Thanks for all the info, didn't have much time on sunday but squirted some diesel and cleaner into the pump bleed port, turned it over and had bubbles at the port and fluid coming from the pipes at the injectors, but the pump appears to be empty at the bleed port again now....does this move me on at all?

GBmoto said:

Thanks for all the info, didn't have much time on sunday but squirted some diesel and cleaner into the pump bleed port, turned it over and had bubbles at the port and fluid coming from the pipes at the injectors, but the pump appears to be empty at the bleed port again now....does this move me on at all?

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Just do up all the bleed screws, loosen an injector pipe, and spin it over. If there is a drip of fuel coming from the pipe, tighten the union, it should start.

If there is no dripping fuel, you will need to try cleaning the pump as I described.

When we have an old thing that has been stood, and it is reluctant, we usually put it on the back of a tractor and tow it up the lane in gear. They always self bleed and start eventually. If it has been stood for more than a year we always change all the fuel in the tank and filters first. Just a matter of turning it over long enough, but it will burn your starter doing it on that.

Thanks for the helpful advice all, left the Landy for the week with diesel cleaner syringed through the bleed port.
Charged battery, connected to Wife's Jeep with jump leads and a very slow turn over, swapped to Daughters jump leads and fired on the 3 try, running on the 4th.
Yay..............
Probably would have fired last week with the different jump leads.......oh well.......should have noticed really.
After a little while settled down nicely....quiet (for a 12j) and the smoke cleared quickly.
But all is not great sadly......
Have a steady drip of diesel from the timing case........I suppose this means the front seal on the diesel pump???
I guess to sort this is a pump rebuild??????
The lift pump is new and doesn't seem to be dumping diesel into the sump so don't think that's the cause...which is a pity as that would be a simple fix.

Seal replaced today with pump insitu and no leaks

Big job tho' (for me!) and setting up the timing is way more difficult when the engine is installed, ended up taking pictures end on to make sure it was all lining up!

Try tow starting it. The 12j is a bumhole to start when the fuel system has been buggered with

Good job, glad you got it sorted.