Friends JX bus now impossible to start.

[silverbullet]

In breif: E reg JX 'velle gl bus, tank was run down to nothing recently then started to play up. Changed fuel filter, bled injector lines of air, used a whiff of easy-start in the boost pipe to get it going, all ok. Went out for a spin and it goes really well.
2 hours later it wouldnt start...crankedy crank crank.
Has always needed a bit of cold-start knob to idle when cold, for a couple of minutes at least.
Always been a bit white on start-up too, but this cleared pretty swiftly when we checked the starting half an hour after the filter change.
So whats the fault? Glow plugs (or relay) failed? Air leak making it puff white as well (hence the need for cold start)?
Diesel isnt my strong suit...
Thanks!

[silverbullet]

Wot no advice?

[hedgejumper]

Hi, the cold start use is fine for this weather. Is the fuel pope transparent? can you see bubbles moving? are there lots of bubbles? does it start with some easy-start? are the connections to the fuel filter still tight? are the injector nuts still tight? is there a one way valve in the fuel line? ( fuel could have run back to tank), is the solenoid connection good and clean, if you turn on the ignition and pull off the solenoid connector then touch it to its connector can you hear the solenoid click?, if you ran down that low then an awful lot of impurities will have been disturbed .I had a similar experience in my Iveco, changed the filter and got 5 miles up the road before i had to change it again. When you changed the filter did you fill the new filter with fuel? if so then the test run used this fuel and the filter could still be blocked. My jx can get about four miles on a filter full of fuel.

[Zaloopa]

Have you tried all the regular stuff?
Starter
the kill switch wire on the injection pump . I have removed this a dozen times to mess with pipes and forgot to plug it back in or the connection was bad and
it goes crankety crank crank forever without firing till I plug it back in
How was it running before it ran dry? Missfiring at all?

[kenkelso]

I had a similar problem this week, after changing the fuel filter, spent many fruitless days chasing down air in the fuel lines. When I had exhausted that avenue I pulled the Glow Plugs and the most difficult to get at one had failed!

Pure co-incidence it happened at the same time as the fuel filter change, starts on the button now.

Check those glow plugs, simple if you have a high enough rated Ammeter, I don't so had to remove them and test on a battery.

Ken

[ELVIS]

In the UK, especially during the weather we are having, you shouldn't have to use the old start. Last used one three years ago when it was minus double figures. White smoke will be cold unburnt diesel.Sounds like pump/cam timing could do with a fettle.(always could be a possibility one of the injectors is leaking though and its diesel that's pooled on piston crown)

My tdi was a plum when left for long time/cold and that was down to timing. Might be worth a shuftie

[silverbullet]

Thanks everyone. Yes it cranks and we had it running, went really well once fuel had pulled through (hence the easystart, couldnt get more than a dribble in the filter for trying) but only drove 4 miles or so. TD is not in my realm of experience, but he is a mate. Van spends too long sat around between runs up to to Wales and back...

[silverbullet]

It was the glowplugs, down to the last one. All changed in two hours. I have had more fun...