TDCi Injector / Pump Diagnostics......

[gibbonarms]

Hi,

I've recently bought a van that a few of you will already know:




I bought the van knowing that the engine management light came on 'occasionally' and that it would go into limp mode, but since owning it and only using it to drive home after collecting and then a couple of local journeys the problem has got very very bad and after the dash warning light comes on, the van will now stop, quite often upto 10/15 times during a journey.

I've had the ECU fault codes read as: P0251 Injection Pump Fuel Metering Control A Malfunction & P1211 Injector Control Pressure Sensor Above / Below Desired

The codes were cleared and have re-appeared, so therefore it related to fuel pump/injector problems.

After phoning both Feather Diesels and Powerline, Simon at Powerline kindly suggested changing the fuel filter and checking for metal filings (a symptom that the injector pump is wrecked), this was done, and no metal filings were found in the diesel taken from the old filter. Is it therefore right to assume now that the pump is ok or not? Is there any further tests I can do on it to check?

The problem then got worse, and the van now cuts out every half mile or so.......

My question therefore is...... before getting a reconditioned fuel pump and injectors what further tests can I do on it to try and diagnose the problem?

I thought Leak back test on the injectors? (3-5ml is ok I understand) or is it advised that these come out and go away for testing/cleaning regardless (engine has done 135K).

Would it be worth changing the IMV? Perhaps this may solve it?

Thanks in advance, let me know if you need any further information on it!

[dieselboy1978]

First things first is you have done the right thing by changing fuel filter and inspecting old one for metal particles which indicates the camring broken up on high pressure pump.
Changing the IMV very rarely ever causes the problem your talking about. Main problems on the pump other than breaking up is the pressure relief valve o-ring splitting (causes hard or no start) and contamination in the venturi (which controls the vacum for backleakage on injectors)
I would be doing a cranking backleakage test on injectors and also a running test. On the running test i would also rev the car 5 times full throttle to see if you have a problem with control valvee at a higher pressure. But rhe running test depends on big your bottles are for your running test. If your using the Delphi Seales Rail kit then these bottles hold alot of fuel. This is best kit.
But also remember at standind with no load on engine the fuel pump will not create its full 1350 bar pressure as it has no load on engine.
Its more than likely an injector fault but key is doing all the right diagnostic checks first.

[gibbonarms]

Thanks dieselboy!

Starting the van has always been fine, only odd thing is that the glow plug light seams to go out in half a second, not sure if that is normal or not?

I'll do the cranking backleakage test but as for the running test, I'll need to find someone with the kit as £799 is a lot of brass! http://www.hickleys.com/diagnostics/sealed_rail.php

Unless I can find someone local to me (York) that has the kit and can test it for me.

Thanks, will update with results.

[gibbonarms]

UPDATE: I managed to get a leak back test done on the injectors which showed that 2 were very bad (80ml leakback), 1 was starting to fail (55ml leakback) and that the final one was ok.

So after some shopping around to Powerline and Feather Diesels for quotes on Injectors, I gave Diesel Bob a call and got the best price of £90 + VAT/ each.

They've now all been installed with their new C2I codes, which then flagged up a problem with my glow plugs - they appeared to be original and not working!, so 4 new glow plugs later, the vans back on the road and healthy!

[liteace]

Thats good news, could have been a lot more ££££££££££'s if it was the pump + the injectors + the glows