non starting issue, I'm out of ideas.

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Matt Poiner

Member
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20
Location
Wiltshire
As title suggests, my 200Tdi will not start and I'm at a loss for ideas.
I'll keep it as short but as detailed as i can.

long story short i'm coming to the end of a long awaited rebuild, the truck was starting and driving at this point.
we've put a completely custom standalone wiring loom and ripped out the original land rover looms that were bodged excessively along its lifetime. (Earths are the best they've ever been)

All fluids serviced and a nearly new battery put on, and we managed to get it to start and it ran on idle pretty well for something that hasn't had attention for over 5 years.

spent a second day on it no longer than a month later, fresh diesel in the tank and we got it driving but it was horrendously lumpy and sounded like a misfire. (Lumpy 200TDi) Video link attached, not my engine but the exact same issue, good revs and then very lumpy

we examined both the feed and return from the tank and they are clear and hole free.
banjos on the filter and injection pump also good.
there was not a fault that we could see

we then bypassed the fuel tank and ran the feed and return from a bottle of diesel in the engine bay and it seemed to run a lot better.

i replaced the fuel filter, and the new filter was not receiving any diesel so i naturally replaced the lift pump (today) as that makes most sense in my head. I've never known much about a lift pump if im entirely honest, but i know its supposed to go over the camshaft rather than under it, which i think its in there correctly. (is there any way of knowing?)

Gave a good 10 minutes of manually pumping on that lift pump and nothing changed, the 200 will not fire up still, and it wont even accept a jump start. it just cranks and gets slower and slower like I'm trying to start it with a flat battery.

Really running out of ideas, strange how it ran pretty well the first time we fired up and then a month later it sounds like a bag of bolts.
in-between the first start up and the lumpy start up, the only things we really changed on the entire 90 was: Exhaust connected, boost pipes replaced, and various other additional parts which don't affect it starting or running.

It must be fuel related somehow but i would really appreciate some input as i'm running out of hairs to pull out!
 
Does it still have the sedimentor inboard at the rear axel ?

1735312788714.png


Was the fuel tank checked for 'gunge' or flaking paint gumming up the pick-up ?

 
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We faffed about for weeks changing everything in the fuel system on my son's 200tdi including injector refurb.
It was the injection pump.
Symptoms were lumpy idle and stalling when lifting off the throttle.
When you are confident you have fuel and reliable 12v to the injector pump then it's most likely refurb time.
You would do well by replacing the fuel pipe from filter to injector pump with a clear pipe first of. I didn't follow my own advice and did that last 🙄
 
Here is my thread, mistakes and all .
 
Does it still have the sedimentor inboard at the rear axel ?

View attachment 332315

Was the fuel tank checked for 'gunge' or flaking paint gumming up the pick-up ?

No sedimenter, don’t think it’s ever had one if I’m honest. Pick up was checked and was clear. Tank wasn’t checked
 
We faffed about for weeks changing everything in the fuel system on my son's 200tdi including injector refurb.
It was the injection pump.
Symptoms were lumpy idle and stalling when lifting off the throttle.
When you are confident you have fuel and reliable 12v to the injector pump then it's most likely refurb time.
You would do well by replacing the fuel pipe from filter to injector pump with a clear pipe first of. I didn't follow my own advice and did that last 🙄
Not what I want to hear honestly!
I’ll have a go with the clear pipe when I’m next working on it, just so strange that it ran lovely when we first tried and now this.
 
I'd advise checking the function of the lift pump. Pull off the outlet pipe and crank it for a few seconds, as opposed to tickling the priming lever. The lift pumps can be fussy with the gasket /spacer thickness to the block. If the clearance is not correct the pump can either not prime properly, or deliver properly.
I'd also check that the return line is clear, back to the tank. If she can't bleed her system, you'll be going round in circles.
 
I'd advise checking the function of the lift pump. Pull off the outlet pipe and crank it for a few seconds, as opposed to tickling the priming lever. The lift pumps can be fussy with the gasket /spacer thickness to the block. If the clearance is not correct the pump can either not prime properly, or deliver properly.
I'd also check that the return line is clear, back to the tank. If she can't bleed her system, you'll be going round in circles.
Will give it a go. Fairly certain we’ve checked the return line but no harm in checking it twice!
 
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