Fuel Filter changed, air leak?

[Teshu]

Hi

I've just changed my oil and filter, air and fuel filter - for the first time. All went well, however when starting up I have to crank the engine quite a bit. Now I've had this before as I think I have a bad injector, there seams to be fuel leaking out from the injector at the front of the engine (or at least from where the fuel line meats the engine at the top of the nut). My garage said they think the injector isn't working very well and probably has a bad spray pattern, and could be forcing unburnt fuel into the oil and I guess back out through the top of the injector? Once started and juddered a tad, run for 20 seconds it's fine, smoke from start clears and drives fine.

But it seams like the problem got worse with the change, when I try and pump the filter it dosen't seam to work, I now know (after a search) that the primer not working is common. So it started, when I cranked it over first time I wasn't bothered as I figured this would fill the filter and then be Ok. But it's the same today.

My filter should be full now after a drive? so it's probably an air leak and could well be from the injector so I need them sorting asap?

Does it sound like I'm on the right track?

Thanks
Alex

[tonupteabag]

is it leaking any diesel on the left side front at all or has the fuel economy dropped????

[wishbone]

I'd start by replacing the filter head with another from a breaker. Then I'd clean all the diesel off the head using gunk and a jetwasher. Then I'd remove no.1 injector pipe and re-seat. It could also be the leak off pipe leaking. (had that on my 3.0)

Doubt it's the injector itself.

Cheers,
Rob.

[Teshu]

There's no leak from the left hand side of the engine, and fuel economy hasn't changed noticably.

I've wanted to clean the engine but am worried about killing any electrics by using a jet washer - what should I look out for? any particular gunk?

May have a go at re-seating the injector pipe it seams to leak round the top of the nut were it meats the pipe but it seams to be a metal to metal fitting, is there an o-ring missing or perished do you think?

Thanks

[wishbone]

Gunk is a brand name for engine degreaser. Any degreaser designed for cars will do. There are no o rings in the pipe to injector connection, just metal to metal.

When jet washing just make sure not to go too close if you're using a powerful jetwash and try not to spray electrical connectors dead on, although I've never had any problems on my truck and have washed the engine at least 10 times.

Rob.