I bought the van July 2005, the was clock showing 134K Mls, had it serviced (new heater plugs fuel / air filter, oil etc), started using it round Nov 2005.

I have two problems that I have not found any threads on and I need help, it has let me down twice in Dec 2005 and the defects require me to "drive round them" I'd like to cure them!

No1. The van is hard to hot start, the heater plugs are not powered up, the manual says this is correct but cranking the thing for some 20 secs does not seem right to me!

No2. If I park the van "uphill" it will start, run then stop, it takes much cranking to get it started. The filter has been change to another type and all the fuel lines have been checked / changed, there appears to be air getting in somhow?

Having got the van started it runs and drives fine, I am generally VERY pleased with it, but these issues will end up in a divorce!!!

Simon

ok cant help on the uphill issue, sounds like air getting in someplace? but in a diesel not so obvious as a petrol?

when the glow plugs are not needed DO NOT PRESS on the accelerator, just turn the key. the half press as advised seems to do nothing but use up battery and starter motor?

so no orange light, keep those feet away and just ignition.

just a thought, you seem to have covered everything but getting the tank flushed! who knows what crud is in there floating about

Sounds like both faults relate to air in the fuel system to me.

I'm new to diesels but just to check :

I used to get fuel vaporization from the heat of the exhaust manifold on my old Austin until I shifted the fuel line further from it. This isn't a problem with diesels is it as the fuel is less volatile? Otherwise I'd say check the route of the fuel pipes...

I do not touch the accelerator, I have in the past, as you point out it just causes further problems.

I am now thinking of an electric pump, and modifiying the electrical system to force plug heat every start.

Thanks for thre comments so far.

Simon

Get the injection pump timing checked, we have come across this before and have found in our case the pump timing requiring a little ajustment on its vernier.

if heater plugs do not come one first time at hot start open then close drivers door then turn ign on either that or you have a dodgy temp sensor as for up hill starts fit a one way valve between filter and tank although i have worked on these beasts since they came out i haven't heard of this problem.

Hi big k,

I had not heard of the drivers door fix before, I will try it out next time I do a hot start, I assume the ECU senses this somhow, could the ECU be fooled / forced to always apply plug heat, I have spoken to an ex owner of a cube van who just unplugged the temp sensor prior to a hot start! As for the temp sensor, would that not show up on the temp gauge itself? That temp gauge seems to read OK. The uphill start problem, I have installed a one way valve by the pump / metering unit, it does help, but air still seems to get in the line between the valve and the fuel filter. The only improvement is the engine runs longer before cutting out.

Thanks for all the input from everybody, I will get to the bottom of this somehow.

mwman

That's an interesting point fordfan, the mech who serviced the van made a mention of the pump timing. The van was fine till he changed the belt / filter etc. I do not want to blame him for the problems, but it was OK for four months b4 he touched it, it was laid up till the tax ran out on my old car ran out. When he serviced the van it only had one heater plug working!!

Another mech has since looked at it, and has set it up "by the book".

mwman