1.6 GTD STILL won't start......

[regcheeseman]

Checked the timing for the fourth time

Diesel is squirting out of injector unions - however, there was a lot of air being sucked into the pump. (low tank level)

Glow plugs are glowing well

New starter motor

New Battery

Managed to get wisps of smoke from the exhaust and a single 'chuff' in 20 minutes of cranking before the battery died.

Can anybody help?

Is it the air bubbles stopping enough pressure from building in the pump to squirt out of the injectors?

How do I do a compression test, what am I looking for? (yes I've searched the forum!)

Can I use 'any tricks' to get it started - oil on rag, easy start. Just so I can get it running and hopefully diagnose any problems.

I have a known good NA pump and injectors here as a spare... but I'd rather not have to go through the hassle of fitting them just to eliminate them from the investigation.

[regcheeseman]

The tank screen was cleaned, I have a new filter and pipes from filter to IP.

The bubble were due to the low fuel level in the tank.

I fitted a bulb primer in the feed line between filter and IP.

The bubbles seem to have disappeared in the line..but after leaving the battery on charge overnight, when I came to try it this morning I realised my battery charger was broken.  :roll:

Hopefully I can try it when I get home in a minute (fingers crossed)

[BlackTieTD]

i'd put in 10L or so of fuel just to be sure... is it new fuel in the tank or old stuff from the car sitting?

if you can see air bubbles in the line feeding the injection pump (and its not just low fuel level), try to find the cause and remedy it... even if it isn't the reason its not starting, it would be nice to cross that one off the list...

if you know the glows are working that's a good thing....unless you are 110% certain on the condition of the starter and battery....i'd try glowing the plugs a couple times and see if i could bump start it. might not be the correct solution........  :lol:

[regcheeseman]

there was about 5 litres fresh diesel in from bone dry, I added another 9 last night.

The glows were bright orange when tested prior to installation

The battery is brand new and my replacement starter motor is the later large diesel one and has been stripped and checked by me prior to painting and fitting.

A drag start may be on the cards when I bleed the brakes and fit a gear linkage!

Can I try 'easystart' or ether?

[BlackTieTD]

A drag start may be on the cards when I bleed the brakes and fit a gear linkage!

Can I try 'easystart' or ether?

personally, i'd opt for the gear linkage and bleeding the brakes before trying a starting fluid. heard varying opinions about using a starting fluid on a VW diesel and i'd rather avoid that.

[Mark(The Miser)UK]

Is it a hydraulic head? Rebuilt?... Sometimes new cam lifters are lazy.
If you need to use ether then squirt on to a rag and let her have a gentle sniff.
Set up a temp tank of diesel and decant with some flying tubes like a drip feed.

[regcheeseman]

went home, cracked the injector unions and hooked up the battery.

hooked up the wifes car on commercial jump leads.

didn't let her glow, just span her over to get any bubbles out for a while then tightened the injector unions again.

let her glow
 
and hit the button

'chuff' - not really a real 'fire' but something...

then it was every four....

chuff, - , - , - , chuff, - , - , - , chuff, - , - , - , chuff, - , - , - , chuff

20 seconds later then number two joined in....

chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff

no downpipe and black smoke filling the drive :lol:

another 20/30 secss, along came number three....

chuff, - , chuff, chuff, chuff, - , chuff, chuff, chuff, - , chuff, chuff, chuff, - , chuff, chuff, chuff, - , chuff, chuff, chuff, - , chuff, chuff, chuff, - , chuff, chuff, chuff, - , chuff, chuff, chuff, - , chuff, chuff, chuff, - , chuff, chuff, chuff

By now the engine is trying to shake itself free and it looks like a tyre fire in my yard.  :lol:

THEN.......

- , - , chuff, chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff, - , - , chuff, chuff,

down to two  

chuff, - , - , - , chuff, - , - , - , chuff, - , - , - , chuff, - , - , - , chuff

down to one  :cry:

turned her off...... :evil:



then back on and let her glow again......and crank...

chuff, - , - ,chuff , chuff, - , - , chuff , chuff, - , chuff , chuff , chuff, - , chuff , chuff , chuff , chuff , ROAR! whine ROAR! whine ROAR! whine

Huge mushroom soot cloud goes up and blows straight in through both my neighbours open upstairs bedroom windows.  :lol:

She settles down to a perfect idle and runs a bit sooty (no boost)

So,

I'm not sure what was wrong... could the injectors have been seized shut?

Anyway, she runs and restarts easy. Am I happy!

[BlackTieTD]

:shock:   glad it worked out!

[Mark(The Miser)UK]

Nice song Reg

You must be  :lol: 'chuffed' :lol:

The symptoms are like my first diesel. The only thing I could put it down to was the cam followers that I had changed. I even had the diesel truck expert across the road checking through and jump starting. Once it lurched into idle after a day of trying it was fine. You get to the point where you doubt your own mechanical skills.
 Never gave a problem again.

[LeeG]

Is it the air bubbles stopping enough pressure from building in the pump to squirt out of the injectors?  

Thats my bet, enough air in the high pressure lines that the injectors were not seeing enough pressure to open, and since they never opened, never blew the air out.