Not starting!!!! Priming Fuel pump?!?!

[madarugby]

Hi

I have 1.9 watercooled T25. I have recently had problems with the starting and running of my bus. it has had a new water pump, new fuel pump and full service. And was used regularly as ameans of transport too and from work, but due to a move of house it hasn't been needed and has been sat for a while.
It would startup normally with a little struggle as it has been sat but once started would run normally. Unfortunately one day i had my neighbour start the van up as i was away and it started but then struggled and then died. I dont know if it is common but when starting my bus i sometimes have to give it some extra throttle to help it run and stop it from cutting out and my neighbour informed me that he didnt do this.
Evereything seems to be fine with the van and it seems like a problem i have had previously and resulted in around £600 of towing and garage costs as there was not many people who understood how my bus worked. And it turned out this was all to just 'prime the fuel pump?'
Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated as i really dont want to have to get the bus towed to a garage again to have to incue similar costs

[T25Convert]

Hi,

Welcome!

If the van had a habbit of starting then stalling, it is likely that there is a problem with your choke. However, if you give it a bit of throttle, this should not prevent it from starting at all.

You say it won't start - does the engine turn over? If it does, does it turn over quickly?

If it is turning over, and it is not starting, then open up the engine bay, and remove the fuel pipe from the fuel pump that goes to the carberetteur. Get a willing assistant to crank the engine (if it hasn't been run for a while crank it for a few turns).

If fuel doesn't come out then report back.

As far as I'm aware (others may correct me here) the mechanical pumps are self priming. However, they have been known to fail, and the pusrods to wear down.

However, if fuel comes out then we can go through your other possible problems....

If you fill in your location details there may even be someone nearby to give it the once over for you.....

Cheers,

Alex

[VERAT25]

hi and welcome

i had a similar problem and founf the braided fuel hose before the pump was leaking air and resulting in no fuel.
blocked one end to check and blew at other end(could hear air leaks)

re newed hose and engine started(not saying this is prob but cured mine) also check the servo hose/this also had bullet holes in it causing engine to run rough as a badgers asp

good luck
verat25(cardiff)

[CovKid]

Line could well be dry and it had just enough in float bowl. Tip a capful of petrol down carb throat then see if she tries to kick into life. If she does doing this a few times, it could be crud in fuel line, dodgy pump or an empty fuel line.

[GNASHER]

I am having the same issue with my van too.
If I pull off the fuel hose and crank the engine I don't get any fuel coming out. Would filling the float chamber create a vacum and possible fix this? With out being near the engine at present could some one give me a heads up on how best to fill the chamber before I make the journey to the van and attempt to fix it?

[CovKid]

If you remove fuel hose from outlet side of pump and theres nowt coming out, either fuel pump pushrod has worn too short, pump is knackered, filter is clogged or tank outlet is full of crud. Float level is irrelevant for that test.

[Captain Tuba]

We've just had something similar happen on Monday when the van (1.9l water cooled DG) was due to go for it's MoT.
The van started OK and then cut out and wouldn't start. It had all the symptoms of no spark.

Turned out to be a clogged fuel pipe.

If you're interested this is what I did:
Checked the electrics, cleaned the plugs, disti cap and rotor arm. With a spare spark plug I check each lead for a spark - all OK.
After reading posts here I started looking at the fuel:
- First pipe off was return pipe - nothing came out but I could blow air back into the tank.
- Then the feed to the carb was taken off - still no fuel.
- I took the pump off to see if anything was wrong - but it appeared OK.
- Next I split the fuel pipe on the carb side of the fuel filter - fuel flowed out of filter OK. I used a spare bit of fuel pipe with a screwdriver poked in the end to stop the flow.
- I blew from the fuel pump side back to the filter - and I think air came out OK (difficult to check on your own).
- back together again for another test - no joy so back to the forum for more searching.
- try the cap-full of fuel tipped into the carb trick (drained a bit from the fuel filter). This time it fired up.
- Time to get the compressor out and blow out the pipes and test for leaks by blocking up one end.
- back together again and this time it work

So I'll be getting a new fuel filter and will need to replace some of the pipes that look like they're on their way out..
I also found the vacuum advance tube was split at the disti end, it just needed a trim and it seems OK.

Hope this helps. C.T.

[GNASHER]

OOOOOps I just set fire to my van...... I poured some fuel into the bowl and she fired up first time.... Only one problem...The fuel lines were not tightned up enough and fuel sprayed everywhere. Kabooom!!! I recreated towerinferno in the back of my van!! A few buckets of water later all was well and good .... And even better once the smoke settled I dusted off the soot and she fired up first time..... Saves me having to de-gunk or jet wash the the engine I guess....