[Captain]

Well, I've been stalking this forum for years but now I have taken the time to actually join... cos now I have an issue.

2011 FD 1.6 CRDi with 270,000kms and NEVER missed a beat... until

Day 1 - Fuel level low so added 20L of premium Diesel fuel. drove for 4km and then idled for 10 mins. Ambient temp was 30 degrees Celsius. Started off again and after 1km the car died after 3K rpm... shifted gear and same problem, turbo was spooling but once turbo cut out, so did 90% of power. Limped it home (500m)

Day 2 - Pulled filter off and checked - no water, very minimal dirt. Changed filter anyway. Car would not start. primed new filter cos like a fool, id forgotten, then reattached rail feed line and primed line. Car started, coughed, spluttered, pinged if revs lifted.... idled rough for 10 mins then cleared. Road tested around and was perfectly fine.

Day 3 - Went to car -crank but no start... removed fuel line from filter out pipe and primed - fuel flow OK, no air or dirt. reconnect fuel line and prime fuel line - crank no start. have now read 10 different threads on the forum about filter issues etc and have determined there is no crack in the filter housing that i can identify and there seems to be no leak from filter seal or from sensor seal. even if there was, i would think it would at least start. I have had no dash light or DTCs show up... I'm gonna lift the seat and pull out the pump and pump strainer, but again, even if it is dirty, I would expect it to at least start...

Ideas?
is Diesel bug an issue in Australia?
TIA

[Dazzler]

Welcome Captain,

Yes, diesel bug can definitely be an issue in Australia.  You've already covered any of the other scenarios that I was going to suggest.   

Search diesel bug on here for more details. Had quite a few mentions.

[Captain]

and the fuel filter brand thing.... I used a Ryco Z707... Ive seen that someone said it was fine and didn't cause the issue others had with cheap filters etc. Didn't check if it had the "inner tube" that was mentioned in one of the posts. Are the old type filters still available, or will the one I got be fine?

[Dazzler]

and the fuel filter brand thing.... I used a Ryco Z707... Ive seen that someone said it was fine and didn't cause the issue others had with cheap filters etc. Didn't check if it had the "inner tube" that was mentioned in one of the posts. Are the old type filters still available, or will the one I got be fine?

I thought there were two different oil filters for the diesel depending on build date, but thought the diesel filters was only one type. I have been wrong a couple of times in 62,000 posts...

[Captain]

Im gonna assume that the new fuel filter is fine...
I pulled the pump.... strainer is clean, fuel in the tank is clean as can be. tank doesn't even have sediment in it, which surprised the hell outa me.... but now im at a loss. ive hooked it all back up but left the cover off the pump access.... should I be able to hear the pump prime when i turn the key to ignition reds? or is it too quiet for that? Ive changed out the pump relay and fuse, but both were fine.... im wondering if the pump is dicky... hmmmmm. maybe if I pull the "out" hose off the pump, add a bit of hose to a can and see if the pump is operating during crank?

[Dazzler]

Fingers crossed someone has a brainwave! 

[Captain]

Pulled feed line from pump off of filter and turned on ignition... no flow. Cranked engine... no flow... looks like the pump is dead, but nfi if its a secondary issue or not.
Supercheap auto shows new fuel pump for $535 odd!!!! So, that aint happening for a while. Id be happy just to change the pump, but they seem to only sell the full sender assembly... tho they sell the sender with no pump for $220... thats odd that a little metal fuel pump, similar to a commodore pump, is $300, when the holden similar componant is about $50....

[tw2005]

Pulled feed line from pump off of filter and turned on ignition... no flow. Cranked engine... no flow... looks like the pump is dead, but nfi if its a secondary issue or not.
Supercheap auto shows new fuel pump for $535 odd!!!! So, that aint happening for a while. Id be happy just to change the pump, but they seem to only sell the full sender assembly... tho they sell the sender with no pump for $220... thats odd that a little metal fuel pump, similar to a commodore pump, is $300, when the holden similar componant is about $50....

I'll just sort something out here and now before you go on a goose chase.

There is no pump in the tank so you can putv that all back and stop searching for life as we know it in that area.

The pump is mechanically driven by the timing chain and is a bosch unit located lower left corner of engine sitting above the A/C compressor, you won't miss it.

I've heard / read of this 3000RPM, limp mode, not exactly all over it myself without having a search or read.  @nzenigma Gary is likely upo to speed with this more, I'd have to have a read what conditions trigger this but i'm thinking on the electrical side ofr the house or I've read of vac lines. You may have to plug into the diagnostics for live data and see if there is a clue or there may even be some codes logged anyway but not flagging a MIL.

have you scanned for codes yet?

[tw2005]

There's a sticky on limp mode,

also check vac lines, the turbo is variable vane, there's a vac servo that sits right on top, there's also some vac lines and solenoid valves around the oil filter area. I often disconnect the connector on that one for filter change, not sure exactly now what that routes to.

Just throwing random thoughts .

Fuel pressure problem with my 2009 i30 diesel.

[Captain]

Oh just wonderful... so there is no pump in the sender unit... well thats just great...
Thanks for the heads up guys...
Wait... if its a mechanical pump, then what is the fuel pump relay and fuel pump fuse controlling? With a mechanical pump, shouldnt it be pumping fuel when i crank the motor? Cos its not...
So, the filter is fine... the filter housing is fine, the fuel is fine, the sender sock is fine, i guess it MUST be a vac line... this is gonna be fun... *sigh*
(Yeah tw, i followed that linked thread before i started this hunt... her in tank strainer was blocked... i wish mine had been, but it was clean as new). I looked at the sticky limp mode thread too, but so far, im not finding the cause...

[tw2005]

I may have to eat my words or shorts or ...? There may be a low pressure pump in that tank but I would have sworn it's been said previous there was not, I may have to check more but I can say that if you had a bottle with diesel or diesel purge and disconnected the feed and return lines after the filter and had them in the bottle the mechanical pump will suck it through and engine will run.

I still think there is not.

[tw2005]

item 8 is referred to fuel sender , I'm thinking no pump.

[tw2005]

[Captain]

Thanks TW...
Those pics will help in diagnosis. What gets me is the order of things:

Added fuel
Drives fine until 3000rpm then power dies
Changed filter and drives fine
Left over night and now wont start

I mean, thats just nuts...

I just got thru reading every post in the sticky... i have factory cc so its not that. I cant see a crack in the fuel filter housing, and i assume that a crack would allow it to start. Im going to check all the swiches and sensors in the system and also vac lines, but its gonna be a mamoth undertaking. I dont have a scan tool as i have not worked as a mechanic for 15 years now... is there a way to flash code it?

[tw2005]

Thanks TW...
Those pics will help in diagnosis. What gets me is the order of things:

Added fuel
Drives fine until 3000rpm then power dies
Changed filter and drives fine
Left over night and now wont start

I mean, thats just nuts...

I just got thru reading every post in the sticky... i have factory cc so its not that. I cant see a crack in the fuel filter housing, and i assume that a crack would allow it to start. Im going to check all the swiches and sensors in the system and also vac lines, but its gonna be a mamoth undertaking. I dont have a scan tool as i have not worked as a mechanic for 15 years now... is there a way to flash code it?

I don't believe so but generic scantools are fairly cheap as are bluetooth, avoid jaycar they are thieves although I got stuck and spat $70 out as i was desparate. Something that will give live data could be handy but not sure how detailed some are,

I'm just a hobbyist tinkerer with some nous but I'm not all over the finer intricacies of how CRDi and turbo systems work. Is fun working things out and learning. Mine i've had nil issues like this to date with any of mine yet my old man had one from new and mysteriously would just cut out.

In the end i figured 99% of what the dealer had done and diagnosed was bullshit. But that's a very long story. Fixed in the end by replacing the car with a CX-3

[tw2005]

not sure if this will help paying for a scan, may satisfy curiosity

You could get a BT dongle or scan tool likely for similar online.