heelp! Diesel stalls on M5

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gromit68

.........

So where does the snot come from? How did it reach my main filter? What can I do to prevent this happening again?

.......

---

There are several varieties of bacteria that infect virtually all diesel storages around the world (thirty years ago they were rare). You can assume that you have the infection. Normally they cause no problem, but the bacteria will breed up to give the result you found wherever the infection is present and there is diesel and water in contact and left undisturbed (faster if it is warm). The diesel treatment is intended to kill the bacteria, and also increase the solubility of water in the diesel, and is one form of defence. The other forms of defence are to always keep the tank(s) full to prevent condensation, and to use the vehicle regularly to keep the fuel moving. It also helps substantially to move inland where it is dry, and to change the filters more regularly. It might pay, if you haven't already done this, to drain the tank(s) to make sure that there is no water in the bottom.

John

its more commonly know as diesel bug.......

google it for a better understanding........

My 2a diesel isn't running right - it still stalls, even at 40-50mph.

If you wait a few mins and wind it over, it re-starts. But even a trip to the shops can mean 6 stalls on the way. My girlfriend won't even get in it now...

It's had new a new filter, new fuel, brand new fuel hose (except the return, it was a different diameter).

any ideas?

Alastair

Is the breather on the fuel tank/cap blocked ?

I'd be surprised if this was the problem (given the age of the vehicle) but easy to check by opening it (as soon as it stalls) and listening for a rushing in/out of air.

Hi Alistair,
Is this the first time that you have driven Gromit after starting this thread? If so, I think that you know the answer. You are setting up a "breeding ground".

Drive it & replace fuel more frequently!

Did we do pick-up gauze in the fuel tank last time around?

My sympathies, I've had similar problems, sometimes it takes much longer than you're sure it should.

Cheers
Simon

No, it's got a new fuel cap, so no sucking of air there.

It has been driven since the original problem. The fuel is fresh and no evidence of diesel bug in the old hoses and filter.

It's v. annoying though - I wish it would drive correctly!

It sounds like you've still got a fuel starvation problem. There's enough pump going on to get fuel to the engine if it isn't under load, but as soon as you put it under load it runs into problems.

I reckoned when I had the same symptoms was that the fuel filter cannister was getting filled with fuel this lasted however long that much fuel lasts under load, and as soon as it was empty there was a failure to proceed. Then I'd give it a couple of minutes to calm down and it would be fine for another short run.

I'd be looking at joins and lines from tank to sedimentor - if it's a rear sedimentor. Same for lines from lift pump to fuel filter and fuel filter to injection pump.

Seals in sedimenter and drain plug. Shouldn't be a problem in fuel filter since that's relatively recent.

Lift pump.

Big dent in bottom of fuel tank occluding/pushing the fuel pick up out of the fuel.

Injection pump.

Cheers
Simon