ttrouble shooting fuel issue

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16th May 2025, 05:05 PM
thedani

ttrouble shooting fuel issue

Hi

I drove about 100 metres in my 1997 GQ patrol before it lost power and stalled. I called the RAA who found the bleed hose very loose and empty of fuel with none spilled out despite being loose. They tried to prime and nothing. They said it was a fuel issue. I got it towed to my local mechanic who has just rung and said when they pour petrol straight into the engine it turns over, but beyond that they don't know how to fix the issues and don't have the tools to pull apart the fuel pump. it needs to go to a diesel mechanic. I asked them when you turn it over can you hear the fuel pump turn over and they said yes. I asked them if they checked fuel pump fuse and they said they checked and replaced a couple of fuses with no difference except getting the electrical aerial to work again. For full context its worth mentioning that the last time the serviced the car they changed the fuel filter. I'm not sure why the bleed hose was loose given it wasnt long since the last service and that they were working in the general area.
My question is, is there anything i can ask them to check that might be at the root of the issue, before paying the money for a tow as this one i won't get through RAA and ive been quoted $150, and then also having to pay for the diesel mob to likely do all the same initial checks my local mechanic did, when I have hope it still might be an issue they can fix and have missed? Ive read online that air issues can create these symptoms and given the bleed hose was loose could an air issue been caused that affects the fuel system from working? or can i ask them to check any other hoses or fittings that might be the source of the issue, or anything else to just make sure before going down the next chapter of expense?
16th May 2025, 06:08 PM
PeeBee

OK couple of simple and maybe obvious things to check.
1) are the fuel hoses tightly clamped so no fuel gets out?
2)Are the fuel hoses in good condition and not old and perished, so air can get into the system
3) I assume you have a reasonable amount of fuel in the tank? If yes, then get on the hand primer and start pushing it, could take you 15 minutes or more if the air is completely from the tank to the filter/primer
4) does you car run an electric lift pump? Iso, check it is running , you should be able to hear it as a dull pulse
5) bit concerned at your comment that the mechanic poured petrol into the engine and it runs - might want to check that as the fuel needs to be distributed to the cylinders by the fuel injection pump, you cant open throat pour diesel into a fuel injection system
6) Have they tried a small amount of aerostart to see if it kicks on?
7)Pump the primer pump until it goes hard. I dont have the patrol fuel injection pump on my engine, maybe you need to crack an injector also to get the air out and also the bllend screw on the primer - TD guys, pls chime in.
8) You need to be specific on the engine you havem TB, TD42 or RD28 - this may make a difference
16th May 2025, 10:04 PM
thedani

PeeBee this is all super helpful. Mechanic has my car and was already closed when your message came through. not open again till Monday, but i will go down first thing Monday morning and confirm engine type and what he actually did with the petrol and stand with him and do everything on your list. I really appreciate your help on this as when he started telling me it could be $3-$4K and a new pump, but couldnt really tell me what his guys had done to eliminate it being anything smaller beyond telling me they changed fuses and poured petrol, but fuel pump does turn over - he said he can hear it going around if that makes sense to you? this may be the dull pulse you refer to? i will clarify on monday with him.
19th May 2025, 02:24 PM
thedani

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeeBee

OK couple of simple and maybe obvious things to check.
1) are the fuel hoses tightly clamped so no fuel gets out?
2)Are the fuel hoses in good condition and not old and perished, so air can get into the system
3) I assume you have a reasonable amount of fuel in the tank? If yes, then get on the hand primer and start pushing it, could take you 15 minutes or more if the air is completely from the tank to the filter/primer
4) does you car run an electric lift pump? Iso, check it is running , you should be able to hear it as a dull pulse
5) bit concerned at your comment that the mechanic poured petrol into the engine and it runs - might want to check that as the fuel needs to be distributed to the cylinders by the fuel injection pump, you cant open throat pour diesel into a fuel injection system
6) Have they tried a small amount of aerostart to see if it kicks on?
7)Pump the primer pump until it goes hard. I dont have the patrol fuel injection pump on my engine, maybe you need to crack an injector also to get the air out and also the bllend screw on the primer - TD guys, pls chime in.
8) You need to be specific on the engine you havem TB, TD42 or RD28 - this may make a difference

Hi - update - when i made the above suggestions the mechanic said he had already tried them - but he didnt mention any of them when he called me last friday so im honestly not sure. I don't think he liked being told. He said there were 'two year old things and they were experienced mechanics' :(!...but then said leave it with him for another couple of days, so no idea. In answer to the question what type of englne its an RD28. Any other suggestions would be so much appreciated.
19th May 2025, 05:02 PM
PeeBee

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedani

Hi - update - when i made the above suggestions the mechanic said he had already tried them - but he didnt mention any of them when he called me last friday so im honestly not sure. I don't think he liked being told. He said there were 'two year old things and they were experienced mechanics' :(!...but then said leave it with him for another couple of days, so no idea. In answer to the question what type of englne its an RD28. Any other suggestions would be so much appreciated.

OK, well at least you are showing him that 'others out there' do troubleshooting a bit differently - even if its supposedly '2 yr old level'! I bought a 1997 GQ LWB new with that motor, ran it until it reached 70,000klm, did a pile of micro tweaks and also fell in a lot of holes as well. The GQ is a mechanical pump, unlike the GU, so its pretty simple. You do need to crack at least one injector to bleed the system, and also at the lift pump bleed screw as you have mentioned. From there its just a pile of finger pumping pain to get the air out. It wont self purge that easily. My Chev V8 Diesel has a lift pump and you simply leave it running on access. for 20 mins and the air gets pushed out, no cracking anything. Its a good engine, high revving but fairly torque-less from my impressions. Just keep up the filter changes and oil changes, watch the heat, as you can do head gaskets pretty quickly, but I have driven mine until it was so hot it was barely idling, and once it cooled down, happy days. So, I guess you have to see what they find since they are the experts, ???