Long cracking periods - fueling issue?

[DannHall]

I've had a problem for a while which is when my car will not fire up straight away. This disappears when the fuel tank is full and when not full is easier to start not long after being stopped. 

 

It feels as though the lift pump may be struggling to feed the fuel or the fuel isn't keeping pressure or staying in the pipes after being stopped. 

 

I'm just guessing at this. I recently had a injector changed which I think happened as a result of this feeling issue which I've had for well over a year now as I can't find the issue. 

 

 

Please suggestions will be appreciated! 

[sepulchrave]

Have you checked your glow plugs, the fuel issue may be a red herring.

[DannHall]

2 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

Have you checked your glow plugs, the fuel issue may be a red herring.

I changed them when the issue started over a year ago and unfortunately it made no difference! 

[06vrsandy]

I had a intermittent problem with long, long cranking before starting after a few hours (usually overnight) of not using the car. hadnt noticed any correlation between amount of fuel in tank and difficulty starting. Turned out that it was the injector seals, I think it can leak fuel from them.

[DannHall]

On 08/03/2017 at 20:58, 06vrsandy said:

I had a intermittent problem with long, long cranking before starting after a few hours (usually overnight) of not using the car. hadnt noticed any correlation between amount of fuel in tank and difficulty starting. Turned out that it was the injector seals, I think it can leak fuel from them.

Thanks for your reply! Were you able to look at the seals yourself and find out if they needed replacing? Did you replace them yourself? Really would like to keep cost down and avoid a garage! 

[06vrsandy]

On 11/03/2017 at 07:42, DannHall said:

Thanks for your reply! Were you able to look at the seals yourself and find out if they needed replacing? Did you replace them yourself? Really would like to keep cost down and avoid a garage! 

No - the suggestion to change the injector seals came from a garage when I mentioned the issue, the car was then taken to a diesel engine specialist who changed them. I did not check them myself so unfortunately cannot give any information on how to check their condition.

[sepulchrave]

Since removing the injectors to check the seals as as much work as simply replacing them, you might as well just replace them.

[DannHall]

9 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

Since removing the injectors to check the seals as as much work as simply replacing them, you might as well just replace them.

I haven't removed the injectors yet. I would like to but I need to have confidence that I'm going to be doing a correct job. Don't suppose you're in a position  which may be able to help me? 

[DannHall]

9 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

Since removing the injectors to check the seals as as much work as simply replacing them, you might as well just replace them.

 

9 hours ago, 06vrsandy said:

No - the suggestion to change the injector seals came from a garage when I mentioned the issue, the car was then taken to a diesel engine specialist who changed them. I did not check them myself so unfortunately cannot give any information on how to check their condition.

OK. Thanks for the reply anyway! Hopefully I will get this solved. I've put clear fuel lines to and from the filter and the return line to the filter is full of air and this coincides with the non starting issue!