One of the hard fuel injection lines snapped at the pump on my car, leaving me with 1 cylinder not firing and diesel spraying all over my engine. I decided to try and bodge it rather than get towed.

I took both ends of the line off, and connected the longer piece to the pump, then bent it and directed it into a large coke bottle that I tied into the engine bay with a shoelace. I drove 300 miles this way, with a distinct lack of power, a very lumpy/shaly idle, and having to pull over every 40 miles to empty the coke bottle back into my fuel tank.

I've been thinking about it a lot, but any chance I could have done any damage this way? The one cylinder was probably cold for a while, but teh 300 miles were done at 60mph so it wont have been cold for long.

Anyone have a spare number 5 (rear) injection line for an OM602?!

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1991 W124 250D - 130k Miles

I got mine from the dealer, $40. Make sure that the supports for all the lines are in place. If not, the vibrations will cause it to break again in about 412 miles.

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Greg
2012 S350 BlueTEC 4Matic
2007 ML 320 CDI
2007 Leisure Travel Serenity
2006 Sprinter 432k
2005 E320 CDI
1998 SLK230 (teal)
1998 SLK230 (silver)
1996 E300D 99k, 30k on WVO
Previous:
1983 240D, on WVO
1982 300D, on WVO
1983 300CD, on WVO
1986 300SDL 237k, 25k on WVO (Deerslayer)
1991 350SDL 249k, 56k on WVO - Retired to a car spa in Phoenix
1983 380 SEC w/603 diesel, 8k on WVO
1996 E300D 351k, 177k on WVO

I think in the past someone has bent all of mine out of shape, not many of the supports are in place. $40 is cheaper than I thought it would be though. Do you reckon a diesel injection shop could make up a generic length of line?

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1991 W124 250D - 130k Miles

Some Diesel Fuel Injectin Shops have the equipment to make Fuel Injection Lines.

I have never read or seen any damage caused by driving on a Cylinder with no Fuel getting injected into it on a Car.
I have seen it done on Detroit Diesels on Trucks but the Engine cannot be driven under a load; you have to leave the Trailer (Chassie) behind.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Thats good to hear! I have sourced a second hand line for not much money. Does anyone have a picture of the type and position of the clips thats are supposed to be on lines 4 and 5? The EPC isnt very helpful here.

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1991 W124 250D - 130k Miles

I forgot to say something. When the Fuel Injection Shop makes a Fuel Injection line for you it is nomally not bent to fit your Engine. You have to do that your self. That is one of the reasons that they cost less at a Fuel Injection Shop.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Well, I've managed to get a second hand line and install it. I bent lines 4 and 5 apart and seperated them with a proper clip. Although I dont think theyre in exactly the right place, theyre no longer rubbing on each other.

I started the car up on 4 cylinders and after about 10 seconds it started firing on all 5. Happy times! Now I have a few more problems:

1) I have a slight in injector knock from cylinder 5. Above 1600RPM this completely disappears. I assume this is just some air in the line and will disappear with driving?
2) It looks like my IP delivery valve seals are leaking, since even after an extended run up to temp the top of the pump is still wet.
3) My ABS light comes on as soon as I first drive off and the ABS has stopped working. Any ideas?

It never ends with this car....

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1991 W124 250D - 130k Miles

3: That the light comes on when you first drive off suggests a dirty or bad wheel speed sensor.

Thanks, I'll be looking at those tomorrow then.

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1991 W124 250D - 130k Miles

1) If you still have air in the injector line... With the engine running, loosen the injector hard line at the injector (just slightly), it should get most of the air out and then start spraying diesel. I believe it takes a 14mm wrench, or a crow's foot (dealer).

2) The delivery valve seals are pretty easy. You just have to make sure that the IP is clean, and nothing falls into the delivery valves while you're taking things out. You'll need a special socket (splined) from the dealer. It takes 5 o-rings for the OM602, about $1 each from the dealer. There are also 5 copper washers, although it's debated whether or not to replace these. Here's the DIY article: http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/OM602InjPumpFuelLeak

One you do those, you'll need to get the air out of the lines again. It takes a bit of cranking, but, with a solid battery, it's pretty easy.

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1982 240D, sold 9/17/2008
1987 300D TurboW124.133 - 603.960, 722.317 - Smoke Silver Metallic / Medium Red (702/177), acquired 8/15/2009
262,715 and counting

I had my lines break at the pump in sequence over about a period of one month...weird, huh? Anyway, I ended up brazing some of the cracks and that has been working fine ever since.

I'd be willing to be that the leaking DV seals might be contributing to an air leak. This will cause a delay in the timing on that cylinder and give you the injector knock. (This is assuming your injectors are ok)

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Dan
2005 E320 CDI - 246k
1987 300SDL TD05-16g, Herlevi pump, Elbe manifold, 2.47 LSD - 213k
Past: 1987 300D - 264k

Thanks very much for the help guys. I'm going to go to the dealer tomorrow and try and get the bits to do the DV's, hopefully they'll have it all in stock otherwise there is a diesel injection shop I can try.

So, do I risk changing the copper crush washers? The car has 160k and I imagine they've never been done. I would love to do them but after reading a lot of threads I'm worried I'll put it all back together and it'll be worse.

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1991 W124 250D - 130k Miles

You need to understand exactly what you're doing with that job. If you miss any of the details and the DV doesn't seat properly...........you'll be bringing the IP to an injection shop.

Yeah I've been reading a lot of threads. I think I'll buy the washers too then see what I feel like when I get it apart.

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1991 W124 250D - 130k Miles

tom, very 'ghetto', but clever way to keep the car running. man, i wonder how many fuel lines can break before these engines stop being drivable. two? three on a turbo? haha, no way

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