Fuel basics - Page 2

reed · #11 12-13-2009, 03:53 AM

Be patient it takes alot of time to get one of these pumps going after running it out of fuel. There are so many was to prime the pump, everyone has there own way or variation of how to do it. It takes time. I have a pump for your car that I just removed if you want it I will sell for $125 shipped. But they take alot of time to prime. Dont glow the plugs everytime you try to start. Wait till you have fuel at the injectors before you glow. Dont kill the starter, work on it for a while then let the starter cool down. If you replace the fuel filter, fill the new one with Marvel mystery oil before you install (helps to prime and cleans/ lubes the pump), dont forget the small oring on the center of the filter. Be patient!!!! Or tow it to South Carolina and I could get it going in no time. I have all the special tools and then some. Good luck

v8volvo · #12 12-14-2009, 06:33 PM

Push the accelerator to the floor and hold it there while cranking with the lines cracked open. When you do this, there should be strong spurts of fuel expelled from the union where the hard line meets the injector, visible from the driver's seat. If that doesn't happen, then your pump is having trouble moving fuel internally. That is often due to an inability to maintain prime within the pump, which happens when either the front shaft seal leaks air in or the head seal leaks fuel out.

If there is an issue with pump function, try filling the pump with B100 biodiesel and within minutes it will most likely work perfectly. It is not a permanent fix, and will revert back to non-starting mode as soon as you put a tank of straight ULSD in it, but the bio will fix the pump seals and once it's done that you can safely run down to about B20. Below that you risk having problems recur. The "proper" remedy is to have the pump rebuilt, but that costs $600 to have it done properly. $600 buys a whole lot of biodiesel. ;-)

v8volvo · #13 12-14-2009, 06:36 PM

Sitting for a few days then not starting, when it ran fine previously, is a classic sign of either problems with pump seals (fixable either by rebuild or biodiesel) or of glow plug trouble. 95% likely your issue lies in one of those places.

imbodie · #14 12-17-2009, 08:34 AM

I'm thinking it may be a bit of both problems. I wont get a chance to work on the car again until mid-next week. I am going to replace the fuel filter. Someone suggested filling the filter with Marvel Mystery Oil... what would be my BEST choice for reconditioning the seals just in case that is a problem? I ONLY have b20 available where I live, are there any after market options other than MMO?
The plan is:
1. fuel filter with some sort of seal conditioner
2. glow plug check/replace on at least the first 3 cylyinders.

Later I KNOW it will need all glow plugs, and prob injector service on all 6 injectors.

Funny, had I known Bio-Fuel would have helped the car I would have had the prior owner filling up with B20 all the time. I figured it would have done more harm than good with the car being as old as it was.

-Tim

imbodie · #15 01-01-2010, 03:35 PM

Well after all of my trauma over things that might have been wrong with the car. What did it end up being?

GLOW PLUGS

I only replaced the front 3, but the rest will be replaced at a later date. I just had to know the car would run before investing time and $$ into all the repairs I KNOW it needs.

Now for additional posts about other issues I've found...

THANK ALL OF YOU for the help getting the car to start.
-Tim