Hi All,
Seem to have a new problem with the Litie. I left her standing for a few days as I was using our other car and when I came to start her she was having none of it. Like an idiot I ran the battery flat trying but, even after charging it she still did not want to know. After giving the priming pump a few pumps she started right up. It seems to only be a problem after a couple of days. If I use her daily she's fine. I suspect there is a one way valve in the primer to stop the fuel draining back and this is not working. I think it is aggravated by the fact that I live on a hill and she is parked facing up. Anyone else had this problem and is there a known solution?

- (#10010) John Shaw, 10 Apr 04 12:26

John. I had this problem with my Masterace, ie, the suction “head”, in the fuel line, would be lost if the vehicle was not used for a couple of days. The diaphragm type priming pump has reed valves on It’s inlet and outlet ports but, the whole assembly is sealed, and the two halves are joined by that rolled seam which you will see under the pump handle/button. I don’t think that there is a check/non return valve in the tank suction pipe so, any malfunction of the reed valve on the suction side of the priming pump will mean that the fuel can drain back. I did cut the priming pump casing open and removed some debris from the valves but, re-joining the two halves was not totally successful so, eventually, it meant a visit to the scrapyard to find another filter/pump assembly. I did run the vehicle for a few days by bypassing the priming pump altogether, ie, by connecting the inlet and outlet pipes together and, keeping the tank full but, it means starting the vehicle quite a few times during the day to keep the fuel line full and to give the lift pump, in the injection pump, a chance to draw in some fuel. I think that your only solution is to find another priming pump assembly. There are Aces around, in the breakers yards, and this would avoid an alarming attack on the wallet if you had to order a new item

- (#10010) John Davis, 11 Apr 04 01:08

John. Since adding the above note, I do remember getting some continuity of suction (in the line from the tank to the filter/priming pump) by putting a better hose clip on the filter inlet spigot. These clips are the sprung type and, with some hardening of the hose, I think that air can sometimes get into the line at this point. It's worth checking the hoses and connections first, just to see if air is getting in and allowing the fuel "head" to drain back into the tank.

- (#10010) John Davis (Leics), 11 Apr 04 02:20

Thanks for the feedback John,
I have already replaced the clips with jubilee type when I changed the filter. The primer does work as this was how I got it started and the problem only occurs after several days of standing.
I used to have a Sierra diesel and the fuel filter head/priming pump looks exactly the same so i might find one of those as they are probably a bit more plentiful. But it will have to wait as we are off to Blackpool for a couple of weeks tomorrow.
Cheers,
John

- (#10010) John Shaw, 11 Apr 04 14:28