2003 2.4 di wont start

[speedy5]

Hi,I'm a newbie just today (aug 6th), don't know how to post a question, so i've replied to the nearest thing i can see, which is your post.
Ive got a FORD TRANSIT 2003 DIESEL 2.4 di, and it wont start up, i mean actually fire up.
Not a starter motor problem, it just turns over and wont fire up and run.
Been running every day for several months no problem at all, then a few days ago, i came home in it parked up, next morning went to start it and heard a noise like several fast clicks, then it fired up but smoked like crazy greyish and wouldn't run it was trying to run but didn't quite get there, nearly fired up, but when i turned off the starter it stopped, i thought the fuel has ran out and sucked up lots of crap as it was low on fuel the night before.
So I filled up canister with diesel and turned over again, still wouldn't run, lots of smoke still, so took it for a tow, still wouldn't run.

Came home, bought new fuel filter, fitted (dry no fuel in it , then had hell of a job getting fuel back to the injectors, so i had to fill up the filter with diesel, turn engine over and over, crack the nuts loose off all the injectors, then it came through, when i turned it over it sprayed all over the place from every injector, so i tightened them all up and continued to crank it over again, thinking it will fire up as there's lots of fuel in the tank now (i put another 2 canisters in) so lots of fuel in her (1/2 a tank)
STILL WON'T START UP - IT'S BEEN 2 DAYS OF NOT FIRING UP
I had to recharge the battery twice.
I did get it to run sort of a little for maybe 10 seconds with Easy Start sprayed into the turbo and a unit on the right hand side of the engine infront of the fuel filter (i think throttle body or airflow unit), so i sprayed into both ports (hoses unscrewed) as i say it ran for about 10 seconds, and that's as far as i've got.

I am at the point of buying another van, been also told it should fire up with easy start sprayed into it no problem.

WHAT I THINK I'VE DIAGNOSED

I am sure fuel pump is ok as otherwise injectors would NOT have had lots of pressure when cranked to spray that much out.
Everytime i crank it now no smoke at all coming from the exhaust
It's as if NO FUEL still isn't getting through

My thoughts are that there is an airlock between the fuel tank and the feed into the fuel filter housing, so its basically dry, and not sucking it in since i topped the fuel filter up OR....
Somebody else told me the original clicking noises i heard upon start up when it smoked like crazy could be the timing chain camshaft tensioner
They said they can slip,and then its timed wrong.
ALSO THEY SAID IT COULD OF CAUSED MASSIVE DAMAGE = NEW ENGINE

From what i've said what do you think it could be???

Is it an airlock in the fuel that's the problem
Has the fuel pump gone
Is the tensioner snapped or jumped onto another cog
In your experience what could it be or what does it sound like have you heard of these faults before?

THANK SO MUCH
ROB FROM HULL
Newbie (speedy5)

[knobby1]

[quote="speedy5"] So I filled up canister with diesel and turned over again, still wouldn't run, lots of smoke still, so took it for a tow, still wouldn't run. [quote]

This is the quickest way to cause grief, cam timing often jumps when these engines are bump or tow started.

Judging from your description it certainly sounds like you've got cam timing issues. Reasonably common. You'll need to pop the rocker cover off to check. With the fuel filter being empty, you may have an air leak upstream of the filter.

Lord Knobrot

[rotory]

I had a fuel supply problem, turned out to be chaffed leak back pipe, had a minute hole in it allowing the fuel to run back to tank. The pipe had chaffed on the glow plug connector. Worth a look !
Martin

[speedy5]

I had a Ford van mechanic (19 years experience) look at it, he said its not fuel problem as he used the hand pump bleed tool, certainly got fuel to the injectors still wouldnt start.
He said looks like my timing tensioner slipped and all out of sync, would of bent valves etc is what he said, so because of that too expensive to repair.

Its going to scrap this week, had it now with Fords, both escort van and transit scrap now.

bought another van Nissan Interstar, basically a Renault Master in disguise, far superior to a transit, why???

Don't rust like fords
chassis is like new, fords rot and rust underneath
I will never buy another ford ever again, so many ive bought have gone wrong

it's time people looked around and see what else is on offer, Renault beats them hands down on rust prevention and bodywork.

The Nissan/Renault Interstar/Master (LWB) is loads bigger than the Transit inside

YOU CAN STAND UP! and don't hit your head on the roof with the Nissan/Renault, you can't do that with the transit, you have to bend down

It's longer than a Transit, wider, doesn't rust or rot to death,and the engines are better.
so for me Ford are a no no now.

Always loved Fords, not anymore let me down too many times

FROM NOW ON ONLY BUY GERMAN OR FRENCH

[knobby1]

Enjoy speeking French or German.....

I'd say you towing the van has probably caused the cam timing to jump....quite common.....you may have only had an air leak prior to that...a relatively easy fix.

Lord Knobrot

[andz327]

Go ahead fella get in there,
i bought a Renault traffic a few years back now , was 3 years old 86000 mls ran great with the 2.0 115cdti Nissan engine , sounded really quiet and smooth until it snapped it's timing chain...... The bastardo thing nearly bankrupted me, couldn't get injectors out and had to pay a dude with fancy hydraulic puller which cost around £300 and 2 injectors broke so that was another £600, finally got cam cover off 14 out of 16 hydraulic followers had broke feckin £65each along with 14 valves at £240, chain kit £170 head gasket /seal kit £75, head skim and valve seats re-cut, built back up and smoked bad like an injector problem but noticed loads back pressure, so this time it was engine out , when valves met the pistons it squashed the grooves that the piston rings sit in and jammed the rings and yes all 4 were fooked £70 each........but hey it never rusted

[speedy5]

Go ahead fella get in there,
i bought a Renault traffic a few years back now , was 3 years old 86000 mls ran great with the 2.0 115cdti Nissan engine , sounded really quiet and smooth until it snapped it's timing chain...... The bastardo thing nearly bankrupted me, couldn't get injectors out and had to pay a dude with fancy hydraulic puller which cost around £300 and 2 injectors broke so that was another £600, finally got cam cover off 14 out of 16 hydraulic followers had broke feckin £65each along with 14 valves at £240, chain kit £170 head gasket /seal kit £75, head skim and valve seats re-cut, built back up and smoked bad like an injector problem but noticed loads back pressure, so this time it was engine out , when valves met the pistons it squashed the grooves that the piston rings sit in and jammed the rings and yes all 4 were fooked £70 each........but hey it never rusted

You were very unlucky with the Nissan
The Ford has let me down and because of the rust it isn't worth fixing, the Nissan has no rust and overall is bigger.

I was always a Ford fan,all my life with vans, cars i only buy 7 series BMW's had 3 of them, amazing, but for vans now,i looked elsewhere, i personally think the Nissan/Renault van is better

I'm sure the timing tensioner slipped, thinking of what everybody said, and the faults it makes sense that its that, now it wont even start with easy start.

I clearly remember when it started i heard a succession of clicks, that must of been the timing tensioner slipping, and even though it did, it still tried to start, bless it, although lots of grey smoke.

I think towing it has definetely shifted it miles out of timing, so could of bent all valves etc, so head off and rebuild,then timing kit, belts etc, at the end of the day it isn't worth doing it.

Even if i did it myself, and i can it would cost around £300, i can put that into another van, because if i spent that the transit resale isn't worth much more, so thats why its going.

[andz327]

Go ahead fella get in there,
i bought a Renault traffic a few years back now , was 3 years old 86000 mls ran great with the 2.0 115cdti Nissan engine , sounded really quiet and smooth until it snapped it's timing chain...... The bastardo thing nearly bankrupted me, couldn't get injectors out and had to pay a dude with fancy hydraulic puller which cost around £300 and 2 injectors broke so that was another £600, finally got cam cover off 14 out of 16 hydraulic followers had broke feckin £65each along with 14 valves at £240, chain kit £170 head gasket /seal kit £75, head skim and valve seats re-cut, built back up and smoked bad like an injector problem but noticed loads back pressure, so this time it was engine out , when valves met the pistons it squashed the grooves that the piston rings sit in and jammed the rings and yes all 4 were fooked £70 each........but hey it never rusted

You were very unlucky with the Nissan
The Ford has let me down and because of the rust it isn't worth fixing, the Nissan has no rust and overall is bigger.

I was always a Ford fan,all my life with vans, cars i only buy 7 series BMW's had 3 of them, amazing, but for vans now,i looked elsewhere, i personally think the Nissan/Renault van is better

I'm sure the timing tensioner slipped, thinking of what everybody said, and the faults it makes sense that its that, now it wont even start with easy start.

I clearly remember when it started i heard a succession of clicks, that must of been the timing tensioner slipping, and even though it did, it still tried to start, bless it, although lots of grey smoke.

I think towing it has definetely shifted it miles out of timing, so could of bent all valves etc, so head off and rebuild,then timing kit, belts etc, at the end of the day it isn't worth doing it.

Even if i did it myself, and i can it would cost around £300, i can put that into another van, because if i spent that the transit resale isn't worth much more, so thats why its going.

Wasn't unlucky if you google or on ebay non runner vans you'll see rakes of vaux /ren/nissansvivaro/trafiffics all with same problem , snapped timing chains, my 57 plate 130ps lwb transit done 360,000mls before a small end fooked up, put a 2nd hand engine in with same injectors and turbo just before Christmas and she's at 410,000mls now and doesn't need welding
All the best with the renault mate, there definitely easier on the bumps than transits, if its an aulder thing it's probably a timing belt so mind get it done

[PiddsblackVH]

I had a fuel supply problem, turned out to be chaffed leak back pipe, had a minute hole in it allowing the fuel to run back to tank. The pipe had chaffed on the glow plug connector. Worth a look !
Martin

Hey, this is an older thread, but I think I’m having exactly the same issue, and I even have the exact same chaffed pipe.
I’m curious, did you just replace the pipe and all things went back to normal? Will I need do anything with those lines in terms of priming?

[rotory]

I ended up changing the pump, which seems to be flavour of the month, that chaffing pipe is also a common problem.

Martin