin 36. then u have to follow voltage..it MUST be 2 to 3 volts with engine cranking then rising to 6 - 6.5 volts from 1000 rev/min upwards.
If these readings are different thats the real problem not air in the system. U can see pin disposals in RAVE - Electrical library - connector views - C0158

I'm telling u that cos a bad signal from this sensor is giving u difficult start symptoms
 
So any achievments? mine is still hard to start after night, especially if tank nearly empty.

I cannot complete all experiments with my D2, cos that weekend i broke front right halfshaft... so now car is in workshop waiting for a new halfshaft
 
Okey lets back to the problem.

So far what have i found is that after night air somehow gets into fuel. more of it, if car has only 20 litres or less of fuel, at hot starting i should wait about 15-20 seconds until air is purged. If tank is full i dont need to wait.

I see no fuel leaks outside of a car... but gonna try to blow inside fuel tubes with air compressor and see what will happen ,and how fast pressure will drop.
 
Okey lets back to the problem.

So far what have i found is that after night air somehow gets into fuel. more of it, if car has only 20 litres or less of fuel, at hot starting i should wait about 15-20 seconds until air is purged. If tank is full i dont need to wait.

I see no fuel leaks outside of a car... but gonna try to blow inside fuel tubes with air compressor and see what will happen ,and how fast pressure will drop.


Mine is a BAD starter in the morning if I try a normal start.
If I let the fuel pump run for 30 seconds or so it starts perfectly.

Fuel must be draining back from the gallery in the head letting air sit close to the injectors which then swallow air and don't work.

Damned if I know how this is happening.

CharlesY
 
Same thing here.... the only thing how to check where the air is coming is install clear tube in each part of fuel tubes. i mean after LP pump, After HP pump, after filter. and watch for any air bubbles.

I dont know any other ways how to find where the air is comming
 
About the air in fuel is pure chemistry.....take a bottle, fill it to top with diesel and shake it...then empty half of it and shake it again....see the difference in the air mixed with diesel.....that happens in the fuel tank too.....unless u ride just with constant speed on a perfect smooth surface;)
 
Okey few other ivestigations.

Air gets into fuel only when engine is cold. I mean if i start it in the morning, and shuts it down and then wait for 10-15 minutes. Again it will pain to start it. But if it is hot, no problem. It fires from 1 turn. Maybe again change o-rings?
 
Okey few other ivestigations.

Air gets into fuel only when engine is cold. I mean if i start it in the morning, and shuts it down and then wait for 10-15 minutes. Again it will pain to start it. But if it is hot, no problem. It fires from 1 turn. Maybe again change o-rings?


I do not think so.
My TD5 is exactly the same and has all new seals and washers on the injectors.

IF I remember to start it "properly" it always starts well.

My start-up routine is this - turn key to IGN, and the dash lights are on.
WAIT 20 seconds while the pump runs.
Start the engine.

If I try a fast start in the morning the injectors WILL swallow AIR, and then it will not start till the injector purge process has been done.

I do not know how air is getting IN, even though no fuel is leaking OUT.
 
Do you see grey or white smoke after start? if yes, then possibly that copper rings are leaking. or 1 injector is leaking. And while car is parked for the night, fuel comes out of it.

When you change your fuel filter. What color is it? if its black inside, then somehow that dirty thing comes from cylynder, and the only way to come is through copper rings, or through injector niddle. I want to change copper rings, and also inspect injectors, for the signs of leaking diesel.


P.S. My fuel filter is black, and tubes have inside soot. But while car is hot, there are no problems to start it.
 
Okey i changed O-rings and copper rings. On 5 cyl i think copper ring were leaking. because when i removed it, there were air bubles coming from it.
 
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