Sleeping Surf

[jeffo]

Hi Folks my first post for a while. My Gen 3 is far from dead but I can't wake it up! A couple of days ago I drove about 40 miles and stopped for diesel. pulling off the forecourt it wouldn't pull. Changed the fuel filter and no change. The AA sent a local garage man and we played for an hour. Blew back to the tank and filled the filter with Forte diesel cleaner. Still loads a smoke. We kept trying to get it off idle, pressing the priming pump and working the throttle. After a good while it picked up a bit then eventually we got it to rev properly! I drove 300 miles and parked outside my house it sounded sweet. Next morning it would crank furiously but wouldn't offer to fire. It's still out there. Put all new heater plugs in about six months ago.
Anybody got the slightest idea. Yes the tank is about a quarter full.

[jeffo]

Hi again, I should have said the whole time we couldn't get it off its rough idle it smoked a lot of blue smoke once we were off this stopped and it ran fine the whole journey. Don't know if this is a symptom of EGR valve probs. Cranking and not starting, I had that with an old Bedford once and it was the wire to the pump solenoid broken. Can't see any broken wires!

[BUSHWHACKER]

A wire wouldn't just break unless it's been messed about with.

Blue smoke is oil being burned either by worn valve guides and/or a build up of condensated oil vapour in the inlet manifold being sucked into the combustion chambers.
Pull the inlet ducting off from the turbo the intercooler and throttle body and make sure it's all clean inside, including the inside of the intercooler.

Does the primer plunger get firmer after a number of pumps?
If not then the diaphram could have split/perished and the fuel is draining back to the tank overnight.

If it doesn't get any firmer after a few pumps, then you'll need a replacement primerhead.
You could bypass the filter by joining the two fuel hoses that attach to the primer together to see if the engine starts any easier.

[jeffo]

Thanks Bushwhacker. Yes, couldn't see any broken wires. Primerpump head was a new Toyota one about march this year and it does firm up after a couple of compressions. Didn't smoke all week on holiday only after stopping for fuel when it wouldn't come off idle. Idled better when primer was pressed. Didn't notice any smoke over the 300 miles. I stopped at a service area but didn't switch off and it ran fine. It isn't running rough it won't even offer to fire.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Have you checked for any fault codes stored in the ECU?

[jeffo]

Went out to it again today and took off the intercooler and it looks dry and clean and there is power to the heater rail. I loosened a couple of injector pipes and cranked it. they remained dry. The codes. No check engine light on and I don't fancy sticking wires into the diagnostics box. I think I need a computer scientist or somebody familiar with the injection pump and sensors. Was gonna ask if there were any good men in Lancashire but I couldn't drive it to them anyway!

[MadScott]

You said no smoke for a while...

Got oil in the engine?

[Vultch]

air getting into fuel system - leaky gasget around the fuel filter ???

[jeffo]

Update on my problems. Dragged it to a diesel specialist and today they have rung today to say that the pump is getting all the right signals but simply isn't drawing in any fuel. They are gonna take off the pump and look inside. They said depending on what they find thay I may have to find another injection pump or get a reconditioned one fitted. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is something they can fix. I'll post more when I know more.

[sparkyaj]

i nkow this might sound daft - what about at the actual tank - woudnt be that the fuel pickup point has come off or anything daft? If you primed from the primer end -with filler cap in, it would still pressureise - might be pressurising with no fuel in it if you see what i mean?

another thought - if you turn it over do you get fuel to the primer automaticaly? that would tell you if its from the tank to the pump, pump to the primer.

just a few thoughts

[sparkyaj]

another thought - have you checked power on glow pugs? My first surf lost its fuse supply and must have been firing on 3 of the 4 plugs for about 6 months
eventually it just died. tended to be easier to start when cold, though chuggy.

new fuse and it started in 1/4 first turn of the key.

[jeffo]

Thanks for taking the trouble Sparkyaj. With all the signals checked to the pump and a tube of fuel put to the pump, it apparently simply would not suck it in. The other stuff you mention, all checked. A strip down tomorrow will reveal all. Keep watching.

[jeffo]

They broke their puller today trying to remove the fuel pump. Special hydraulic one coming.

[jeffo]

Pump is off, stripped and is being cleaned out of all the bio gum and varnish that choked it despite regular filters. It is recoverable and will be rebuilt when new bits arrive. I saw it this morning and even the clean bits are still very tacky as they arn't finished.