Mk7 won’t start anymore

[Scottyp86]

My van was struggling to start, it would take 2-3 times holding it for about 5 seconds, sometimes it would fire up sometimes 3-4 times.
It has gotten worse to the point where i was stuck at a petrol station and it took about 15 tries, and when i thought it wouldnt start and the battery
was about to die, it just kicked into life. it drives fine when it runs. I had to get recovery out one time and they sprayed carb cleaner into the air intake
and it started. that guys said its fuel related. I read somewhere someone saying air filter so i gave it ago, and it started 4 times in a row every time on the buttom
went to work, left about 8pm and it wouldnt start, same thing about 15 tries later it just fired up. i got it home and tried it strate away and it wouldnt start.

I have had a mechanic look at it and thought it may have been an injector so tested them but they were fine and he changed a part on the fuel pump but it didnt work.
so he is saying that its a new fuel pump and it will fix it..... £600 fitted.

My other mechanic friend who doesnt live near me thinks its air related, and told me to clean the egr Valve, as i have a egr and mass airflow sensor fault , but have had them for two years and never gave me a problem.
hes saying he doubts it the fuel pump and that as it starts with carb cleaner its air related and not getting enough. So im looking for some others advise as £600 is gonner hurt me for a couple of months.

[loot]

I've never seen anyone actually need a fuel pump tbh well maybe once but hey.

Egr fault will cause maf fault code. If you can get the codes for us that may help but I'll say that you need to blank/replace the egr to diagnose the hard starting. You can buy a blanking plate for a few pounds which when fitted will stop excess exhaust going into the engine at startup (which is the only egr related scenario that can cause lengthy/hard starting imo)

Next is a full check of the system. Batteries, pipes etc, fuel filter, crank/sync and so on.

You say that he changed the imv on the pump (we call it the suction control valve) it needs ids or similar diagnostics to perform a fuel pump learn when it is replaced. But the usual routine is to also do the injectors learn after the pump learn, also a check of the pressure relief valve and also a leak off test on the injectors is recommended, but anything wrong usually results in ids flagging it.

Another failing point is the fuel filter head can split and this causes fuel fall back etc and can lead to bad starting.

So, I recommend having all of the above checked but just blank the egr for now, as long as you can crack the 2 bolts and buy the plate then it is a really cheap and quick test.

[karl]

fuel pump

if I was you id be checking the wiring and get someone who knows these vans

it could be a faulty sensor

does it have cam and crank syn with live data ( using ford ids )

I have had a few vans like this head scratching stuff

the one before the last one took me 3 months only because i never pulled the wiring loom apart

and the last one was no cam and sync changed both sensors and it fired up stright away

its very rae for these high pressure pumps to fail, a think i changed one in all the time working on the transits

O and as loot has said I have egr faults as well for them not starting

[bambi mk 1]

Err... I would change the electrical part of the ign switch before going near anything else

[karl]

Err... I would change the electrical part of the ign switch before going near anything else

forgot to say that as well

[Scottyp86]

Err... I would change the electrical part of the ign switch before going near anything else

forgot to say that as well

Err... I would change the electrical part of the ign switch before going near anything else

Wouldn't the lights on the dash be intermittent/ flickering on and off if the ignition switch was faulty?

[karl]

I went out to one the other night

no start nothing on the key, so got me prob out and found out that things were earthing out

i could turn the starter with a 12v live to the signal wire "so starter works " back to igniton switch turn to start it send 12v out

so went to the engine bay fuse box

in their is 2 grey relays r6 and r7 i got someone to turn the key to start and i tapped the relays it fired up great change the relays job done

went to start it after wouldnt start played around with the starter relay r6 it fired up again so now i know their is a wire earthing out under the fuse box

[Scottyp86]

So we had a fiddle with it this evening.

New battery as other battery died and wouldn’t even jump. It started.. second time I think. Tried again nothing.

We noticed the amount of air when turning it over in the fuel line to the pump. Rediculouse amounts. Pulled off the line to
Pump and turn it over to push air out.

Run the diagnostic machine on the pump and on turn over it was 18 mps or somthjng , not sure on the measurement. Which
The guys said was good? Is this right. When we pulled the pipe off the pump
To get air out the fuel didn’t really piss out more of a trickle , also is this right?

Changed fuel filter, filled up with fuel. Primed it a few times on ignition, tried to start
It , no, tried again , no, 3rd time it started.... ran for a min, then turned off, checked
Fuel lines , not much air in there, turnt over again. First time, all good. Let it run for. Amin
Off and then back on and it didn’t start. Waite couple of mins, primed it again by the filter
Tried it and it cranked over about 7 Times and then started. Took it for a run around the block
Came back. Turn it off tried to start and it didn’t start.

He then said about glow plugs and then checked to see if fuel was coming out of the
Nut just before it goes into the Injectors. He undid the bolt and then said turn it over
And then it didn’t power, the lights came on waited 5 seconds turnt key again and nothin g
A cog with an exclamation mark in yellow has now appeared on the dash board.

If u turn the key half wait for lights to go out and then turn it full you get nothing.

If you quickly turn the key all the way you get half a second of the starter Moter kicking
In but cuts off straight away.

Has this happened because he undone the fuel nut to the injector? That’s all he did and then this
Happened. Does the fault need to be cleared for it to work again ?


So what’s yours thoughts people, no more air in the fuel lines, new filter. New battery. ??

[v8dave]

Has this happened because he undone the fuel nut to the injector? That’s all he did and then this
Happened. Does the fault need to be cleared for it to work again ?

Yes, and probably.

If the fuel rail pressure does not rise at all when cranking the ecu shuts the starter down.
With the nut tight it might clear if the "leak" is fixed, but it might need ids to clear the codes and complete a leak test.

Opening the high pressure fuel unions on a tddi might work to clear air but not on a tdci.

[Scottyp86]

Ok thank you

Checked It this morning before work and it turned over and
Started , took about 4 seconds to fire up....


This thing is doing my head in. I can’t takr it to work with me
Because I’m working 45 mins away from home and can’t
Risk being stuck. I might try picking up and ignition switch tonight
Just to rule that out

Is there anything else I can pick up which is a cheap method of
Ruling out.

[Scottyp86]

Don’t want to get to excited but just tried to start it after work
Got it going arfter a few try’s, and was air still in the lines so took it for a run

Got back and tried again and wouldn’t start, checked air in lines and still there
So got back in and tried it and it didn’t start and then I thought
I’ll try give the key a wiggle when it’s turnignover, as ignition switch was my next
Try and it started as soon as I wiggled it. Turnt it off tried again gave it a wiggle
It started , tried a 3rd time. It started. ..... got to be ignition switch surly?????

[bambi mk 1]

Don’t want to get to excited but just tried to start it after work
Got it going arfter a few try’s, and was air still in the lines so took it for a run

Got back and tried again and wouldn’t start, checked air in lines and still there
So got back in and tried it and it didn’t start and then I thought
I’ll try give the key a wiggle when it’s turnignover, as ignition switch was my next
Try and it started as soon as I wiggled it. Turnt it off tried again gave it a wiggle
It started , tried a 3rd time. It started. ..... got to be ignition switch surly?????

It seems like you want someone to organise a raffle to raise the £15

[ned]

You could have changed the ignition switch 10 days ago when it was first mentioned, its a very common fault. N

[loot]

I'd try the wiggle trick in the morning after its had chance to settle and see if it still works.
Could be the ignition switch our could be something more sinister

[Scottyp86]

Don’t want to get to excited but just tried to start it after work
Got it going arfter a few try’s, and was air still in the lines so took it for a run

Got back and tried again and wouldn’t start, checked air in lines and still there
So got back in and tried it and it didn’t start and then I thought
I’ll try give the key a wiggle when it’s turnignover, as ignition switch was my next
Try and it started as soon as I wiggled it. Turnt it off tried again gave it a wiggle
It started , tried a 3rd time. It started. ..... got to be ignition switch surly?????

It seems like you want someone to organise a raffle to raise the £15

Nah your alright fella, advise is all I’m after...