300 tdi engine problems

[Matt H]

My 98 300tdi is playing up again. This time it has a massive and sudden loss of power, hardly any revs at all. Grinds to a stop then stalls. It does n't cough or sputter like its fuel exhaustion. Normally it will restart straight away. But recently it takes several attempts for restarting. Any ideas where I should be starting?

[bertie_bas205]

I sounds like a fuel problem to me. I'd run a fuel supply/return to the lift pump just to rule out your fuel system. Or make sure there is a constant feed (12v) to your start/stop solinoid. I've seen the wire broken, still making contact but not all the time especially hitting a bump or vibration breaking the contact. Ok it wasn't on a Landy but might be relivant. Try them first, it'll rule out a couple of basic things.

Let us know how ye get on.....



Bertie.

[lurch_917]

 i would agree with bertie as ive had the wire for the stop just contacting and mine keept stopping when it wanted too new spade end good as new

[Saffy]

Check the stop solonoid to quickly rule that out though running at low revs but no power - stalling under load is classic fuel starvation.

I had had various issues recently with teething problems on new veg conversion and twin tank installation. From air being drawn into fuel line from a wayward fuel pickup pipe, restricted fuel line (partial crushed) and a blocked inline filter. None of these caused the engine to splutter like a petrol engine would. The engine simply had no revs or stalled suddenly and quietly and often took awhile to restart. So do not rule out fuel supply issue.

No one has said the obvious... is the fuel filter due a change on your truck? First place to look.

[XIL5459]

Hi There,

I have just had the same sort of problem on a 7.5T horsebox, it starts ok then under load it stalls and doesnt want to start.
Found that the fuel is growing some sort of sludge in the tank when its not been used for a few days, also found that stupid 7.5T ford iveco lorrys have 3 fuel filters, two normal ones like a landrover engine and another finer one on the lift pump. I cleaned this one out and changed the other two but after about 20 mins of running time the finer one on the fuel pump just cloggs up again, I ended up draining the tank out and chucking away the finer filter before she ran smothly again.

I spoke to my dad, who is a petrol pump engineer and he was saying that alot of fuel stations are having this problem, their filters are clogging up and have to be cleaned quite often or it stops the pumps completly.
Aparently this only started happening since they started adding more bio fuels to the mix, no wonder they say when you use bio diesel you will have to change your filters more often.

Hope my rant helps

Steve 

[Saffy]

I spoke to my dad, who is a petrol pump engineer and he was saying that alot of fuel stations are having this problem, their filters are clogging up and have to be cleaned quite often or it stops the pumps completly.
Aparently this only started happening since they started adding more bio fuels to the mix, no wonder they say when you use bio diesel you will have to change your filters more often.

Hope my rant helps

Steve 

yep, my 2nd tank on my 110 is the diesel tank . It came off a 90 petrol so got a fine gauze on the fuel pick up that not normally on the diesel - that sludged up twice within a week. So much crap in the diesel fuel!

[XIL5459]

I think some of the petrol stations dont like paying the engineers to come out every week just to clean/change all the filters so maybe they are taking the finer ones out which causes us problems, This might just be me being paraniod.
I use certain petrol stations unless Im away from home, which has been alot lately, been driving up and down the A1 to and from Leeds to sort out this problem for my sister and I havent had the problem yet.
Think I might go and buy a few filters ready now that Ive said that!

Steve

[Adz]

If the stop solenoid or the wire to it aren't the problem, check/change the fuel filter and the sedimentor (if yours is a late 300tdi 110 - 90's don't have them IIRC, although why that would be I dunno) failing that check your lift pump.

[Matt H]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I ordered a new stop solenoid, wrong one delivered, needed the one with immobiliser. Disconnected the clip to the solenoid and reconnected it making sure it was on tight. Since then there has been no stalling/loss of power at all.  I will change the fuel filter as well, can't do any harm.