Only fires a little

[barneyrubble]

Ok everyone need a little help here. I have just bought a 86 1.6td it's been sat idle for a very long while....around 2.5 years. Is needed a bit of reassembly, re attaching the turbo oil feed pipe and the exhaust. I have fitted a new battery, new oil and tried to start it.

It fired a few times as settled to a VERY lumpy idle, and then after a few mins died. Now it will start fire a handful of times and just die. The fuel gauge shows just at the top of the amber. Not sure where to start, air in the system? Does the diesel go if? Blocked fuel filter.....

First time I have spannered a diesel in anger so a few pointers would be so appreciated, I am gutted it won't run.

Matt

[colinthefox]

Diesel fuel certainly does go off, especially now it's been improved with added bio. A litle dirt and water in the mix, and you could have bugs galore in there. Fuel also loses some of it's vapourising part too, so doesn't burn as well. If it's been standing for a couple of years, you might as well drain out the old fuel, refill with fresh, and change the fuel filter. Then if it works better, give it a good long run, and the engine should improve, if that was your problem.

I have never drained fuel from my T25, so someone else will have to advise on that.

[nevill3]

The diesel is probably old, the fuel filter may need the water draining out and also may be blocked.

I would add some fresh diesel, change the fuel filter and add a little two stroke oil oil to the diesel tank too. (There is a thread on here about the benefits of adding two stroke oil to diesels.)

[mark]

as a above change the fuel filter, but fill it with an injector cleaner before fitting. remove the air filter (and change it after you get it running). did you change the oil filter? if not change it as well. don't use easy start if you can avoid it. diesels like to be serviced.
fit the new fuel filter (filled with injector cleaner/snake oil of your choice) remove the air filter and change the oil filter and fill it with fresh oil before fitting.

mark

[California Dreamin]

Sounds like you will have to manually bleed the injectors. Basically slacken off each injector pipe nut (at the injector) in turn...run for 5 - 10 seconds and retighten...you get a similar effect to pulling off a HT lead and you know when you've found the once which isn't working.
Just keep bleeding/tightening/reving, until it goes back onto four.

Martin

[barneyrubble]

Thanks for the advice guys, I will head back over there this evening armed with injector cleaner, filter and fresh diesel. The issue I have with bleeding it is that it will not run for long enough to do so.

I did change the oil and oil filter before doing any of this

Thanks again, I'll update later!

Matt

[California Dreamin]

The issue I have with bleeding it is that it will not run for long enough to do so.

Then try to bleed whilst cranking....it's a two man job and you need plenty of battery power.
Crank in 5 - 10 second bursts closing off the nut before stopping and leave 30 seconds between cranking.

Martin

[barneyrubble]

Couldnt get a helper so was left trying by myself. New filter put on, new fuel added. Injector cleaner added.

Just wont fire, what I have noticed is that the pump does not seem to be moving any fuel, taking the union off shows fuel in the pump but the feed line seems to be staying empy, have tried bypassing the filter etc and putting it in a can but still no joy. Apart from trying to bleed again, is there anything else it could be? There is power going to the fuel relay - do they ever stick? It looks pretty tricky to remove.

One other thing, my glow plugs dont work, the light stays off and theres no power to them, the big fuse it instact and there power to the fuse, is this likely to be the big relay also in that box?

Proper gutted not the start to this project I wanted! I feel a bit lost.....my mini is easier.....Only coughed once today

[mark]

you deffo need to bleed it as above, there could be a few other things but no need to worry until you cant bleed it here's a couple of links that should be helpful

http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/GlowPlug.shtml

http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/index.shtml

mark

[California Dreamin]

And you're gonna have a hell of a job getting it started without glowplugs. Perhaps you can put power directly to the buzz bar for 8 - 10 seconds, but you need someone cranking it as soon as the power is removed.

Martin

[barneyrubble]

Have found an answer to someone elses question here with a detailed diagnoses for the glow plugs, so will crimp up a test lead and go through that. hopefully with that and a helper to bleed the system I may get somewhere...

heres hoping

[kit]

When I had problems starting after a long standup I was recommended a tow start.

[California Dreamin]

Kit.....that isn't a bad idea as half the problem is having enough battery power to crank the engine over for long periods to fill the diesel filter and bleed out the air. This sort of of strain will get the starter circuit rather hot and flatten the battery in the process hence the reason why I said short 5 - 10 second cranking bursts with time to cool down in between.
When the original poster fitted a new diesel filter they should have 'filled it to the brim' in order to minimize the amount of cranking afterwards (to fill that filter with diesel). Also to be absolutely sure that the new filter is the correct one and properly sealed (not letting in air).

But as said in a previous post...the engine just won't start 'Without' the pre-heat from the glow plugs. The Poster needs to sort out the 'relay' or at least temporarily supply a feed to those glow plugs if he's ever going to stand a chance of getting this started. (heavy cable direct from the battery to the buzz bar needed) but only leave it connected for short periods (not when the engine is running).

Then once started sort out the rough running, which I suspect is 'One cylinder' down and the fuel line needs bleeding on that cylinder.

Martin

[weldore]

I agree...drag it round the block

[CovKid]

Handbrake off ofcourse.