Blocked Injectors on VP D3-190

[DeanoJS]

I had a bad case of diesel bug in my fuel system last year which caused my to replace the fuel pumps (x2), injectors (x10), dump the fuel, clean the tank, new fuel lines and filters and start again.

Within less than 10 hours of running on the new setup I started getting rough idling problems, cutting out and hard starts. I have just had the injectors and pumps removed again and sent to a professional shop for testing, to be told that they are gummed up with "polymerised fuel". Apparently a problem that is becoming more common due to bio-content and desulphurisation and exacerbated by infrequent use.

Just wondering if any others are having similar problems and if so are there any recommendations to prevent it from happening again.

 

[Portofino]

No .

Because I always dose @ fill ups throughout the season with one of the many agri diesel fuel additives .

Leave ( Med based ) the tanks low over the closed season and immediately top up with fresh at the start of next .
Periodic engine run ups in the winter to circulate fluids inc the fuel .
Italian tune up after the engines regular annual service .
Have racor primar filters with clear bowls and slight glasses on the tanks so can visually inspect the fuel on board .

 

[DeanoJS]

Thanks Portofino. Is yours a common rail diesel?

 

[Portofino]

Thanks Portofino. Is yours a common rail diesel?

No it’s 2003 ish EDC .

Yes CR is very fussy on fuel quality hardly any if any wiggle room .

 

[marcochi76]

Leave ( Med based ) the tanks low over the closed season and immediately top up with fresh at the start of next .

I thought it was suggested to always keep the tanks full during winter to avoid water condensation in the tanks and build up of "vegetation" on the tank walls?
Am I wrong?

I am at my 2nd winter season so I'd like to do it correctly.

 

[Portofino]

I thought it was suggested to always keep the tanks full during winter to avoid water condensation in the tanks and build up of "vegetation" on the tank walls?
Am I wrong?

I am at my 2nd winter season so I'd like to do it correctly.

More of a cold climate mantra .
You now have to balance the todays issue long term fragile low sulphur fuel storage issues .
Hence additives are a must .
As said water should separate in the racors ( or equivalent? ) and you should have WIFs .Water in fuel alarms as well in the primary filters .As opposed to an alarm based in the secondary or worse pump in which case it’s a bit late closing the stable door once the horse has bolted .

Ideally I have a drain cock at the foot of the tank(s) so can drain a bit off if suspect water condensation- your point .

But the Ops not complaining about water per se he is highlighting the fuel varnish / film / sticky layer his pump rebuild guys claim is from dud fuel , dud low sulphur dated fuel languishing for months separating out a it sits in delicate canuli of injector pump , gumming it up .

Conclusion on that point either use it or add an additive to stabilise it .Some additives also dissolve any water from inevitable interior tank wall condensation.That’s why I use them always have since 2005 based in the Med .

How ever theses days as said I leave them low sos to top up with fresh despite adding additives.

We also periodically run them , not just for the fuel circulation , for the gen fluid movement and lubrication of seals etc .
Not wanting to TD but your “ modern “ low emissions oil also separates out if left .
Aside there was a thread on winter running and two manufacturers DAW of this parish researched , MAN + Volvo Penta recommend periodic running .To me that’s always if the boats in the water , which they can be Med based been a no brainier .

Speaking to SoF guardians they never hear of fuel bug issues with dosed boats .
As said any water can be caught and drained off either at the tank see it in the sight glasses or the racor bowl again mk 1 eye ball .
As well as the WIF s .Those three for me deal with the water . Four if you inc additives used .

There isn’t a perfect answer just adapt current knowledge to the kit you have in the climate and usage pattern you have .

For the fuel varnish / gum thing = hopefully periodic running + additive added + if any stale ness / age effect a top up at the start of the next season .So three strands to mitigate that new issue .

We are all different.

But as said CR is Uber susceptible to both water + fuel deterioration ( pump gumming up ) so the CR engined guys need to be on point with theses two issues .

 

[Portofino]

On a side note similarity with todays low sulphur fuel exists in the car world , more so classic car world .
I live on various sites so cars can be left un used for months , it’s a nightmare working out which additives , timing top ups etc because the fuel these days goes off .

 

[BartW]

in my experience the fuel pumps on VP D3-190 are very sensitive, in 14y ownership, I had to replace the fuel pumps in 3 occasions,
afair it was alway's related to air in fuel supply or lack of fuel supply, (running empty)...

never had to replace the injectors,

I alway's use gasoil from a road fuel station, which is almost alway's good quality , (as needed in many modern car engines)