Thread: 300TDI coughing

Any crap should have been caught by the filter, so replace the filter first.


With the rear sedimenter, undo the bolt a the top centre and pull the canister out for a good clean.




The turbo outlet rubber elbow hose is a primary suspect as well, delaminating on the inside.

remove the fuel filter, remove the supply line from the pump, remove the drain bung from the sedimentor let that drain then blow some compressed air back towards the tank down the line.

catch the fuel, if its got anything jelly like in it at this point put the bung back in, remove the tank cap and blow the lines back again.

if you found a jelly like substance, congratulations youve got diesel snot.

Diesel Snot, Here it is IN person.

Thanks Dave, Friday night I cleaned out the rear water trap, a bit of rust sludge around the centre bolt but no jelly. She ran fine this morning towed the float and but after a 40k round trip she started to break down again. Luckily I was just about home so I drained out the sediment bowl again, notice the lift pump was weeping so swapped them back over and bled the system. Just did another 50km and snuck over and pinched my dads filter and a ok.
Since we have to go over the gateway tomorrow I will go down to the sheds and blow it out like you suggested. On benifet of living on a acreage 9pm andi won't bother the neighbours

Thanks Dave, Friday night I cleaned out the rear water trap, a bit of rust sludge around the centre bolt but no jelly. She ran fine this morning towed the float and but after a 40k round trip she started to break down again. Luckily I was just about home so I drained out the sediment bowl again, notice the lift pump was weeping so swapped them back over and bled the system. Just did another 50km and snuck over and pinched my dads filter and a ok.
Since we have to go over the gateway tomorrow I will go down to the sheds and blow it out like you suggested. On benifet of living on a acreage 9pm andi won't bother the neighbours

Sorry for the double post.
Well back from the shed 40min later and I don't think I have snot more like black lung! At first I thought I didn't clean the buck out there was too much black crud to have missed. I removed the line from the sediment trap and blew it back to the engine bay to be sure.
So I suppose the filter and lift pump became blocked enough to starve the motor and it will keep occuring until all the crud is out of the tank. With 3/4 tank it is a few dollars to loose. How do you drain the tank and clean it anyway?

I'm not suggesting this following method. This method worked for me in a diesel 60-series cruiser. I had the time to spare to drive around and I am too lazy to drop the tank. Furthermore I know this is not at all accepted in industry and when we get clad on navy vessel we clean the whole fuel system, then dose, dose, dose!
1. Blow out fuel line from filter to sedimenter. I used an air compressor that was installed for diff locks.
2. Replace fuel filter.
3. Add 100:1 diesel:50/50 petrol/tolelene to tank and double dose http://www.fueldoctors.com/ to fuel tank then top up tank with premium diesel.
4. Drive for a while (1hr plus) then replace filter & blow out the fuel line.
5. Top up tank and dose with fuel doctor again.
6. Repeat steps four and five until fuel blown out of fuel line is pristine. I would suggest at least twice more.
So by this stage a few things should have happened;
- clad will be copping a hiding from the chemicals in fuel doctor,
- water and tolelene will have heated up (from return fuel) and started to absorb water if present (diesel and petrol are soluble AND petrol and water are soluble BUT diesel and petrol and water aren't). Then they will either; carry it to the sedimenter or to the injectors. Sounds bad but I'm talking about milliliter a not liters,
- with the constant driving and filter changes and additives the lines will be getting a clean 👍

I'm not recommending nor suggesting this because its not good for any of the fuel system but it works. I did it because I was young, lazy and had not mechanical sympathy.

But I would do it again to a mechanically injected diesel not a Common rail.

Prevention is better than cure and I always dose my tanks and I drive high kilometers.