Air in fuel lines

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boiliebob
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Air in fuel lines

Post by boiliebob »

Hi Gents,

After some advice as usual please. Basically our Westy ('90, 1.6TD JX) has been laid up a while and now won't fire up. Battery is full charge, alternator and starter motor cranks over but no firing, just a small amount of exhaust fumes. After reading a few posts I think its a problem with air in the fuel system as the van is parked on a slight downward slope (engine at highest point).
What's the procedure for removing excess air in the fuel system? I've tried using a rubber hand pump between the fuel filter and fuel in pipe to draw more fuel through but still no firing just slightly more exhaust fumes.

All comment and advice appreciated greatly!

cheers,
Rob
Westfalia Atlantic 1.6td 1990 High-top, sporting Brickwerks 2WD lift kit.

Porkscratching
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Re: Air in fuel lines

Post by Porkscratching »

If you're getting exhaust fumes could this be unburnt diesel. If that's the case them perhaps your problem lies elsewhere.
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sarahandthebear
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Re: Air in fuel lines

Post by sarahandthebear »

Hi rob have you tried the old fuel straight into the carb trick. Sometimes if they are sat for a while the fuel tends to dry up in the carb we had the same problem and we just pours a capfull of fuel straight in and she fired up :ok
1984 1.9 dg petrol westfalia joker

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R0B
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Re: Air in fuel lines

Post by R0B »

Diesels dont have a carb :lol:
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colinthefox
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Re: Air in fuel lines

Post by colinthefox »

If air has got into the injection pump then it may have got between the low pressure vane pump and the high pressure bit, in which case the pipes to the injectors may also have air in them. Either way, however long you crank the engine, it might never clear.

You appear to have done the first stage of bleeding the system, which is to fill the pump right up with fuel as much as you can.
The second stage is to crank over the engine while opening the bleed screw(s) on the pump till fuel without bubbles comes out. (Your pump may not even have a bleed screw. If that's the case it will bleed air out of the return and you can skip this step)
The final stage is to slacken off two or three of the injector pipe nuts at the injector end, and crank at full throttle till fuel without bubbles issues forth. Be careful at this stage because it can spurt at high pressure over you and the interior of your van. As you tighten the nuts the engine should start, rough for a few seconds then clean up.

Just for completeness, when I say to crank the engine, that means using the ignition switch, not any other method which doesn't involve having the ignition on.

Those air leaks are difficult to find. Examine all the joints between the tank and the pump, the back leakage pipes, the little rubber cap on No.4, and the throttle spindle seal.

Best of luck!
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sarahandthebear
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Re: Air in fuel lines

Post by sarahandthebear »

R0B wrote:Diesels dont have a carb :lol:

:rofl well that will teach me to read the problem in more depth first yeah don't try put any deisel into a carb you dont actually have :rofl
1984 1.9 dg petrol westfalia joker

boiliebob
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Re: Air in fuel lines

Post by boiliebob »

Thanks for the advice Gents, much appreciated as always.

Colin, I followed your advice to the letter, cheers! :ok

I left him running for a while but I still have a fair amount of air bubbles running through the inline pipe and nice froth coming back along the return. An air leak somewhere I presume?

Cheers,
Rob
Westfalia Atlantic 1.6td 1990 High-top, sporting Brickwerks 2WD lift kit.

lefty67
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Re: Air in fuel lines

Post by lefty67 »

Check the condition of the pipework on the fuel filter and from the tank to the filter. Does yours have the white thermostat valve on top of the filter?
1.9td AAZ

T25 - an adventure before dementia

boiliebob
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Re: Air in fuel lines

Post by boiliebob »

Hi,

Yep got the white valve.
Westfalia Atlantic 1.6td 1990 High-top, sporting Brickwerks 2WD lift kit.

lefty67
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Re: Air in fuel lines

Post by lefty67 »

boiliebob wrote:Hi,

Yep got the white valve.

They can break down and suck air back into the filter. If its been stood for a while might be worth getting new filter and good quality fuel lines.
I had a lot of problems with air in fuel lines on my aaz, all related to the filter. Renewed all the fuel lines, new filter, new valve and used proper fuel line clips, made all the difference but still get the odd bubble now and then.
1.9td AAZ

T25 - an adventure before dementia

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