Any master bleeders of Volvo 2003 around, please?

[NealB]

As mentioned elsewhere, our Volvo 2003 always started instantly, hot or cold, last season, and ran without a hiccup.

We launched last Thursday, and it fired up again in its customary style......only to stop after about half an hour.

We had a diesel heater installed over the winter, nothing else had been changed at that time, so that's the main suspect.

I therefore removed the feed to the heater, and reinstated the copper feed from the tank to the water separator. I'll worry about the heater once the engine is back to its reliable old self.

I also changed the fuel filter, which, as expected, was absolutely clean as a whistle.

If I bleed at the fuel filter on the block, it runs again, but keeps stopping after half an hour or so.

Do I need to loosen an injection pipe or two? Is there a bleed point on the injection pump that I've missed?

Very frustrating .....not quite the way our bank holiday was meant to be spent.

Thanks for any words of wisdom.

 

[<152587>]

So when it stops and you bleed it, does it issue air through the bleed nipple? Have you had the fuel delivery and return pipes removed from the injection pump over the winter, the banjo bolts are different bore.

 

[pvb]

If I bleed at the fuel filter on the block, it runs again, but keeps stopping after half an hour or so.

Do I need to loosen an injection pipe or two? Is there a bleed point on the injection pump that I've missed?

It sounds as if there is a small air leak, allowing air in to the system, which would eventually cause the engine to stop. In normal circumstances there's no need to bleed anywhere other than the bleed screw on the top of the secondary filter housing on the front of the engine. You might perhaps re-make the joints which have been disturbed, and check that the primary filter is properly fitted.

 

[penberth3]

...If I bleed at the fuel filter on the block, it runs again, but keeps stopping after half an hour or so.

Do I need to loosen an injection pipe or two? Is there a bleed point on the injection pump that I've missed?

Unlikely to be the injector pipes or pump if it starts ok and runs for half an hour.

I'd suspect an air leak around the new work. after half an hour there's enough air in the system to stop the engine. Might not be easy to find!

(Ah, cross posted with PVB, who has said more or less the same thing!)

 

[NealB]

So when it stops and you bleed it, does it issue air through the bleed nipple? Have you had the fuel delivery and return pipes removed from the injection pump over the winter, the banjo bolts are different bore.

Thanks ...

Yes, I bleed the filter till no bubbles, but when it stops......air bubbles again.

My initial thought was air being drawn in where the new heater was plumbed in.

I haven't touched the injection pump, or any connection to it, at all.

There is what looks like a blanking plug, on the injection pump, that the previous owner had painted yellow. In my ignorance, I am reluctant to fiddle around in that area, but wonder if that's a bleed point(though not mentioned in the user manual).

 

[NealB]

OK thanks PVB and Penberth3 ..... Confirmed my own thoughts.

I was hoping I'd missed a trick somewhere.

 

[penberth3]

OK thanks PVB and Penberth3 ..... Confirmed my own thoughts.

I was hoping I'd missed a trick somewhere.

I guessed you were thinking logically by disconnecting the heater first. You'll get there!

 

[pvb]

There is what looks like a blanking plug, on the injection pump, that the previous owner had painted yellow. In my ignorance, I am reluctant to fiddle around in that area, but wonder if that's a bleed point(though not mentioned in the user manual).

Are you maybe talking about the fuel lift pump, because there isn't a bleed plug on it. Your engine has 3 separate injection pumps, and they don't have a bleed plug either.

 

[NealB]

You could well be right!

It's on the port side, just forward, and, above, the oil dipstick.

 

[stevie69p]

I had a similar issue with a VP2001. Turned out that the lift pump diaphragm had a pin hole and was leaking back from there. Fortunately I had access in work to our Mityvac tool and was able to pressure test the fuel lines right back to the shut off valve just at the tank. Would be worth checking the lift pump...

 

[NealB]

Thanks stevie69p.

I ran the engine for a couple of hours yesterday, under load, alongside, then had to head home for a bbq.

If it starts easily this morning, I'll consider it job done, if not, the quest resumes.