Is it safe to drive with a leaky injector pump?

[Diesel_Zuk]

So, I bought a 91 ecodiesel in Colorado. I had a buddy pay for it, and I planned on picking it up myself, and towing it back. The previous owner said it does not run, and a mechanic told her the injector pump is leaking, and needs rebuilt. I can reseal the pump myself, no problems. I have a suspicion that the reason it will not run is due to the fact that the seals are probably bad, therefore it cannot pull enough suction to pull fuel to the pump. My buddies eco has the same problem, but only after sitting for a few days. His takes about 30 seconds of cranking and suction before it fires, but once it does, it runs fine. I am wondering, is it okay to drive with a leaky pump? I planned on just using a mity vac to draw the fuel up to the pump, and then hooking it back up, and hopefully starting it. So.....is it safe? Will it harm the motor any besides leaking diesel on itself?

[TylerDurden]

I can imagine three scenarios:

1) There is leaking on the suction side, which can prevent starting and running.
2) There is leaking on the pressure side, which can prevent starting and leak fuel all over the motor.
3) The leak is BS and there is another problem


#1 might be resolved temporarily with a new filter and/or bottle feeding... seal replacement later. Prime to start.

#2 can be run after priming, watch out for fuel on belts & hoses, reaching hot exhaust parts (not likely, but not impossible.).

#3 ...

[burn_your_money]

The diesel will eat the coolant hoses and they will blow eventually, but short term you should be fine to run with a leaky pump.

[Diesel_Zuk]

She told me she continued to drive it with a leaking pump until she went out after a couple days and it wouldn't start.

[745 turbogreasel]

I've head the head o-ring  leak a cup a minute which would cut into your range  pretty significantly.
but it might just be a prime and go thing.
Biodiesel might swell the seals enough to  limp it home.

[Diesel_Zuk]

I've head the head o-ring  leak a cup a minute which would cut into your range  pretty significantly.
but it might just be a prime and go thing.
Biodiesel might swell the seals enough to  limp it home.

I wouldn't be driving it home. I just wanted to drive it around town as soon as I get it home until I can take the pump off and do a full reseal myself.

[damac]

ive driven a few home in this condition from old owners

the pump head leak can be nasty for sure with a constant drip.

not sure what you sure trying to do but if i were trying to limp one home an electric pump can be a lifesaver.

unless its crazy leaks atleast you could feed pump mostly fuel

[ORCoaster]

I drove my Rabbit home from the PO.  Dribbling all the way.  It was coming out the pressurized pump and dripping pretty good for the 100 miles.  First job was to reseal it and to do that took it off line for months.  Having never worked on one I experienced the massive fallout of the internals as I had the pump horizontal in the vise. 

Lived and learned. 

[Dakotakid]

The above replies are all well and good.

Myself, I would be pulling the cam belt cover and seeing where the damned belt is tracking. If her "mechanic" was running the belt too tight the problem can be larger than having to smell "icky" diesel fuel fumes. Who knows....the belt might be half-way eaten through by now. That leaking pump might become a ripped engine within a few blocks.

Think beyond the obvious.

[Diesel_Zuk]

Yes I have already thought about that plenty. The previous owner before her is a member on this forum. He did the timing belt several thousand miles before she bought it, and allegedly she hasn't done anything to it except take it to a mechanic several months ago, who told her it was leaking.

[Dakotakid]

X-Files said it best:  "Trust no one."
And, come to think of it....Scully was sort of fun to watch bounce around! I'm all in..............

[iamdieselnutmechanic]

I would plan to replace the timing belt, tensioner, water-pump and the coolant hoses under the pump when you have the pump off. The best and easiest time to do it is when you have the pump off.

Depending on where the leak is, if it still runs I wouldn't have any issues running one of my own around town for a few days..