This summer I drove my Delica across the country to Newfoundland. I took it in to the shop this morning for an oil change, and decided to have one of the fuel filters I brought with me installed. when the mechanic gave me the keys he warned that it wasn't starting very well since they installed the fuel filter. I got him to take me out to the van and explain what happened. He claims that when they primed the filter after installing that a gasket inside the housing for the filter must have given up.
Does this diagnosis make sense? Has this ever occured to any of you? I hate to assume the worst, but part of me thinks they probably just did a poor job installing it, ie: not bleeding the air properly, not greasing something or getting dirt into the system etc... He said he'd take a look at it again tomorrow, but I'd like to be more informed before I see him again, so any suggestions would be very welcome!
Cheers,
Ben
Help! fuel filter installed and my van is barely running now
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beenie
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Big-Bird
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Re: Help! fuel filter installed and my van is barely running
A gasket gave up?...... Interesting assessment without opening the filter system so thats what techs like me would call an assumption.
The fuel filter comes with new O-rings, just like an oil filter does.
Damage to an O-ring, if this is the case, could have occurred prior to the job or during the job. O-Rings don't just fail and make the 4m40 run rough. When they fail they are the cause for fuel leaks and with the high pressure it would make itself known quickly via a liquid mess.
Sounds like trapped air...easy to fix OR a fouled injector which can occur if something got into the fuel stream during the filter swap but this is rare.
The pet-cock on the top of the fuel filter mount needs to be opened first, then the top primer pump is pushed until fuel comes out the pet-cock (hopefully the plastic hose is still attached to direct fuel into a catch can or tray). Usually 5-10 pumps is enough to expel air and prime the system
Hers some help from the Pajero Club in the UK....if the priming isn't done right it can take 10-30 minutes to expel all the entrapped air, it all depends on how much stuff the tech removed to change the filter. If he completely removed the unit then the fuel line from the tank would have drained out and thats a pain cuz it can take some time to reprime the entire fuel system
As copied from Pajeroclub.com.au
"just disconect the conector plug that runs to the bottom of the filter and unclip it from the bracket now unscrew the white plug at the bottom of filter just enough to loosen it then with a pair of multi grips if it wont undo by hand use the grips to loosen it then slowly undo the filter you will get some fuel spilt but this can be cleaned up later once you have removed it then just unscrew the bottom plug fit plug plus new o ring to new filter tighten by hand as tight as you can then screw it back on replug the conector and pump the the fuel pump on top of fuel pump about 5 to 10 times till it gets hard to pump if this dont work then there is a bolt on the front that you loosen then pump till you get fuel and not air coming out then tighten back up clean up area then all is done"
The fuel filter comes with new O-rings, just like an oil filter does.
Damage to an O-ring, if this is the case, could have occurred prior to the job or during the job. O-Rings don't just fail and make the 4m40 run rough. When they fail they are the cause for fuel leaks and with the high pressure it would make itself known quickly via a liquid mess.
Sounds like trapped air...easy to fix OR a fouled injector which can occur if something got into the fuel stream during the filter swap but this is rare.
The pet-cock on the top of the fuel filter mount needs to be opened first, then the top primer pump is pushed until fuel comes out the pet-cock (hopefully the plastic hose is still attached to direct fuel into a catch can or tray). Usually 5-10 pumps is enough to expel air and prime the system
Hers some help from the Pajero Club in the UK....if the priming isn't done right it can take 10-30 minutes to expel all the entrapped air, it all depends on how much stuff the tech removed to change the filter. If he completely removed the unit then the fuel line from the tank would have drained out and thats a pain cuz it can take some time to reprime the entire fuel system
As copied from Pajeroclub.com.au
"just disconect the conector plug that runs to the bottom of the filter and unclip it from the bracket now unscrew the white plug at the bottom of filter just enough to loosen it then with a pair of multi grips if it wont undo by hand use the grips to loosen it then slowly undo the filter you will get some fuel spilt but this can be cleaned up later once you have removed it then just unscrew the bottom plug fit plug plus new o ring to new filter tighten by hand as tight as you can then screw it back on replug the conector and pump the the fuel pump on top of fuel pump about 5 to 10 times till it gets hard to pump if this dont work then there is a bolt on the front that you loosen then pump till you get fuel and not air coming out then tighten back up clean up area then all is done"
Yeah I joined the Dark Side because the medical plan is top shelf!
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Diver
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Re: Help! fuel filter installed and my van is barely running
The seal inside the primer pump/housing does commonly go and cause air to be sucked in so it is possible that the mechanic is right. A pump that hasn't been operated for a while is a likely candidate for such an issue.
If it is that expect difficulties starting in the morning as the fuel will drain back to the tank overnight.
If it is that expect difficulties starting in the morning as the fuel will drain back to the tank overnight.
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beenie
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Re: Help! fuel filter installed and my van is barely running
Thank you for your replies! I didn't get a chance to read them before I saw the mechnanic the next day, but it did turn out to be air in the system. I had printed the pages of the manual and a discussion which included the fix for air in the system when I went in, so the mechanic just went back through the steps to properly install the filter and it worked. It is my understanding that the procedure for properly installing a fuel filter is not specific to Delicas at all, I can't believe the mechanic botched this!
Cheers,
Ben
Cheers,
Ben