92.9 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Morning! My 1996 Discovery 300Tdi recently disgraced itself by conking out at anything over tickover, which I thought must be a blockage. Also, a few weeks previously it suddenly became slightly more reluctant to start, which I thought might be the lift pump on its way out. I have cleaned out the sediment bowl, which had some filth in the bottom, but not much (no water in it either). I have also fitted a new fuel filter. When I went to pump it through with the lift pump lever, it wouldn't do anything - no resistance at all, and the lever just hit against its stop. I have tried about twenty times turning the engine over in order to catch the right part of the cam, but it's always the same. Could this indeed be a broken lift pump? If I need a new one, are the cheap ones from Paddock spares any good, or is there a better one for a good price? Thanks very much in advance for any advice or opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orgasmic Farmer Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Definitely the lift pump mate. replace and trobles will be over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 ..... If I need a new one, are the cheap ones from Paddock spares any good, or is there a better one for a good price?..... TheRecklessEngineer on here disected a cheap one relatively recently I'll see if I can find the post .... IIRC they were relatively well made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 there you go http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=79858 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyron Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 without a doubt, lift pump. ron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimaquinas Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 hi i would even check the fuel pipes where they come out of the fuel tank sender unit as the rot and drop off hence filling the system with air hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris113 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 A friend's 300tdi disco had a similar problem, all the symptoms pointed to a failed lift pump, but that didn't fix it. It turned out that the fuel lines had small splits in them that were drawing in air. http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=78844&hl=http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=78844&hl= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92.9 Posted January 18, 2013 Author Share Posted January 18, 2013 Thanks for your replies everyone I'll get one of those cheap lift pumps from Paddock Spares, then if that doesn't cure it I'll delve into the pipework! Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landowner Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Thanks for your replies everyone I'll get one of those cheap lift pumps from Paddock Spares, then if that doesn't cure it I'll delve into the pipework! Thanks again! Any luck with the lift pump Reason I ask is that mine failed and it would run ok but bad starting, went to bleed it after fitting new filter and it was sucking through the bleed screw instead of blowing out. New lift pump sorted it, well sorted that problem out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92.9 Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share Posted January 31, 2013 Hello Sorry for the delayed reply. I have only just got round to having a go at it tonight. I have put the new lift pump on, having made sure it worked first by pumping the main operating lever (and satisfying myself that the old one was broken - which it was because I couldn't get it to pump by operating the main lever), then I made sure this new one was pumping once I fitted it, but before fitting the pipes - and it was working. So, I have slackened the bleed nut on the filter housing (fitted a new fuel filter), turned the engine over to get it on the cam so the priming lever works, then spent well over an hour pumping the damned thing, trying to get fuel through. How long does it normally take to get fuel through? I had an empty sediment bowl, so I expected it to take a little while, but this is getting ridiculous. I have resistance on the priming lever, and there are visible bubbles around the bleed nut on the fuel filter mounting (I sprayed some WD40 on to see if I was getting any air out of it), so it is definitely pumping. I had some fuel in the filter, so whilst I was turning the engine over to see if I could get a better priming lever action (I couldn't, as it happened), the engine started to fire. I kept going until it started, and it ran for a minute or so, then conked out, so it must have been the fuel in the filter running out. I went back to pumping the priming lever, but still nothing. I must have pumped the stupid thing over a thousand times by now. I have also flattened the main battery AND my jump-starter, trying to get some fuel through it, but still nothing. The next thing I was going to try is setting fire to the car to teach it a lesson, but unfortunately my spare fuel can is empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Brock Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Tank pick up clogged ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92.9 Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 I suppose that's possible. I'll have to have a look, in addition to checking the pipes for air leaks at the tank end. It does seem odd though that another problem would present itself at exactly the moment the lift pump broke - unless of course they were somehow related. There wasn't much filth in the sediment bowl, so I wouldn't have thought there would be a blockage. I'll have a look though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landowner Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Try blowing down the fuel supply pipe. Try opening the bleed screw momentarily after say ten/fifteen pumps on the lift pump to relieve pressure and let any air out. Best if filter full of diesel first. Or get some one to spray carb cleaner or similar into air cleaner as you crank, the engine will run on it and pump the fuel through. If you have fuel at the injectors it should bleed itself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orgasmic Farmer Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 TDi is pretty much self bleeding. If the system is in good condition it will self prime and bleed itself. I have never bothered with opening the screw on the filter or using the hand pump. Just start it and let it idle for a while. It does sound like you have another problem such as blocked fuel lines. As it is a Disco presumably you have the sedimentor above the rear axle. These can get filled will a snot-like goo. Getting the unit off to clean it without damaging stuff is not that easy on an older truck but might be worth doing. You can check the pump end of the system simply by running a pipe from a bottle of diesel to the fuel pump. If it runs fine then your problem is back down the lines towards the tank somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelw Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Did you replace any of the fuel pipes yet as suggested earlier in the thread? As OF says, if it runs off a bottle of fuel then it is suspect pipe work!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92.9 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 Apologies for the delayed reply AGAIN! I don't seem to be getting e-mail notifications at all. I have actually given up with the damned thing as I'm sick to death of it. I also had a ridiculous situation trying to perform the simple task of replacing the bonnet release cable which involved being sent the wrong one, then ordering again from a different seller to save time, to avoid any more mistakes, which resulted in being sent the wrong one AGAIN! So I ordered yet another one from another seller, who kindly sent the correct one, which I fitted and adjusted, went to test it, gave it a pull and the end came off in my hand! So I had to retrieve the cable by pulling it through from the latch end, re-crimp the handle bit on using pliers, then try to feed the cable back through from the interior end, which took ages due to the inner being widened as it was crushed by the latch clamp during the original fitting. I took the precaution of cutting the front off the bonnet latch security box and grinding a recess in it so I can get the bonnet open through the grille with a screwdriver if I get any more nonsense. Regarding the original problem, I haven't got any further with that, but will be checking the pipe connections at the tank sender next. I did have another go pumping the lift pump lever for another hour or so, but got nothing much - just some liquid sounds coming from the lift pump. That's probably over two thousand actuations of the pump lever now, so I won't be doing any more of that. Anyway, thanks for your replies. I'll report back when I make some more progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92.9 Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 Just reporting back. I scrapped it to teach the damned thing a lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 On the supply line from the fuel filter at the FIP there is a banjo connection, Remove this and you will find a micro mesh filter, I'll lay odd that this is blocked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.