Air in Diesel fuel system -Advice / help please!

Air in Diesel fuel system -Advice / help please!

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LDV_Convoy

Original Poster:

8 posts

65 months

Monday 12th November 2018
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Hi I have a 2002 Ford 2.4 Duraqtorq engine which is basically the transit engine fitted in my LDV Convoy Camper Van and am having problems with air in the fuel system, due to a faulty fuel gauge I ran her dry of diesel and since then have been having starting problems.
Added some fuel and changed the fuel filter. Primed the filter via the bleed valve and hand pump with the help of a clear tube and jar.
With a squirt of easy start she starts and runs for about 10mins then cuts out and wont re-start.
left overnight and re-attached tube to fuel filter bleed valve and after what seemed like a couple of hundred depressions of the hand pump of air bubbles cease again with easy start she starts and ran for approx 10 mins switched off and restarted ok but again after a few more mins just cuts out. Not sure what to try next any help or ideas?
I did wonder if there could be an air leak in the fuel lines but no sign of diesel leaks and would it run ok for 10 mins

LDV_Convoy

Original Poster:

8 posts

65 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Hi thanks for everyone's input.
As I mentioned the fuel gauge is reading incorrectly is this likely to be linked in any way as to why the engine cuts out and the fuel is draining away from the manual pump assembly after 10 mins running?

I'm going to refit the fuel filter and crack the injectors if I get it running to see if this cures the air in the system

LDV_Convoy

Original Poster:

8 posts

65 months

Thursday 15th November 2018
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Hi I refitted the filter which is a Bosch element still refusing to start.
So popped into local Diesel specialist garage, they couldn't provide a mobile service but provided some advice as follows :
To pinpoint the fault they advised bypass the fuel filter assembly and the fuel lines to the WEBASTO heater so I bought 4mts of 8mm clear poly tube and connected the fuel line from the fuel tank direct to the fuel pump inlet, keeping the return pipework and blanking feed pipes on filter assembly.
It still struggled to start as large air bubble (18") could be seen in the clear temp 8mm fuel line.
Cracked injectors one at a time whilst friend cranked the engine and it eventually fired into life.
The strange thing is once running the whole length of clear pipe 3" air bubbles can be seen every 12" moving quickly along the line this was continuous for the 45mins I let it run for. The engine ticked over on spec @ 800 rpm despite this vast amount of air going into the fuel pump.
I dont understand how the engine can deal with this large amount of air but it restarts ok .

So now I have to switch back to the existing fuel lines and fuel filter assembly and see if it starts and runs ok..
I know normally fuel lines are not transparent so you wouldn't see any air bubbles but is this normal.. has anyone seen this or can understand why i have air coming from the fuel tank?

LDV_Convoy

Original Poster:

8 posts

65 months

Saturday 17th November 2018
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Thanks for all your input shes back up and running, must have just been dirt in the fuel pump or some sort of air lock in the fuel pump smile