Focus tdci

[Mark101]

Guess what iv got a 1.6 2010 tdci and it won’t stay primed argggh 

can anyone give me any pointers I’m at my witts end with it now.

changed all the injector seals and studs no leak now,

changed fuel filter 

had a tear in inlet hose going to turbo replaced that.

every morning for the past week I go out start it it fires up and dies like it’s got no fuel

try starting again no joy so I prime it from the filter with a drill pump and get my neighbour to jump start me when battery goes to a tick.

it does struggle but fires up I flat out and it manages to stay alive then it’s ok after driving it for a while and turning it off while get diesel or shopping,

pits only when left over night it seems to not want to start or does briefly then suffercates and dies no matter how much pedal I give it it don’t want to know.

I got engine light on and a code p1103 I’m guessing vacuum leak somewhere but I exshausted my knowledge if anyone could help it would be greatly appreciated 

thanks 

Happy New Year 

[TomsFocus]

If it won't stay primed there's a leak on the low pressure side.  You won't see the leak as air gets in and fuel drains back to the tank.  Could be a pain to trace but all you can do is look carefully really.

[Mark101]

Thanks for your help where should I look low side ? Sorry just I manage most from videos, could it be a leak in the inlet manifold on top where the gaskets sit ? I also have noticed some oil sitting on the chrome round thing under the turbo with a loose long bolt coming from it in the middle could it be that ?

[TomsFocus]

Ok, so if it definitely needs priming to start then it's almost certainly a low-pressure fuel system fault, nothing to do with the inlet or turbo.  So that's anything in the fuel system between the tank and the high pressure pump (driven off the cambelt).  There's no tank pump on these so the HP pump relies on a syphon action sucking fuel up constantly when running and holding pressure when switched off.  If there's even a tiny pinprick hole in any fuel pipe before that point then the fuel will drain back to the tank overnight and you'll have to prime it again in order to start.  

[Tizer]

As a short term workaround to get the car started in the mornings and until you get the problem fixed you could try this. It may or may not work but it is what I used to do after a Fuel Filter change after drawing fuel through the filter and it worked a treat.

Turn the Ignition on for about 5 seconds then turn it off for 5 seconds and repeat this 4 or 5 times. That should help if the leak is not too bad and is near to the Fuel Pump.

The traditional way of finding a leaking fuel line connection was to smear Vaseline around the joints, one at a time until the problem went away, assuming that is where the problem lies. That was in the days before Common Rail pumps and Electronic Injectors so I would be a bit more wary about doing it on a modern system. 

[Mark101]

Hi Thanks for all your help everyone I was changing the battery last night and what a nightmare that was too lol and I saw a pool of oil down the gap next to the battery quiet far in I got a long flathead and taped some tissue to it to try to mop it up it’s sat in little wells I will post the pic I took.

not sure if it’s the leak coming from around the actuator ending up there ? Somehow but I can smell a bit of fuel smell coming through the vents and a wind sort of noise in the passenger vent only 

[Mark101]

[Mark101]

[Mark101]

On 1/2/2021 at 9:55 AM, TomsFocus said:

Ok, so if it definitely needs priming to start then it's almost certainly a low-pressure fuel system fault, nothing to do with the inlet or turbo.  So that's anything in the fuel system between the tank and the high pressure pump (driven off the cambelt).  There's no tank pump on these so the HP pump relies on a syphon action sucking fuel up constantly when running and holding pressure when switched off.  If there's even a tiny pinprick hole in any fuel pipe before that point then the fuel will drain back to the tank overnight and you'll have to prime it again in order to start.  

On 1/1/2021 at 8:16 PM, TomsFocus said:

Thanks for that info so it will be meted pipes ? Leading from the fuel tank to the front ? Or does it include the rubber hoses too lol would a soapy spray on the pipes tell me anything? I know you can use butane or carb c but I rather not lol I like my hair what’s left of it lol 

[Mark101]

On 1/2/2021 at 9:55 AM, TomsFocus said:

Ok, so if it definitely needs priming to start then it's almost certainly a low-pressure fuel system fault, nothing to do with the inlet or turbo.  So that's anything in the fuel system between the tank and the high pressure pump (driven off the cambelt).  There's no tank pump on these so the HP pump relies on a syphon action sucking fuel up constantly when running and holding pressure when switched off.  If there's even a tiny pinprick hole in any fuel pipe before that point then the fuel will drain back to the tank overnight and you'll have to prime it again in order to start.  

It starts first time in the morning then I put my foot down to try to keep it going but it just chokes and dies like it’s starved then won’t start at all until I primed it once or twice then crank crank crank eventually it catches and I floor it to keep it going and it does stay running then and I can turn it off for at least a couple of hours and it will start 

[TomsFocus]

The low pressure fuel pipes are plastic up to the filter and on towards the HP pump.  The pipes only need to be metal on the high pressure side after the HP pump.

Soapy water won't help.  That's for boost leaks where air will be blowing out, not fuel leaks as the air will be getting sucked in. 

That turbo isn't original.  I'd have a closer to look around it to find the oil leak, possibly from the oil feed pipe on top, or the oil drain on the bottom.  I suspect one of those is just left loose.  Oil on the gearbox might be from there or it might be from the vacuum pump, can't really tell from just seeing where it's landed unfortunately.

[nuggets]

Check fuel filter. Make sure gasket seated on housing before inserting filter. 

[Mark101]

On 1/7/2021 at 2:56 PM, Mark101 said:

 

Hi just an update on the fuel and starting problem,

it turned out to be a loose connection on the click lock pipe on fuel filter it wobbled around letting air in so someone fixed it somehow by putting something in there and it now don’t move