Afternoon All,

I'm a new member to the forum.

I've owned a 307D Campervan for 6 years & never had any problems.

Having had it off the road for the past 18 months, I've started re-commissioning it for use.

However, I have what I think are some fuelling problems - having driven it for the first time earlier this week, it ran for about 2 miles, then the engine started losing power, and eventually died - and refused to run at more than a stammering lumpy idle even at WOT position.

I thought this may be old Diesel Fuel / dirty tank syndrome, so I stripped down the fuel filler, fuel tank, and all associated lines, drained the old fuel, flushed the tank and the filler pipes, replaced all old fuel hoses and joints.

Whislt I was at it, I removed the radiator, changed the fuel filter (spin-on type at the front of the engine), and replaced al lwith new items and new anti-freeze.

This was a day's work - today I filled it with around 20 litres of new fresh Diesel - now the engine turns over on the starter, but refuses to fire at all (before it was firing intermittently).

I suspect now I may have air-lock problems in the fuel lines - but I'm no expert - or is this likely to be something else I've missed.

..If you can suggest any fault-finding I should try next, or have any ideas, I would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks !

Terry.

Panic Over !

Having read some older threads I discovered the white circular manual fuel pump, directly behind the fuel filter housing - but which can only be accessed from within the drivers' cab with the engine cover off.

Having pumped around 30-40 times, fuel could be heard being drawn into the engine, and resistance was notably harder.

Once I cranked the engine over a few times, holding the revs at around 3,000-4,000, normal-strength engine power appears now to have been restored.

Regards,

Terry.

Welcome Terry.

Would love to see some pictures of that beast.

Many older diesel MBs, from the 617 to 352A took the same primer pump, which has been superceded by one that does not have the unscrew feature, http://catalog.peachparts.com/item.wws?sku=W0133-1715211&itempk=76293&mfr=Bosch&weight=0.13 but on which you just repeatedly press the black cap. Most of the older ones, just due to age, are ready to start leaking (fuel out and air in).

__________________
James Marriott
2003 Buick Regal
1983 300D (228k, frau Auto)
1996 Suburban K2500 (192k, 6.5 turbo diesel/4WD towmaster 10,000)
www.engineeringworks.biz
1987 300SDL junker 170k
1982 300SD junker, 265k

James,

Thanks for the reply and comments on the van - I've uploaded some pictures of it for you ! :-



See here for a couple of more :-

http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/ll82/FinalEditionE34M5/1984%20307D%20MotorHome/?albumview=slideshow

BAD NEWS ! - HELP ! :-

Since my last post, I've had the van in for it's Annual M.O.T. (UK Legal Roadworthy Annual Test), with a friendly mechanic friend of mine who works on Merc Diesels.

On Friday I picked it up - all good - passed OK - had a brake fluid and Oil change, and a couple of replacement bulbs.

However, smiles turned sour on the way home - the van started spluttering and dying on the steep hill on the way up to my house. I managed to (just about) coax the van onto the flat - where it roared back into life, and went down the next hill at WOT up to 55mph, only to splutter and die again at the next hill.

I've taken off the engine cover and tryed priming the fuel again - I can see some fuel, and lots of air bubbles, being pumped into the engine.

The van now won't run at all, won't start, and the pump doesn't seem to be doing anything useful at all.

I've had the van six years - it's never let me down like this - and I've never had to use the manual primer, before, up until last week.

Do you think my sudden use of this primer pump could be introducing more air into the system - thus causing more problems, that answers, or is there anything else I should check........?

(I should add that I've also recently changed the cannister-style Diesel Fuel Filter, too).

All assistance greatfully recieved - we're supposed to be going away in it next week !

If this is the old style primer pump, it may be the source of the problem. Is it the type that unscrews to release the plunger? Did it leak fuel when you where pumping? That is a lovely camper, by the way.

__________________
Kevin

1978 300D
1979 240D

Yes, a leaky primer pump could easily be the source of the problem. However, since you also wrote that you change the lines etc, any fitting could be leaking air into the system. The key to the diagnosis is the fact that it fails uphill and runs ok downhill. Uphill, with the fuel naturally running back towards the tank it is easy to get air in the system. Downhill, with the fuel running towards the engine it is much more difficult to get air in. You're going to have to trace down the source of the air intrusion. Screwing the primer pump down tight would be a first place to start, then rechecking the hose and clamps you replaced.
A simply test to confirm the problem would be to remove the doghouse and feed fuel directly to the primer pump from a gallon jug in the cab, putting input and return lines into the gallon jug. Go for a drive including a steep hill. If it runs fine, you've confirmed that the problem lies in the fuel delivery system somewhere. Personally, I would simply assume the problem lies in something you recently worked on.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Kevin,

Thanks for the info - will check the primer pump - my van has the old-style version.

Kerry,

Yes makes sense - am going to spend tomorrow re-checking the work I did on the fuel lines between the filler and the tank, and the two lines going from the top of the tank into the engine.

Questions I have :-

1). Where is the fuel pump located ?
2). Regarding the two fuel lines coming out of the top of the Fuel Tank - is one fuel-in, and one fuel-return from the engine ?

Will report update tomorrow once I've had a further look at the van.

Thanks,

Terry.

Hi Terry,

What sort of engine do you have? Is it a 5 cylinder (OM617) diesel?

Sorry answer to the questions

1) Fuel pump is probably at the front on the engine (this is a guess though)
2) Yes one supply, one return (Both are filtered on my OM617 - fuel in has a big screw on canister - fuel out a small see through plastic filter.

Fuel pump is on the side of the IP just downstream from the primary filter. Primer pump screws into it. No, two lines are probably not feed and return. They are probably vent and return. Feed line should come from the bottom of the tank. (this applies to sedans--it's possible things are different on the vans but I doubt it) Don't cross up feed and return. The return line does not have a screen in the tank and does not go to the bottom of the tank. If your tank is relatively low on fuel and you switched the lines, it might produce the symptoms you describe.

Again, this advice applies to 123 sedans. Your situation may be different. I've owned a 307d but never had to mess with the fuel lines at the tank. Is there no fuel line coming from the bottom of the tank and going to the engine? Pictures may help. There aren't a lot of people who post here with experience on MB vans.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

It's an om616. The '7' in 307d indicates this. It means 70hp. If it were an om617 it would be a 409d or a 209d (the 309d designation belonged to a bus in a different chassis size)

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I don't know if this helps, but here is a picture of the lift pump and new style primer just below the injection pump. This is an OM 616 1979 240D.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Kevin

1978 300D
1979 240D

In re-reading your initial post, I'd say the symptoms are consistent with a fungus growing in the fuel while the vehicle sat and plugging up the filters and tanks screen. Was the clear plastic filter you replaced black? It sounds like you worked a lot on the fuel tank. Did you not find a tank screen inside the tank during that process. That screen can also get plugged with fungus. If your tank has a screen and the problem is fungus, you may have done enough by replacing the filters to get it to run but it's possible that your current symptoms are being caused by fungus clogging the tank screen.
I suggest fungus since you live in a damp environment.
Typically on a sedan the fuel feeds from the bottom of the tank. The nipple for the rubber hose is set into a large nut which can be unscrewed from the tank. The screen is on the other side of this nut.

Pictures:
tank removal pics - 300DT

More:

Tank Screen Removal - Pictorial

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Thanks to all for your messages - which were of a great help - apologies for the 12 month wait for an update !

The Camper van is now in rude health - it appears the fuel lines were inadvertantly crossed-over when I put it back to together (thanks for the advice, Kerry) - it's now all sorted and back on the road...

....just got a couple of leaky rear wheel brake cylinders - which I'll be addressing this week....

army... are you saying your clear filter is on your return line???
it should not be.
BOTH filters should be on the fuel supply to the IP line...

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!