Can't you tell its Christmas!!!

[terbert]

>:( >:(

Anyone know anything about Diesels???????

First the Rover, now my van has packed up. Drove it home Friday, parked up. Sat morn would not start, battery a bit low I admit. Charged it up for 24 hours, turns over like the clappers. But will not start, does not even fire. Put a gallon of diesel in to make sure it had fuel, still no go. Battery now running down again, so will have to charge it again. Will check injector feed tomorrow, but if not that I am stuffed. Any suggestions appreciated.
Ford Courier diesel 1.8
98 vintage

Tony

[Woodlouse2002]

You might need to pump the fuel through into the engine. If there's air in there then you'll never get it started.

[eno]

Firstly try what Woodlouse suggested and bleed the engine. If you have a manual for the Van it should show you where the bleed valve is.

However
How cold was it ...... the air temp that is?

Diesel has a tendancy to thicken up when it's cold. However its very rare that here in the UK it gets cold enough and modern formulas tend to be less prone to it.
It might help  if you add a small amount of petrol to the Diesel...  just enough to prevent the thickening. I think the old method was to add 1 gallon of petrol to 100 gallons of Diesel.

[ozzy72]

A ruddy great hammer has always stood me in good stead with all diesels

[terbert]

Thanks, Mark

I have found a hammer, which bit do I hit.

Seriously, thanks woody and eno. going to try the bleeding system ( or should that read bleeding the system)


Tony

[JerryO]

Sounds like the problem may not be in the battery at all, but in the charger-generator. Have you checked its condition?

Also, I once had a similar problem with a Mercedes-Benz 200 E, and eventually we found out that the starter-engine cable had been so badly oxidized that it was cut through completely at one point. That