AEF (1.9D) engine, troubleshooting advice pls

[therealchrisgray]

Finally collected my van yesterday with its new old AEF engine. All seemed good at first, but then...

Pootling along, at any speed, I get an occasional surge of power as if some unnoticed fault had suddenly rectified. Not a big surge, I thought I was imagining it at first, but it's definitely there.

Multiple engine stops and restarts over the day with no issues at all, but after a 20 minute uphill climb I parked up and could hear an electric motor running in the engine bay which I first though might be a fan and ignored. But after 20.minutes I opened it up and - in the dark with just my phone torch - couldn't find the culprit. Started the engine again, turned it off, and was greeted with silence.

I was theorising that it has an electric fuel pump and there's a faulty sensor or switch. Does this make sense?

And it took four attempts to start this morning. Definitely not going to trust the van on a trip!

Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks

[therealchrisgray]

Same issues in daylight. Power still occasionally surging.

Pump stops normally most times but after climbing the same hill it ran for 15 mins until I disconnected the power supply to save the battery.

Seems to be part of the water system, but the engine has a mechanical water pump as well. So I'm not sure what it's there for.

Image upload keeps timing out, but it's a small cylindrical pump, water pipes going to oil filter and top hose, power in at one end.

Air temp only 15 degrees and engine temp reading normal.

[Rascal]

If you van was originaly a TD it has an auxiliary water pump that will run after engine is off much like a cooling fan that still runs after swith off.. It should be located under the engine cover at the back just right of center..
Iv marked mine there.. I have additional plumbing as i have an Oettinger intercooler or LLk (water cooled and a veg oil conversion as well as cruise control (not fitted to diesels as far as i know) also this is during an engine swap so some bits are not connected. I cant recall how its controlled but assuming temp sensor and relay.

t3 td engine wiring

If you have a turbo engine there is an auxiliary coolant pump that fires in if the engine stops and the engine is still hot (>107 deg C) and circulates coolant until the engine cools down a bit.

[therealchrisgray]

Thanks Rascal, that's the pump I I'm talking about. Is it normal for it to run for 15-20 minutes after engine stop? Not a hot day, 16 C max, and engine was a bit warm after climbing the hill, but not excessively so.

This is a newly installed engine, literally drove it for the first time 2 days ago so expecting some teething problems. Non-turbo. Van was built in 1979, so probably petrol originally? It had a 1Y fitted some time in the '90s, non-turbo, which gave up the ghost recently.

[Rascal]

So 15 mins does seem like an extended period but it could be a combination of obviously no air flow whilst parked, our engines are essential in a insulated box with no where for the heat to rise and escape to. Or potentially a miss matched temp sensor
aux pump sensor

Iv linked the correct temps ensor for the Jx at brickwerks. But obviously theres a few other factors to consider. Based on unknown original engine and wiring etc...
But as long as its working and doesn't drain the battery . It should be ok?

As with the hard starting. Id check the glow plus are getting 12vs on ignition... I just. Fitted my rebuilt jx and all was great, left it 2 Days without starting.. And simply would not start... A bit of easy start and was running like clockwork again.. Did a quick test and glow plugs were not getting power.. Quick check on the 7 pin connector... And the. 36 year old wiring. Was extremely brittle and broken.. Quick repair.. And fireed up immediately ( im going to. Remake the entire engine loom from the 7 pin plug) its why love the JX its so simple. Just 7 wires to the engine. Bay Anyway its easy to forget how important the glow plugs are on a cold start and makes a world of difference.

[Oldiebut goodie]

I thought that that pump is only required for turbo models to assist in cooling down the turbo after running. I would say that you don't need it - left over from a previous JX?

[therealchrisgray]

I thought that that pump is only required for turbo models to assist in cooling down the turbo after running. I would say that you don't need it - left over from a previous JX?

Previous 1Y, non-turbo, before that an unknown original 1979 engine. Anyway, long hill climb yesterday again but I pootled around at the top for a while before turning it off to let the engine cool and everything was fine. Temperature needle hadn't moved much, but it was definitely warmer than normal. As you say, when everything's non-standard you don't know how the gauges and sensors interact.

So it's a manageable issue right now, although I might have to worry about it again in the future when ambient temperatures are higher.

[therealchrisgray]

As with the hard starting. Id check the glow plus...

I'm at the mechanic again now and he says that there's a problem with the "calientador", Which translates as heater. I think that means glow plugs, and it does seem like the light is on for a long time before a cold start. So hopefully that problem is solved?!?!

Does anyone have any ideas about the sudden power surges? I haven't noticed any sudden drops in power, but wouldn't be surprised if it fades a bit.