Van not starting after running out of fuel

[collins_sh]

hi all,

I am at witts end with my camper 1.9 dg with pieburg carb, i ran outta fuel going up a steep hill one mile from my house and have failed to get it going for longer than a few minutes since.

anyone think of or have experience of a rather odd reason for failure to start again?

heres where i'm at;

solved the initial flooding etc
flamed and cleaned plug a few times since
checked all wiring and cleaned connections
cleaned carb
changed the coil
everything is operating fine

only common demoninator are the speed bumps that seems to cause me the issues when i do get it running, at the moment i cannot start it at all, i feel like a mountaineer trying in vain to get to the top of the hill to my house.

any odd electrical connections, carb floats that may be sensitive to bumping etc. your assistance would be appreciated.

shane

[lloydy]

Have you checked the fuel filter?

[ermie571]

And the cone filter in the carb.

Have you checked that fuel getting to carb?

two options - look down carb when cranking - see if its spurting when your assistant cranks engine....or pull off fuel line from tank at carb and seeing if its getting that far!

as you have run out of fuel, you will be bringing all sorts of crud out of tank....filter behind wheel arch is prob orange with rust!
Em
xx

[kevtherev]

as you have run out of fuel, you will be bringing all sorts of crud out of tank....filter behind wheel arch is prob orange with rust!
Em
xx

Em has it right there
At worst the carb has to come off for a good clean out

[dazzzer1]

always a good idea to check the whole fuel line to check you only have 1 fuel filter.. lots of people dont know there is one under the van and add another in the engine bay usually

[fall-apart-dave]

What they said ^ something is blocked, somewhere. Change your fuel filter, clean the filter in the carb.

[collins_sh]

i have eliminated all the fuel flow issues, flooding it with ease also so plenty making it to the carb jets.
can see fuel going in when cranking

anything non obvious electrically is what i'm thinking. has me stumped although i see the link between running out of fuel and clogging up of the system.

have checked the wire from gearbox to chassis
changing the coil as the spark is not super strong ( i know the coil should just work fully or not work at all)
anything else????
????????????????

[H-G]

If you have pulled crap I to the carb the float valve may be stuck open which may be the cause of the flooding problem; only solution is to take the top off the float chamber and give it a clean. That should take care of the flooding issue.

Notwithstanding that, change all the fuel filters ( if not done so already) however BEFORE you do that, remove the fuel pipe from the inlet side of the fuel pump and blow the fuel back in to the tank, then change the filters, then crank the engine to pull the fuel back. You will have blown any crap back in to the filters and tank so that you know the line is clear and that you won't immediately clog them up when you try and start it again.

I little tip I was given to improve the spark temporarily is to take the plugs out, clean and adjust them, then use a graphite pencil to 'draw' around the electrodes to make it easier for the spark to jump.

The only other suggestion I can make is to ensure that all the wires on the LT side of the could are secure and not being affected by the speed bumps causing the bus to cut out.

Hope that you get back on the road soon.

[john1]

Take the pipe of from filter to the carb, blow it threw make sure its clear.
Change the filter now blow it threw to the tank " take the cap off before doing so"
You have DEF got some cr,p between the tank and carb. If its in the carb "prob" strip and clean.

[collins_sh]

ok me and a mate who is a mechanic are raising the white flag.

there isn't anyone technical here from cork in ireland or who would have a contact in the vicinity?

would be appreciated.

[edoh]

if you can get a spark - fuel - and you've got compression -
something should happen!
have you got a spark at the plugs?
clean uncontominated fuel going to carb?
no obvious wires disconnected - rotor cap hanging off - distributor loose?

when turning engine over -
what kind of sound does engine make?

there's got to be a way of working through the check list to get it started again -

just in case it hasnt been asked - you've definitely got fuel?

[MattyG]

i had similar problem - in fact all the same symptoms!
I live on a steep hill and ran out of fuel one morning.
I changed and checked loads of parts but in the end a nice RAC man who worked on T25's as a youngling (the 3rd that came out cos like you I could not get to the bottom of it) told me to put LOADS of fuel in it.
Because the tank is large it takes a lot to get a decent continual supply to the pump - I put 4 or 5 fuel cans in her and changed the fuel line to the opposite side (hill is also on a camber!!) and after a couple of turns she fired up.
moved her to the trop of the hill and changed the fuel line back now works fine and lesson learnt!

if youve got loads of fuel in it then totally ignore the above

matt

[fall-apart-dave]

I ran out of fuel the other day... My fuel guae LIES!!!! Tickling the red = bone dry. Noted for future reference. I found that I kept getting airlocks in the fuel line. I cured it by chuckin a gobfull (yes, a gobfull in my case, don't ask... Blurgh!) into the top of the carb, leaving it for a couple of minutes (while I puked what I had swallowed), cranking it and foot flat to the floor when it fired, it kepts threatening to die but then was ok after a few seconds.

Then I ran out of fuel aain on the way to the effin' petrol station because it was uphill.

Second time around, the starter packed up.

I suspect it's a case of "grumpyness" rather than anything else. Is it even trying to fire as it is? As said, how much fuel is in it?

[collins_sh]

ok, i've moved on from having a van with a problem after running out of fuel to a van that starts but cuts out.

it starts fine, warms up a little and conks as soon as you put some pressure on the engine along the road. i have handed it over to a mechanic to work on it.

he says that the ignition module is the problem? he says that they get damaged over time and once the resistors in them heat up it conks out.

i have a 84 T25 1.9dg and don't have it or my Hynes to check if i definately have one installed in the van.


could this be the issue? are these installed in van's that old? does anyone have one or know where to get them?

its always a lot of hassle to get stuff over to ireland.

Shane

[ermie571]

yep, you will have an ignition module. Mounted on side of engine bay...multi-pin plug.
yes, they can get damaged.....but check your coil etc first.....a coil on the way out will be fine when cold,,,,but once warm will fail...and the engine dies. Choke not coming off....same effect.....lots to try b4 ignition module!

just a thought

Em
xx