van just cut out and died

[mickeyflyn]

I had the very same symptoms on my 1.8 df and it was the spring clip on the ignition amp , lose amp plug caused the intermittent cutting out and not starting.
i found it by accident fiddling with the plugs when I heard a click as clip located and then on it never happened again.

check the ignition amp plug which on mine is on the left side of engine bay looking from back to front.

Hope this helps mate.

[randiandipandi]

Hi Guys

I'm back from Cornwall (the tent and marriage survived the remnants of Hurricane Bertha). Thank you all for your comments and suggestions, I really appreciate it.

Just as I was locking up the van last week I noticed that the fuel filter in the engine bay (I know!!!! and I thought I had asked the garage to remove it when they fitted the recon...) was completely dry - no sign of fuel at all. (Fuel filter under van by tank - looks normal (fuel and no "carp"))

As I originally posted, I'm no mechanic but even I know an engine won't run without fuel. There are a couple of threads on here at the moment about fuel pumps and a failed fuel pump would seem to produce the symptoms I have?

(Assuming this turns out to be the problem, am I better off buying a direct replacement (I have seen this on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/CAMPER-TRANSPOR ... +fuel+pump" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) or buying the Facet electric pump which comes with the problem of having 8mm connections and 6mm fuel pipe? (I have seen one on ebay which does have some sort of adaptor? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301270177591? ... EBIDX%3AIT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks

[CovKid]

Filter may be full but line can still be dry, a problem I myself experienced increasingly in recent months - particularly during warmer days. There are symptoms that could indicate this scenario, the most common that it will start, run for perhaps 20-30 seconds then die and refuse to start. With the line dry (and possibly a weak/damaged/failing fuel pump), the engine only has what little fuel was left in the carb. Once that runs out, it will die. At this point, even on the starter, the pump simply can't go fast enough to pull the fuel through and all attempts to start (bar pouring a capful of fuel down carb throat) fail.

You can verify whether fuel is actually getting through by removing fuel line from carb, putting the end in a jar or similar, and getting a friend to crank the engine over. No fuel, theres your problem. Likewise if you drop a little fuel into carb throat (remove air cleaner) and it tries to start, fuel starvation is the cause.

It might be merely that the pushrod under the pump has worn shorter, or the pump diaphram (more likely) has reached the end of its life or even has a small hole in it. A hole particulartly tends to encourage air into the system and the fuel will then always run back down the fuel line to the filter. This can happen over a period of time without you realising as the pump MAY be able to catch up soon after the engine starts, but as the suction on the fuel pump grows weaker, it won't.

The best bet (if this is the case) is to fit a new pump (and check pushrod length) or even fit the cheaper Facet electric pump (use search feature as there is loads on the Facet) as this primes the line very quickly. It does however have positive pressure so all fuel lines after the pump have to be in A1 condition and tight or you'll get leaks.

The other possibility is that outlet on the tank is clogged with rust.

[a1winchester]

I would also check the fuel line itself. I had a similar problem to you while touring Scotland, and it turned out to be a pin hole somewhere in the fuel line. We replaced the whole line just to be sure, and it sorted the problem.

[Smiffo]

I thought I would post the update on my van - similar symptoms to the originator of this post...

Duff coil...
Did allow a spark, but not enough for the engine to run...

On a good note - I pick the old boy up tomorrow..!!

[randiandipandi]

Thank you again for all the advice and suggestions. New fuel pump went on today and the van is back in action (and another garage has been educated on where a fuel filter should be fitted on our vans!)

[mickeyflyn]

Hi andy I did mine today got rid of the one in the engine bay and replaced with new one piece fuel line and clips .
see you at the sands in a couple of weeks.