starting running problem

[projectpajero]

the car is a 1991 j reg 2.5 td lwb. i have been happierly running the thing on a mixture of bio diesel. regular diesel and used veg oil without any problems at all. but this last week 3 lights on the dash started flickering, ( battery light, a/t temp light and orange engine light) and the more the engine revved the brighter they got. it then started cutting out , stalling not starting and running like crap. being an auto the car didnt want to change up gear either. so i have removed all old fuel and replaced with regular diesel. changed the fuel filter for new on and bled the fuel through. stll not starting now. bled again and finally got it to run lumpy. bled any last air again and even got it to rev smooth for a couple of mins before dying and not starting again. when it did run the dash lights flickered again. can someone point me in right direction. i have stripped and cleaned injectors and checked glow plugs. maybe ecu?

[markbass]

welcome to plcuk

the 3 lights on the dash will be you alternater is shot its probally been charging at way over what it should

i would check that first

[projectpajero]

alternator is fine and batteries charging fine i am thinking of along the lines that my ecu is fubar or running previously on bio fuel and oil has knackered the seals on the fuel pump.
scenario 1 the ecu is dead and therefore not controlling the engine properly so fuel and mixture not as it should be and various valves not opening as they should hence cutting out and not starting and lights on dash
scenario 2 fuel pump knackered and some sensor has detected this and the lightss are just there warning me that is is knackered.
scenario 3 the whole bloody car is fuggled has swine flu and that is why it is a pig to start

[markbass]

trust me the 3 lights on the dash will be alternater that will have be charging at maybe 15 volts possibly as much as 18v

this would be enough to blow the ecu for the box or the glowplugs and bugger a few other electrics up too

disconect batterys for a while to reset all ecus and reconnect check that the glowplugs are working and that the main fuse link hasnt blown

engine running problems are rare with a blown altinater but its not out of the question becuase of the high voltage that can be acheived

change your fuel filter as this might be gunged up with the oil and run a good fuel cleaner through the system

oil might have solidified in the pipe work with the cold weather

[Iceman]

Im with mark on this one, deffo alternator mate.

[andy r]

My vote goes with Geoff and Mark, the Paj is very plug dependant in colder weather, and seeing as you have fired something it wont go.

[projectpajero]

this bloody car just keeps getting more of a nightmare. why is it we buy them. i have a second hand ecu coming and going to try putting that on and clean all the connections from and around the alternator. double checked all fuses and they are ok. from what else i have read i am thinking along the lines that its the regulator part of the alternator, so does that mean a full alternator or can anything be done.
how would this affect the fuel and running and bad starting or am i still looking at a buggered fuel injector pump. is there anything cheap and easy to fix on these motors as i dont wabt to have to admit defeat and break it for spares.
but the way it is going i am open to offers as i am now having to be back on my bike and its bloody freezing and wet

[projectpajero]

ok so alternator may be the lights and electrical problem but it that also starting problem. just read on another forum about a guy who had an air leak. sucking air somewhere along the lines. is this something that anyone has had before

[projectpajero]

i think we are getting somewhere now. following other forum chat rooms it could be something to do with fuel filter/housing so i have bypassed that by putting an universal clear inline fuel filter between the lines that would go to fuel filter . using the engine to crank over fuel and with injecters loosened i got fuel to the injectors and can see clear fuel in the new filter with no air bubbles in. cranked it over again and she started and ran mostly smooth and idled ok, still got 3 lights flickering on dash and have managed to get an alternator off line to try when it comes but looking promising . thanks everyone for advice