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Many older diesel MBs, from the 617 to 352A took the same primer pump, which has been superceded by one that does not have the unscrew feature, http://catalog.peachparts.com/item.wws?sku=W0133-1715211&itempk=76293&mfr=Bosch&weight=0.13 but on which you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

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.

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 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Isnt this camper similar to Roy's new bus?
It looks like a great van.
A belated welcome to you!!!

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Hello Again !

After laying up my 307D CamperVan for the last year, I've dusted it down, got it back on the road, and now have a fresh MOT - it's a bit late for this summer, but I wanted it back running and road legal again before another year passes.

Last Month I fitted new rear wheel cylinders, as both were leaking and were probably original 1984 factory items I'd say. Everything's good now - or I say WAS good now, as I have running problems again !

Symnptoms are similar to before - the engine struggles to start, and when it does start, runs real rough - lots of white smoke out the exhaust pipe, and needs the pedal to the floor just to get it running and bearly ticking over at idle. If I can get it running, it runs real rough - and revs up and down on it's own (with the pedal held to the floor), until it ultimately dies...

It revs a little with some pumping of the gas pedal, but ultimately the engine dies and won't then run at all.

I've performed the following checks :-

• Engine Oil is clean and uncontaminated
• Coolant is fresh and uncontaminated
• The fuel hoses that are short and run between each of the fuel injectors linking them together have all been replaced as they were perished and starting to leak - this was done about 3 months ago and the truck ran fine after these were done.
• Last year I flushed the fuel tank and replaced some of the fuel lines.

If you read this thread earlier from last year, you'll see that this truck appears to have the 'old' style fuel pump primer.

My diagnosis is that I think I have fuel starvation issues. I don't think the Head Gasket has gone as there's no cross-contamination of fluids or any overheating before this problem occurred.

Now the truck won't run barely at all and it's very frustrating.

I would appreciate any opinions out there on where I should start my diagnosis of this problem - and also, before I start dismantaling the fuel tank and lines again, could anybody point me in the direction and tell me where the fuel pump is located, so I can remove it and have a look ?

The truck itself has only covered 62,000 miles from new - and prior to these running problems has been very reliable for me over the past 6 years - during which time I've only travelled arond 8,000 miles in it. I wonder if the lack of use is likely to have led to these problems ?


With Best Regards,

Terry.

Step one:
Remove the doghouse and pull the vacuum line off the shut off valve at the back of the IP and see if the problem goes away.
Fuel/lift pump is bolted to the side of the IP directly downstream of the plastic primary filter.

__________________
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

Kerry,

Thanks for the info - will check & report back findings.

Regards,

Terry.