Loss of power

[Lorin]

Checked all the fuel lines and pump connections for any sign of a fuel leak and there doesn't appear to be one - all hoses and connections are in pretty good condition. The pick-up filter in the tank was totally clear/clean and I replaced the main fuel filter again. Started it up and plumes of white smoke came out

I am not sure the injectors are a likely culprit as they were all reconditioned earlier this year.

I then rolled/pushed the truck to level ground and checked the oil which was full prior to Lincomb (250 miles ago), and it is now just under the half way mark. That's a lot of oil burnt in very few miles.

Even if it is only an oil or water seal on the turbo and the unit itself is okay my understanding is that there is no way of knowing anything without removing the turbo and inspecting it, unless I have the turbo pressure checked. Is this worth doing/does anyone even do this?

I know I could try Pugwash's suggestion and disconnect the water pipes but given that the truck is being prepared for a big trip I'd rather get to the bottom of the issue and sort it. I guess it is turbo off time

 

[adrianr]

Based on that I'm leaning toward a seal in the turbo. i would not think removing / re-routing the water pathway would stop it using oil though.

Good luck.

 

[Beau]

sounds like what happened to me in my colorado recently. Turned out to be a fuel blockage in one of the injectors which was leading to very low speed build up due to lack of fuel ect. I used some injection cleaner stuff and its getting better the more I drive and theres no white smoke!

May be worth taking out one of your injectors and seeing if its dirty?

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I then rolled/pushed the truck to level ground and checked the oil which was full prior to Lincomb (250 miles ago), and it is now just under the half way mark. That's a lot of oil burnt in very few miles.

Just checking the obvious but the engine was roughly the same temp both times i.e. not run up to temp last time and stone cold this time?

 

[Lorin]

Hi Jon,

Yep, I checked the oil cold both times. I changed the oil just before Lincomb and double checked (i.e. before and after a drive) that the oil was at the full mark which it was, and then again yesterday after leaving it for an hour for the oil to re-settle and it was at the half-way mark.

I am 99% certain the problem is not due to an air leak as we had one pretty much the whole time in Croatia and the symptoms were different - I had to re-pressurise the fuel system each time to start it and it did smoke a bit but nothing like it does now. Now the fuel is not draining back, it just needs a bit of throttle to start and will then fire immediately.

I am going to ring around today and see if any garages can check the injectors and the turbo pressure.

 

[Rob]

Lorin an hour does not seem to be long enough to get accurate readings on my 80, remember my oil measuring thread

 

[Lorin]

Lorin an hour does not seem to be long enough to get accurate readings on my 80, remember my oil measuring thread

Good point I will check it again today without starting it

 

[Chris]

I fitted one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250579635241? ... 1438.l2648

and one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180722055308? ... 1438.l2648

and it stopped my fuel draining problems completely. You need the filter because particles get stuck in the valve and stop it working. So I found. Worth doing to any older 80 in my view. It's going to happen to them all at some point I think due to the primer pump failing. I found that it also added a small reserve of fuel. Sounds odd I know (the first filter was clear by the way but you could see the fuel going through it) but on high demand you could see the filter housing drain faster than it was filling. Suggested weak lift pump to me. Which is why I am fitting a Walbro when it arrives

Chris




Chris

 

[Lorin]

Hi Chris,

Where abouts did you install the non-return valve? I've just ordered and will fit asap.

 

[Chris]

I cut the fuel pipe under the bonnet and stuck it there. I didn't have the check valve at first and every time I opened the bonnet I could see that the filter was empty. The primer pump just didn't work so I had to pour fuel into the pipe after the main filter. You could start the engine and then watch the fuel rush up into the secondary filter. You could also see just how much fuel goes past into the engine. It is frightening. Seriously, it's like a running tap.

Chris

 

[Andy]

Chris,
Which walbro pump u getting, and where from??

Andy

 

[Chris]

Andy, I is mostly getting a Walbro FRB 22. Oddly it's cheaper than the FRB 5 which is the standard one. The 22 is 1000 hrs salt water tested for boats. Go figure. Got it on line from the US. All in $156 express delivery. Clearly it will sit in UK customs for a week and take longer to get me than it did form the US, but that's what happens when you chose to live in a country like this, huh. Sorry been a bad day. I need to emigrate.

Chris

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

You could also see just how much fuel goes past into the engine. It is frightening. Seriously, it's like a running tap.

I think quite a lot of it is returned to the tank isn't it? Not quite as bad as it looks

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Clearly it will sit in UK customs for a week and take longer to get me than it did form the US, but that's what happens when you chose to live in a country like this, huh. Sorry been a bad day. I need to emigrate.

I had a Viair leader hose delivered from the US yesterday, in a box similar size to the Walbro pumps, took about 3 days and just arrived here, no letter demanding import duties etc from Parcel Farce first

 

[frank rabbets]

Chris

You say you saw fuel running through your filter but your link to ebay shows a steel bodied one, or is it the one way valve that is transparent? In France a few years ago I bought a transparent filter the size of a thimble to protect my washers jets. When it finally clogged this year I bought another one but it's ends went too soft in the alcohol and the pipes are blocked!!

I'll look on ebay but probably will not get one described as alcohol proof.

Frank

 

[Dave2000]

Air filter is a classic and often overlooked, if it is OE then it can be washed out with clean water. The tank pick up filter again a classic problem, also the filter head primer can get tiny pin holes, enough to let in a small amount of air but not big enough to let fuel out even when priming. This often happens a short while after servicing where the plunger has been operated to refill the filter. I remove the pipes to the filter head and fit a clear inline filter and drive like that for awhile, this allows you to a, check for bubbles on the tank to filter side, and b, will take the filter head out of the fault diagnoses trail.

EDIT: Just realised there were other pages so most of that above is a little late now however, fitting the 'pusher' pump is ok if you do not live in a cold climate, if you do then some rewiring to the fuel heater is going to be needed.

regards

Dave

 

[Lorin]

It's sorted

Just to recap the story - after driving round Tony's woods I noticed a significant loss of power but didn't pay too much attention to it as there were no other problems and I thought it might just be due to muck in a filter. Driving home from Lincomb the power loss was so significant that I started to worry it was more serious. However, there were still no other symptoms - no smoke, no coolant loss and the truck drove normally until you gave it some throttle. I then parked it up for 4 days. When I started it again it required a little throttle to start and gave out great plumes of thick white smoke, it was also lumpy when revved. I checked the airbox/filter, pick-up filter and fuel lines - and found nothing. Changed the fuel filter - no difference. I then noticed that the oil level was a bit low and figured the facts were stacking up in favour of the turbo.

Reading the FSM, it suggested in line with a few of your recommendations that I check the injectors first, so I booked it in to a diesel injection specialist. On driving it there I noticed that the smoke cleared after about a mile. However, the power loss was still there and it was very reluctant to rev.

Picked it up today and got told it was due to the timing going out. They adjusted the timing and it resolved both the smoke and the power loss. They also checked the pump and reported that it was all ok, though they did a few adjustments.

It now drives perfectly and the cold start (i.e. slightly higher revving for a while) now obviously works, which it never did before. They couldn't tell me why the timing would have gone out but did identify a pully that doesn't turn smoothly and advised I get it looked at.

I can only assume all the hard driving at Lincomb had something to do with it - I did give it all it had on some of the timed stages I guess this could also account for the oil consumption. Either way, I'm just glad it was a cheap fix

 

[Gav Peter]

Good to hear you're all sorted out dude

 

[Lorin]

Good to hear you're all sorted out dude

Cheers Gav, now to book onto the Tidworth pay and play

 

[Gav Peter]

Get that email sent hombre