HELP,having problem with fuel lines 320cdi

[stivesvelo]

I've been replacing a fuel line having made a temporary repair just over a week ago & am struggling to fix the lower run which is hidden from view below the fuel pump. This is a result of having cracked it whilst changing the thermostat which was going to be an hour of two of work & quicker than taking it into the garage!

This is not as straighforward as it might look as everything is squeezed in very tightly & it's proving to be a real struggle, I wish I'd never started & just taken it to the dealer.

Having no manual & using the Russian exploded views I'm sort of working in the dark as I can't see what's below.

I'll try to attach some photos showing the problem, hopefully someone will have some ideas. The main problem is access & I'm wondering if the radiator swivels forward to give access to belts etc for maintainance (as my transporter van did), or do I need to carry out some major dismantling??

 

[BlackC55]

undo the slam panel and pull the rad forward a bit.

It is an awkward job but do-able.

 

[stivesvelo]

Thanks Black,

I may just have done it with the help of a small mirror taped to the end of some thin brazing rod & an inspection lamp (as the bulb in the lamp had gone I had decided to use a torch & managed to drop it, that's now glowing away on the undertray, so I still had to go in & get a bulb anyway!)

I found out that the fuel pipes run through another set of u shaped guides which are well hidden & awkward to locate the pipes into. What I ended up doing was to fit the pipes into the clamp shown in the photo & hold it shut with a third hand in the form of a piece of scrap wood lightly wedged between the clamp cover & the rubber drive belt to stop it springing open, then fitted the pipes into the next set of guides before inserting & clamping the end fittings into the pump, which pretty much forces them into the guides. After this I fitted the more easily accessible fittings into the upper fittings, just got to refit hoses, re-connect piping from air filter to turbo, plus any sensors. I might just wait till daylight to check I haven't missed anything before starting it up, but on the other hand, I may just have to go and see tonight. I am guessing this will self bleed?? One worry is that the clamp springs open with engine vibration.

If you have to do this, I would recommend that you start off by clipping the pipes into the clamp & clips underneath BEFORE fitting the ends into place & do all of the difficult or inaccessible stuff first as there is little leeway for fiddling pipes into the clamps, you may also need to undo the short delivery pipe to the common rail as this does get in the way.

My hands are small & I suspect that anyone with big uns would do a lot more swearing.
Just got my fingers crossed that all is ok.

Rob

 

[Xtractorfan]

One thing to check, that lower pipe runs very close to the drive belt and from certain viewing angles looks too close so put a cable tie on it to hold it back another few mil..
and glad u got it sorted it should bleed fairly quickly

 

[stivesvelo]

Good idea, the pipes are set back from the belt now that I've got them into the guides, but with the possibility of a dodgy clip I'll see what I can find to tie to.

 

[colechelle]

i would replace the two pipe clips, only pennys and nearly always break once removed!!! most dealers keep them in stock!!

 

[stivesvelo]

colechelle

so would I, trouble is I can't see them to change them without a major dismantling job
:-(

 

[colechelle]

before fitting the new fuel lines and using a mirror you can see then, i just break them by putting a screw driver on them and a good hit, new ones pop stright in, if you dont the bottom one can pop out and your poly v belt has a good munch on the new line, then you have to start over again, ive done many road side, its not that hard and you know its done right!!!