Help - Fuel Guzzling Disco!?

[Steven]

Hi 2 all,

Just would like to ask what you guys think could be wrong with our Disco guzzling fuel like theres no tomoz... we noticed it in the last 2 weeks, last couple of days getting extremely bad! We've put 3 lots of 10pound in the last three days and, we can only go roughly a mile and the fuel light comes on. The last lot we just ignored and carried on just to see if it was the dial or fuel tank sensor or what ever was going bust or faulty and, not just the vehicle drinking too much fuel for some reason. We did roughly 18 miles. Any ideas would be much appreciated... !

[lee celtic]

Is there a smell of fuel or anything ??

I had a spell of heavy fuel use and it was down to the return pipe having a split in it . Half the fuel was just evaporating off the engine block .. :doh:
I've also had a couple of the little pipes between the injectors split at the ends leaking fuel.
Works well as a degreaser :D

[mentalmoshio sophs V8i]

someone swapped the engine over night to v8 lol. okay on a more serious note any heavy smoke or poor starting maybe timing out or some along them lines. have u ckeck for fuel draining at night by cheapskates?

[Range Rover Blues]

Getting through that much has to be a leak, it wouldn't just smoke I think it might stop if it were trying to burn that much :-.

[Steven]

Theres no heavy smoke or poor starting, like you say they must be leak somewhere, I'll try and take a look at some of the places you've noted.

How do you calculate the mpg? I used to have a link but I must of got rid of it.

[stuntman]

General rule is around 4.54 litres to a gallon,

So work out how much you put in, say £30 then divide by 1.12 (as that's how much diesel is around here) then divide by 4.54
that would give approx 5.9 gallon.

So if you had done 150 miles it would be 150 divided by 5.9, which would give 25.4 ish.

Hope that helps  ;)

[Steven]

Me not knowing much about engines bear in mind, I coudn't see any sign or smell derv...
although I was greeted by this...  :-o 

[mickelson]

the picture you show is of the oil cooler pipes which are prone to leaking. the injector pump is directly above it on your photo.I would suggest you start the engine, gradually increase the revs to a high tickover by turning the knob on the accelerator cable, providing yours has an accelerator cable and isnt electronic (where it meets the fuel injection pump). then take a look at all the fuel pipes, feed and return and check for leaks. if you take your time and trace them from the fuel filter you should identify them. with the amount of fuel consumption you are referring to either it is leaking or being stolen. especially if you are not noticing any performance, starting issues. i doubt you will have a leak in the feed line if you are not having starting problems. air would get in and make starting alot more difficult, best of luck. Mick

[Range Rover Blues]

Another good one is leaks in the spill pipes, the rubber pipes that join the injectors together and return unused fuel to the tank.  They are all getting to that age where they perish and some also wear on the bonnet spoundproofing.

[Ja1983]

If your not sure if you have found a leek, dip your finger in and have a sniff, for reference, open the fuel filler and have a BREIF whiff... if these smells match, you may well have found your culprit.

favourite spots on a disco AFAIK are liftpump/filter pipe, lift pump itself, damage to the tank itself, and as mentioned before, the pipes that link between the injectors.

good luck!

[bobtailed disco]

not sure if things are the same as on tractors but i have had the lift pump fail and the sump filled up with diesel.

[Range Rover Blues]

Good point, if the diaphram goes it will do that :(.

Not good for the engine.

[lee celtic]

Had a word with a mate at work he's had a similar problem and it turned out to be a hole in the filler tube from the filler cap to the tank ,it had rusted through where the road muck had sand blasted it over years the hole was only leaking when he turned left  :D

[Range Rover Blues]

Good point, the jubilee clip on ours had rusted away to nowt :-.