L322 Time to fix my starting problems

So, I knew when I bought this car i would have to do some work on it...

I have had it a couple of months, put two new tyres on it and replaced all the lower front suspension parts and passed the MOT so now to tackle some of the anoying probles, it has the following 'issues';

1 - It sometimes doesnt start, it never starts on the key!
2 - It has a tiny oil leak from the gearbox
3 - it has a little rust
4 - the steering is a bit heavy
5 - air con hasnt got any refrigerant in it
6 - aux cabin heater doesnt seem to work
7 - the side lights flash once every 20 seconds

So i'm starting with the starting problems, im convinced its an injector. I am going to do all the spannering myself and get the injectors functionally checked and replaced if necessary. I have taken it apart! See attached pics.

Is there any experienced people out there with inspiration for me?

Also, the manifold if full of tar, is it worth me taking the time to clean it out?



Oh, and im guessing I should replace that air filter!

Cheers

Stephen.

You get a car new to you, first thing I do is change all the oils (including the brake fluid) and filters.

Dopey said:

You get a car new to you, first thing I do is change all the oils (including the brake fluid) and filters.

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Ah yes, I will be doing that as I put it back together.

SuffolkCraftsmen said:

So, I knew when I bought this car i would have to do some work on it...

I have had it a couple of months, put two new tyres on it and replaced all the lower front suspension parts and passed the MOT so now to tackle some of the anoying probles, it has the following 'issues';

1 - It sometimes doesnt start, it never starts on the key!
2 - It has a tiny oil leak from the gearbox
3 - it has a little rust
4 - the steering is a bit heavy
5 -

So i'm starting with the starting problems, im convinced its an injector. I am going to do all the spannering myself and get the injectors functionally checked and replaced if necessary. I have taken it apart! See attached pics.

Is there any experienced people out there with inspiration for me?

Also, the manifold if full of tar, is it worth me taking the time to clean it out?

View attachment 192394 View attachment 192395 View attachment 192396

Oh, and im guessing I should replace that air filter!

Cheers

Stephen.

Click to expand...

If the manifold is full of gunk (I assume its the M57 engine) you will also need to clean out the EGR valve and the intercooler.
Starting problems are sometimes due to the ignition switch, assuming it's injectors is not a good way forward.

Putting it on diagnostics to see what faults are present would be a good idea.

Datatek said:

If the manifold is full of gunk (I assume its the M57 engine) you will also need to clean out the EGR valve and the intercooler.
Starting problems are sometimes due to the ignition switch, assuming it's injectors is not a good way forward.

Putting it on diagnostics to see what faults are present would be a good idea.

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Thanks for the reply, diagnostics shows nothing wrong, it runs just fine once its started but struggles to get fuel system pressure up when cranking. Hence my suspision of the injectors.

Whats the best way to clean all that gunk out?

SuffolkCraftsmen said:

Thanks for the reply, diagnostics shows nothing wrong, it runs just fine once its started but struggles to get fuel system pressure up when cranking. Hence my suspision of the injectors.

Whats the best way to clean all that gunk out?

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Fuel pressure is provided by a series of 3 pumps, a lift pump in the tank, a second pump in front of the rear wheel arch and then the high pressure pump, fuel pressure is not related to cranking. The problem is unlikely to be the injectors What diagnostics are you using? Only specialised diagnostics work on your car, generic stuff is no good.
I use acetone or brake cleaner for cleaning the metal parts

Datatek said:

Fuel pressure is provided by a series of 3 pumps, a lift pump in the tank, a second pump in front of the rear wheel arch and then the high pressure pump, fuel pressure is not related to cranking. The problem is unlikely to be the injectors What diagnostics are you using? Only specialised diagnostics work on your car, generic stuff is no good.
I use acetone or brake cleaner for cleaning the metal parts

Click to expand...

iCarSoft LR V2 not the most expensive system but reads the codes.

Datatek said:

Fuel pressure is provided by a series of 3 pumps, a lift pump in the tank, a second pump in front of the rear wheel arch and then the high pressure pump, fuel pressure is not related to cranking. The problem is unlikely to be the injectors What diagnostics are you using? Only specialised diagnostics work on your car, generic stuff is no good.
I use acetone or brake cleaner for cleaning the metal parts

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Or Mr mussel oven cleaner, get rid of carbon

Or Delete it.....

Remove EGR valve and replace with blanking kit like this;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RANGE-RO...315385?hash=item2372966979:g:WfYAAOSwUP5a9G-4

On early TD6's you won't get any warnings on dash if you remove, it may just store a soft fault on the BCM which does not affect car in any way whatsoever.

The side lights flashing....don't suppose you have LED bulbs fitted by any chance??
Mine used to flicker, so removed the LED ones and put standard bulbs back in and no issues since.

HTH

Advice would be if you don't know what you are doing don't do it. Learning can be a very expensive experience.

Deleting would be the best way to go in my opinion, all it dose is starve it from oxygen

Dopey said:

Deleting would be the best way to go in my opinion, all it dose is starve it from oxygen

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Agree. I’m not going to do that now though as If I change more than one thing at a time I won’t know if I fixed it! Injectors first and a de coke.

First thing would have been to do a leak off test - I had this on my 530d, struggling to start....found out 2 injectors were leaking off excessively not allowing the rail to build pressure and thus not starting....

Oh, and check the fuel pressure regulator seals - this can often be a cause of low rail pressure too.

Saint.V8 said:

First thing would have been to do a leak off test - I had this on my 530d, struggling to start....found out 2 injectors were leaking off excessively not allowing the rail to build pressure and thus not starting....

Oh, and check the fuel pressure regulator seals - this can often be a cause of low rail pressure too.

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well you find me sat in Colchester Fuel Injection waiting for my injectors to return from their tests. We will know in the next hour!

I decided to do it this way rather than doing a diagnostic on the engine as this way I supply the Labour. It’s a rule I set my self when I bought the car!

Well there is the answer...

SuffolkCraftsmen said:

Well there is the answer...

View attachment 192459

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Yep, that'll do it!

Saint.V8 said:

Yep, that'll do it!

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So due to budget constraints I’m replacing two of the injectors now along with a de coke and some new manifold gas kits and replace filters.

Around £34 each not bad