Club 80-90 Forums

Ok, I have a problem with my van, but it could possibly be several linked, or unrelated problems, but for a biker who has only recently moved into the world of 4 wheels, it's causing me some headaches

My van is a 1981 1600cc normally aspirated diesel, RHD.

Yesterday we took her on a 100-mile round trip from Cardiff to the Forest of Dean and back with no problems. This morning when i tried to start her, she would motor but not fire. At the same time smoke (not thick smoke, but enough to notice) was seen to rise from the grill at the front of the van, in the region of the driver's side headlight. This morning she has often sounded as though she is about to fire whilst she's motoring, but never quite manages to.

I have removed the front grill and examined the area from where the smoke (which had the smell of smoke from something electrical) was seen to come, and can see nothing untoward. I have pulled out the panels under the dash inside the van where there is a lot of working, and again, can see nothing to indicate a shortcircuit or bad earth, etc. The smell from the smoke was also predominantly outside the van, not inside.

I have checked the battery voltage and it is 12.64v. I have noticed in the last couple of weeks that the glow plug light on the dash is taking a lot longer to extinguish than it used to, but i put this down to the glow plugs needing replacing. And can i take the fuel pipe off that leads to the injectors to ensure that diesel is being pumped into them as the engine motors (as i would on one of my motorcycles to check the fuel pump), or is that likely to lead to me needing to bleed the diesel system after creating an airlock when i put the pipe back on?

So, my questions are - is there something in the region of the driver's side headlight (but not the headlight and associated wiring, i've checked that) that could smoke and cause the engine to motor but not fire, or am i looking at two seperate faults?

Help!!

Psychonaut

Ok - still not starting, but a quick update. I replaced the driver's side headlight about 3 weeks ago, but have just removed it again to double check the wiring behind it, just in case i missed something this morning. Turning the ignition on with that light removed, and the glowplugs warmed up a whole load quicker than they did with that headlight unit in place. This would seem to sugest that when the ignition is on, that lamp unit is drawing current for some reason (which would tie in with the smoke i saw this morning, althoyugh there hasn't been a problem with it before today) - weird or what?

I'm now starting to suspect the fuel pump....

Greg i think the main resistor or something electricy is just behind to the left of the drivers side head lamp bolted to the body work. Sorry not much help! Someone with vastly more knowledge will be along shortly to help i'm sure.

is it turning over at normal speed greg?

Thanks Pepps, and yes Wellie, she's turning over at pretyy much normal speed. Just to be sure, i'm gonna go and give her a bump start now off the Zafira, which has a battery that would power a nuclear submarine for a full underwater tour of duty

ok mate...let us know

Ok, the engine is definately turning, there's definately plenty of fuel being pushed through, the battery voltage is 12.68v, and even jumped by bthe Zafira, she still wont start.... She is pushing all sorts of black smoke out of the zorst though, but i'm putting this down to the fact she's a diesel

Anyone got any ideas?

at the back left of the engine bay theres a black box..pull the cover off..carefully coz you can snap the tabs off at the bottom (it opens from the bottom and hinges at the top )and look for a fuseable link held in place by 2 screws and see if this is ok first

Thanks Wellie - got it, mine doesn't have a cover on, so someone hasn't been careful in the past But the fuse wire between the two terminals is good...

have you got a multimeter?

doh!!! you must have as you checked the battery ,dint you
ok see if you are getting a 12 volt feed to the glow plugs....on the conection that goes onto the rail

Thanks dood - 12.19v on the busbar between the glowplugs....

well its unlikely but possible that all the glow plugs have burnt out...might have been starting up for a while on the strength of one working..so to see if all are ferked test the continuity from the rail to the engine..dunno what the resistance should be but as long as you get resistance at least one is working ,put the negetive on the battery neg to get a good contact and the pos on the rail with the conector removed..then check the pipe from the filter to the pump for splits that may draw air into the pump too

I know this is totally selfish of me Greg but am i still ok to bid on those tyres? The auction ends in a couple of hours. Sorry mate a bit rude!!! in your time of need.

Pepperami wrote:I know this is totally selfish of me Greg but am i still ok to bid on those tyres? The auction ends in a couple of hours. Sorry mate a bit rude!!! in your time of need.

Absolutely Pepps!! If the van fails i'll nick Gin's Zafira to pick them up

Yer a dood