trying to work out why my engine is chugging...

[Quirky Merc]

Hi...

I have a diesel engine, 1993,308d van bought several months ago.

Have had a problem for several weeks now...ever since my cam belt snapped.

This chugging started just before I realised my cam belt had gone....thats the reason took it to my mechanic, so I thought it would be fine with a new belt on, but its still doing the same thing.

It doesnt lose power when it does it....still ticking over at the same speed. Its making the engine reallly judder ...sounding
somewhat like a tractor ( which is quite embarrasing )

Thing is, it doesnt do it all the time....if it did, someone would have an easier job of working out what it is. I can run around locally and it wont ever do it, but as soon as I get on a longer run it starts. I dont notice it when I'm driving so much, but when I stop at lights etc, after a couple of seconds it really starts to kick in. But then it wont always do it all the time, so its puzzling.

A couple of suggestions of " maybes " to me have been fuel pump , timing belt, dirt in the fuel system. But mention one of these suggestions to a different mechanic and they say " nah...it wont be that " !

I cant really afford to investigate all of these suggestions, and I feel like a ticking bomb waiting for this " whatever " it is problem to evolve and finally explode.

This van always has had a slight timing problem since I got it. My mechanic has tried to work it out while he's been working on it, but draws a blank and cant work it out. It runs fine without noticing a timing problem. Occasionally it will judder like a cold engine when you first start it...then be fine after a few minutes when its warm.

I tried some of that cleaning fluid you put in your fuel and that seemed to really improve the juddering in the morning.

I recently changed the fuel filter and fuel pre filter . Looking at the pre filter though ( after only changing it 4 weeks ago ) it looks a bit mucky. So a friend of mine is going to help me drain the fuel tank and see if theres any muck in it.

And thats the story so far....

Any clues or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I really want to get this solved.

Cheers ...

Jaki

 

[television]

Hi Jaki lets hope that someone who knows diesels comes on and offers some idea,s

 

[Quirky Merc]

Hi Jaki lets hope that someone who knows diesels comes on and offers some idea,s

Hope so ! ....thanks Malcom

 

[beemerjay]

Eh Dude??? What engines in there??

If it's either the OM 601 or OM 602 engines as it's listed on my autodata cd both are timing chain engines?? So is someone tryin to pull the wool over your eyes??

Chugging could be due to the cold start mechanism not working if you apply gentle pressure to the throttle and increase the revs a bit, does the chugging go away???

Change the Fuel filler cap maybe the bugger is blocked and not venting air to the tank so causing a vacuum

 

[240D 3.0VNTi]

If the timing chain failed then you my have mechanical damage inside the engine. Something like a bent valve or cracked piston.

 

[Quirky Merc]

Eh Dude??? What engines in there??

If it's either the OM 601 or OM 602 engines as it's listed on my autodata cd both are timing chain engines?? So is someone tryin to pull the wool over your eyes??

Chugging could be due to the cold start mechanism not working if you apply gentle pressure to the throttle and increase the revs a bit, does the chugging go away???

Change the Fuel filler cap maybe the bugger is blocked and not venting air to the tank so causing a vacuum

Sorry...yeh, it does have a timing chain...thats what I meant but worded it wrong. It is indeed a 601 engine.

The chugging doesnt go away fully if you put pressue on the throttle, but it can help. I shall definitely get my friend who is helping me, to check the fuel filler cap as you suggested ...he seems to think its a blockage somewhere too. He's thinking one of the the pistons may have a bit of muck in it, or one of the pipes leading to it and thats why the problem comes and goes ?

Thanks very much for your suggestion