Doesn't start!

[DroveRunner]

Just had a mate tow in his 2.4 Surf for me to look at in the morning as it suddenly wouldn't start.

Turns over fine, 3/4 tank of fuel, nothing obvious under the bonnet, sounds to be spinning normally.

It was fine when he parked it in the drive yesterday but today nothing.

Obviously will check glowplug supply (plugs new) and diesel pump solenoid first.

After that what next...any similar experiences that turned out to be something really easy (please!).

David

[kitesurf_phil]

did you try pressing the button on top of the diesel pump until it was hard (ooer)? Apart from that I wouldn't know. It could be an air lock in the fuel system.

[JimL]

I'm thinkin fuel filter, glow plug fuse or diesel leak

[kitesurf_phil]

I'm thinkin fuel filter, glow plug fuse or diesel leak

Does the failure of the glowplug fuse shut off the fuel solenoid as well? Diesels will start without the glow plugs but will be as rough as hell until they warm up.

Methinks I have a dodgy glow plug because mine is running a little rough for the first couple of minutes from a cold start. Like it's running on three and a half!

[DroveRunner]

Thanks guys, where is the glowplug fuse please?

David

[kitesurf_phil]

Thanks guys, where is the glowplug fuse please?

David

It'll be under the bonnet on the drivers side. It will be marked up. Your other (main) fuses are by your right leg as you sit in the truck. Mr Toyota has hidden a few others, just to confuse

[NiftyNev]

Obviously will check glowplug supply (plugs new) and diesel pump solenoid first.

David

If it's a 2LT then it will have a fuel cut solenoid which can be checked but if it's a 2LT-E then it will have a spill control valve which should not be connected to battery voltage as there is a risk of frying the ECU.

Neville

[DroveRunner]

Guys,

This is a really good demo of how sometimes we are taking a risk fiddling with these imports due to the lack of proper workshop manuals and info.

Yes it is a TE engine Neville, thanks for your warning. I didn't see it until I'd fiddled but I work on other make modern cars so am really wary of stuff with ECUs and tread carefully.

As Neville says this type doesn't have a simple diesel solenoid but some sort of variable valve controlled by a varying voltage from the ECU.

The only safe way to see what is happening is to put a digital multimeter (made for use with ECU systems, most are now) across the grey plug to the spill valve and observe the voltages.

What happened with me was that I tested the glowplugs to proved they worked, checked every fuse in the vehicle, checked there was diesel to the filter/pump inlet, charged the battery fully and checked the timing belt hadn't snapped. Also tested the fault codes...not a clue anywhere and it still didn't go!

So I took off the air cleaner to see the diesel pump "solenoid" as I thought it was. Puzzled with the ign on that there was no voltage across its terminals and also that it looked different to any normal solenoid I'd seen. Thoughts of the ECU crossed my mind but looking hard I convinced myself that when unplugged from the wiring loom I could risk applying 12V to the solenoid (spill valve as we now know) with blowing that valve the only risk rather than ECU damage.

So I applied 12V to the spill valve and heard a clunk as you would expect from a normal stop solenoid. Thought I'd try and start the thing like this and it went first turn! But it chugged and smoked plus over the seconds the revs rose from idle like a diesel running away and I turned off when they reached 2000rpm.

At that point I realised this was probably some sort of variable valve and was causing overfuelling with permanent 12V.

Then I plugged it back in as normal and thought I'd see if it would start....it did and ran normally!!

I have no idea if this was a case of poor contacts or that the spill valve was stuck and kicked free by applying 12V. Frankly I hate something that works without knowing why.

Anyway for the benefit of all I thought I would test the true voltage at the spill valve plug with it all working correctly.

Ign off 0v. Ign on still 0v (!). Cranking speed then voltage jumps to around 3v as engine starts. When you rev the engine to 2500-3000 the voltage falls to just under 2v.

Hope that helps someone in the future who searches on non-starting!!!

David

[kitesurf_phil]

Nice feedback David. Good to hear that it is OK now. I know what you mean. Was the fault intermittant or did you clean the connections while localising the fault? I used to put those sort as, "cleared whilst localising," on my radio fault reports but the clients cottoned on that it meant, "don't know how I fixed it but I did!"

[DroveRunner]

No it wasn't intermittant Phil....never been a problem to fire up since the starter contacts were replaced some months ago. The suddenly yesterday it didn't start. Never even coughed once in all my attemps since... flattening two batteries in the process. Then after applying 12V to the spill valve and reconnecting it just went as normal. Have started it about 20 times since and it is fine.

Very frustrating as it is probably 50/50 to happen again at a crucial time.

David