DESPERATE help needed! calling all sprinter experts!

[paulospug]

Hi.

I am in bit of a pickle..... or rather a large pickle.
I have just been to get a van load of goods for work tomorrow in my sprinter which is a 311 cdi 2001.... I decided before tomorrow to do a full service on it.
Have changed the oil and filter, air filter..... and the fuel filter, but this caused me a big problem. I realised after having changed the filter that it doesn't bleed AUTOMATICALLY!
It now won't start, and have tried removing each pipe in turn and turning it over but to no avail.....
Please please, someone out there must kinow how to do it and save me from being in the biggest doghouse ever! :-(
As said before, it has 4 pipes going to the top of the filter.... hope this identifies what to do.
Please get in touch asap.
Many thanks, PAUL.

 

[dieselman]

It does bleed automatically BUT you might flatten the battery before the filter fills.

Pull off the outlet pipe and fill the filter with diesel then it should crank up after some turning over.

panic over..


EDIT:
BTW, the four pipes are;

Flow into the filter from the tank.
Flow out of the filter to the IP

Return into the filter from the IP, rail and injector leak-off
Return to the tank from the filter.

The last two ensure self bleeding.

All pipes are interconnected really but the filter paper is between the flow to the IP and all the other pipes.

 

[dava]

Remove the two torx screws from the top of the filter, turn it around to take it out, as you did to renew the filter. Using a small funnel and pipe fill the filter till it over flows, it may bubble so make sure it's full, or remove another pipe to allow it to vent. Refit all pipes, you could try starting it, but as you did not do this when replacing the filter there may be air locks, get some aero start, spray a small amount in the filter vent, drivers wing, not to much and try starting it, holding the throttle down, if it fires keep it running untill it revs freely, if it clatters you've used to much aerostart.
Hope it helps.

 

[paulospug]

All done and sorted.....
Luckily just put diesel in then sucked it through from tank through the inlet pipe....
Just wanted to say many thanks to dieselman & dava for replying and all the help.
Got me out of a lot of trouble, and the time you took to reply is greatly appreciated.
Thanks again, Paul

 

[dava]

It's nice to see you coming back to say thanks, I've lost count of how many dont bother. Anyhow, nice to be of help.
All the best

 

[cobe]

Bleeding sprinters

It would seem all sprinters are the same,I started to panick after the first service I did on my young sons 2004 311cdi:,had to ring a friend who put me right,I have since made up a no money kit of a pipe the same size as the return pipe connected to a small funnel just in case he ever runs out (you know what kids are like) and shown him how to take off the return pipe and slip on the funnel and pipe and top up the filter,hopefully it will stop the phone call of "daaaad" it won't start in the middle of the night(also a gallon of diesel straped in the back.Mike.:idea: