Help Me Help Me Help Me........

[Sprint'n'Go]

Hi Guys

I need urgent help.

I talked my dad into bringing his sprinter based camper van to me for a full service as it is well out of warranty and I could do a proper thorough job without him being ripped off.

Did the oil change and air filters no probs, started it and ran for a few minutes ok.

Next I did the dreaded fuel filter. I have done this on my own van a few times and while I always worry about the cranking period before it starts it gets there in the end. Once I had changed this filter I started the van and it fired up for a few seconds then died (ok so far) then came the cranking session............and on...............and on........until the battery started to tire.
At this point I got my dad out of the house and told him to check I wasn't trying to start it while the alarm was set or something equally stupid but he pressed all the buttons and agreed that the alarm was not set.

Ok I said perhaps your battery was not tip-top, I'll swap it with the one off my van.

Now the second battery is starting to lose it's edge and it's become pretty obvious I am flogging a dead horse.

What can I do. It's a 2002 316CDI (270CDI) with an aftermarket alarm and silly split charge system that keeps buzzing until it's started(it was doing this before) and there are solar panels on the roof that are supposed to maintain the batteries when parked up. All the wiring looks like a birds nest so I don't know where to start to seperate the split charge or the alarm system. I suspect the alarm is misbehaving but why and why after I did the fuel filter?

HELP ME PLEASE, he is supposed to go back to South Wales on Monday morning.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

You've very likely got air in the system, a leak. Take the filter off and check you haven't missed any o-rings.

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

You've very likely got air in the system, a leak. Take the filter off and check you haven't missed any o-rings.

Cheers Parrot,

Thats pretty much what I had planned.

Tomorrow, once the battery has had a good overnight charge, I will remove the filter and check all the connections and try filling it with diesel. Also, my auto-electrician/mechanic brother-in-law suggested eazi-start (He had been watching the football so was a bit 'merry') so I will spray a bit of that into the inlet manifold for good measure.

I dont think there are any O rings to lose but I will check. At least it isn't my van

 

[Uncle Benz]

Please don't use 'easy start'. Seriously not good for ur engine. The clatter it makes gives a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Fill the filter up as much as you can. As you are aware, these are v v difficult to start if you get air in them. Good luck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[davebox]

Just a quick note on this one. Easy start should only be used by people that have good knowledge about the stuff. Many people have used its and ended up with a shed load of starting issues.

I would do as UncleBenz, fill that filter and keep on trying. Are you parked on the flat, facing downhill may help force the deisel through. My Astra has a leaky injector seal. Park it downhill, no problem starting at all.
Hope you get it sorted.
DB

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

Just a quick note on this one. Easy start should only be used by people that have good knowledge about the stuff. Many people have used its and ended up with a shed load of starting issues.

Thanks for that, I have never used easy start as I have never had to with any of my diesels. I think I will steer clear of it.

 

[bibamus]

Do you have a priming pump on the filter? I had a similar problem on a Mitsubishi, It had a priming pump on the filter housing and took about ten minutes of pumping before it would start. Other than that, the only thing I can think of is to disconnect the fuel line after the filter and before the engine and try and get the fuel through that way.

Allan

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

News Flash

Phew!

filled filter with diesel then tried again....................Hooray it started within about 5-10 seconds. Easy. I haven't needed to do this before but would definitely recommend it for in future, it saves a good 30 seconds of cranking and in this case it wouldn't start at all.

Thank for all the advice.

 

[PINBALL]

Aaahhhh,
Memories of my old Ford Thames Trader, 10 ton box wagon!

We used to use (30 odd years ago now) Easy Start on those engines to get them going quicker on freezing cold mornings, can almost smell the wonderfull wiff from the fumes out of those aerosole cans.

Easy Start does what it say's, BUT BEWARE this stuff dries out the bores & puts excessive wear on the engine making for looser pistons etc.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Any spilled diesel around the filter will take ages to dry out, so don't be too concerned if after a week you notice diesel around the filter.

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

Any spilled diesel around the filter will take ages to dry out, so don't be too concerned if after a week you notice diesel around the filter.

Spill it!!! are you kidding, it costs nearly £1 a litre nowadays