fourtrak keeps cutting out

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hello
ive just purchased a 1990 fourtrak turbo. Everything seems to be fine exeped that about 30 secs after its been started, if you leave it ticking over it just cuts out. it dosen't do it while your driving or reving just on tickover.
any answers would be great, as this is the first diesel i have owned and don't know much about the workings.
many thanks. Sam.

Fuel Trouble

Hi Sam,

It sounds like you might have a small leak on your fuel line. When the engine is running the fuel pump sucks the diesel from the tank. If you've got any leaks in the fuel system either from a pipe, the diesel filter or a joint in the pipe then it will suck a small amount of air into the system. Small amounts of air will normally be returned to the tank along with any excess fuel not required by the engine, too much air though will get into the pump and get fed into the injectors. Diesel engines rely on very high pressure fuel to operate the injectors and if there is any air in the fuel then the air compresses at the high pressure and stops the injectors operating causing the engine to stop. At higher engine speeds there is probably insufficient air to stop the injectors working properly.

The problem in finding such a leak is that the air is being drawn into the fuel rather than the fuel being pressured out of the leak. After the car has been standing for a while you may be able to see a drip of diesel or even just a damp section of pipe where the diesel has dripped through the leak due to gravity. The other way to find the leak is to disconnect the pipe where it attaches to the Injector pump on the engine & where it comes from the fuel tank, block one end and blow (using regulated air of about 20 psi if possible) down the other end. There are two pipes attatched to the fuel tank, one is the main pipe, the other is the return. It's the main one (that goes into and out of the fuel filter) that your looking for a problem with.

I've had problems with the main fuel pipe from the tank rusting through, a perished rubber fuel hose leaking & the filter unit itself leaking (not all on the same car, that would have been a headache to find)

Another possible cause is the nut holding the accelerator link (the accelerator cable fixes to one end, the other is attatched to the top if the injector pump)to the injector pump spindle is loose. The link is splined to the spindle so will work ok when using the accelerator and also will tickover for a short while, but as it's ticking over the accelereator link is against the tickover stop but the spindle on the pump can slowly vibrate back allowing the tickover to slow down until the engine stalls.

Hope this helps and wasn't too long winded to understand, Daz

Id agree, it sounds like air

Id agree, it sounds like air in the fuel line. How long since is has had a fuel filter change? They MUST be completely purged of air after a filter change.

Look for the fuel filter behind the battery. Above it, there is a round metal button, about 1 1/2 inches across. In front of this, there should be a 10mm bolt with screwdriver slot across the top. Undo this bolt about 1 turn, then press repeatedly the botton. It wont go in far. You should get a steady flow of fuel from the side of the bolt. If there are any bubbles, you have air in the system. You can continue pumping till there are no more bubbles, or there is another way. Tighten that bolt up again.

Look at the motor. There are 4 metal pipes (Fuel injection lines)coming from the side of the motor and into side of head. On the front line, cylinder No 1, closest to fan, take a spanner and undo the first nut on this line, where it joins the top of the injector. Then retighten it. Now start the motor, and undo it about 1/2 turn. You will get fuel flow/spillage from this, and you will also get bubbles. Once the bubbles have stopped, retighten it. If this is the problem, this will cure it. You may have to repeat this proceedure again after driving for a short while.
If the problem continues, recheck for bubbles at the filter. It could be an air leak, as mentioned above, or possibly another issue.

Cheers
David

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Growing old is compulsary, growing up isnt.
MUD MAKES EXCELLENT TOOTHPASTE.
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Please visit http://groups.msn.com/AussieDaihatsuRocky/_whatsnew.msnw
All views and advice offered are my own, from my ow

cheers lads great advic

cheers lads
great advice i'll try it first thing in the morning and let you know how it goes. i've been a petrolhead since i can remember but the lure of the deisel tauqe was to stong. shaw i'll know a deisel engine inside out by the time i've fineshed this progect. thanks again. Sam.