Hello

Earlier today I had a go at draining the fuel filter in my 1999 Felicia 1.9D as described in the Haynes guide, but now the car won't start. It turns over but never fires.

I've tried filling the fuel filter as suggested in similar threads on here, then cranking the engine for a bit, but nothing so far.

Just wondered if anyone could suggest anything else, should i just keep cranking till it fires or this there a less abusive method??

Thanks

Will

They do take a lot of cranking to get the fuel through. When we change the filters at work we usually suck the fuel through using a vacuum pump.

I had a similar problem on my 2000 1.9D. Now, when I change the filter, I fit it into the holder and before connecting the fuel pipes, fill it through the inlet (tank) side with a short flexible pipe and a plastic funnel. Do it slowly and put in about a pint of clean diesel. Then connect the fuel pipes. It still takes a bit of cranking, but she normally fires up fairly quickly. You need to keep a foot hovering on the throttle peddle, when it tries to start, in order to 'catch' the engine as it tends to splutter and race a bit until the air bubbles clear.

Have you bled it via the bleed screw on the pump housing?

I usually crack a couple of injector pipe nuts to help clear the air out whilst someone cranks it over.

I've tried cranking it over for a while a couple of times, but as of yet nothing. I just tried loosening the bleed screw at the end of the fuel line form the filter to the engine but nothing came out. Which are the injector pipe nuts?

I changed the fuel filter last year and had no problems what so ever, filled it back up and it started almost straight away.

When I emptied it this time the cap at the bottom fell of and about 100ml of fuel came out, then i tried to start it after that, would this have made it worse?

Not really sure what to do now, don't fancy paying a garage a small fortune to collect the car for what sounds like a pretty small problem

Thanks for the advice

Will

Make sure the filter is completely full of diesel before you crank the engine over.

The injector pipe nuts are the ones on top of the fuel injectors. They're on the 4 metal pipes which run from the fuel pump to the injectors and are quite easy to get at. Slacken them off slightly (maybe quarter of a turn) and then crank the engine over.

NB. A word of caution: be careful not to get too close to the injectors when when you've slackened the nuts and are cranking. The diesel is under great hydraulic pressure, hence the metal pipes. Fuel can squirt out. You can get a hydraulic cut and an injection of diesel under the skin if you're not careful.

Hope this helps.

I'd like to thank everyone for their advice, finally got it to fire.

In the end I filled the filter until it was overflowing cracked the injector pipe nuts and just kept cranking.

Definitely won't be doing that again in a hurray.

Thanks again

Will