Starting ok.... then losing power

boyfrombrasil · Post by **boyfrombrasil** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:24 pm

Started Bungle first time as usual this morning at about 8:30 am. Not been driven since about 4 pm previous day.

After about 30 seconds started to lose revs, drove about 30 yards by then. Got around the corner and Bungle dies....

After about 5 minutes Bungle starts again and manage to drive about 300 yards before Bungle dies again.....

Another 5 minutes of careful starting motor usage and finally Bungle starts again. Drive back down the hill again to home and park with engine stopped for 5 minutes.

Get back in Bungle and he starts first time again. Then drive 15 miles to work with no problems.

Leave Bungle in works car park till 6:15 this evening (very cold engine) and starts first time when I get in. I have then driven the 15 miles home with no problems.

I changed the fuel filter when I got the vehicle but since then I have done about 2000 miles with a veg mix. Haven't changed the filter since so I know that may be the problem but was wondering if anyone has any other thoughts on this matter?

Thanks.

heatherpetch · Post by **heatherpetch** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:33 pm

ours did exactly the same a few weeks ago,but nothing since maybe it was a bit of muck stuck then released its self,hope this helps not very tech but it doesn't always have to be something does it

dreamwarrioruk · Post by **dreamwarrioruk** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:37 pm

have you checked the little fuel filter under the banjo

kawasaki kid · Post by **kawasaki kid** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:40 pm

It would be worth changing the filter and cleaning out the small inline filter as well as it does sound like the symptoms of fuel starvation - it is an easy job to do and if it cures your problem you could keep a spare filter in just in case it does it again. Hope this helps

Socket Set Sue · Post by **Socket Set Sue** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 3:14 pm

If you are running on a veg oil mix it could be the colder nights affecting the veg oil supply, it goes a bit thicker the colder it is, thats why the professionals fit either a fuel heater or start on pure diesel and switch over when warmed up to veg oil. But at the same time bunged up filters and dodgy glow plugs would not help...

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 3:59 pm

It sounds like mike suzzed it... it does sound like the fuel strainer in the banjo connection on the fuel pump, i hope you dont have a fully converted bongo boyfrombrazil...you may encounter access problems...

boyfrombrasil · Post by **boyfrombrasil** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 5:32 pm

Yep, do have fully converted Bongo.

My own conversion which was future proofed in the sense that I could easily get all of the side conversion cupboards out of my Bongo in less than an hour.

Haven't looked at the details of cleaning the fuel strainer as I don't have time to do the jobs until Thursday or Friday but are you saying the access is through the floor hatch?

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 5:36 pm

boyfrombrasil wrote: are you saying the access is through the floor hatch?

Access is under the driver's seat, but some conversions need seat removing cos' it won't tip back enough to stay back.

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 6:29 pm

Yip, like john says,the access problem is due to the driver's seat not tipping far enough back to gain proper access to the fuel pump. (in a converted bongo at least)

boyfrombrasil · Post by **boyfrombrasil** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:13 pm

francophile1947 wrote:
boyfrombrasil wrote: are you saying the access is through the floor hatch?
Access is under the driver's seat, but some conversions need seat removing cos' it won't tip back enough to stay back.

bigdaddycain wrote:Yip, like john says,the access problem is due to the driver's seat not tipping far enough back to gain proper access to the fuel pump. (in a converted bongo at least)

Oops, I don't want to appear too smug about this (or like I got everything right)....

But my home conversion has been built with that in mind too. The seat will go back as I started the side units slightly further back than the normal conversion design because I didn't want to be put off any maintenance tasks by the prospect of having to remove the seat before I even started (it's called laziness, and I hate busmans holidays as I'm a maintenance engineer for a living).

Thanks for the advice. I've printed out the factsheets in anticipation of a day off later in the week when I can do the said tasks. Not in a hurry as works Golf TDi 2 litre thingy is out on my drive and the fuel is paid for for as long as I need it....

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 12:07 pm

Nice bit of forward thinking there BFB

It's just a pity that converters don't apply the same importance to maintenance issues... (dunno why though, thee's a reasonable chance that a customer will return to the place of sale to cure any engine probs)

Let us know if it cures your running prob with bungle eh?

Hmm, Geoffrey!

boyfrombrasil · Post by **boyfrombrasil** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 12:38 am

Ok, thanks for the advice all...

Have cleaned banjo and replaced fuel filter.

So far, after 3 very cold morning starts i haven't had the same trouble with losing power.

Off to Cornwall on Firday (daughter and rottweillers left at home) for a few days so hoping no further problems.

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:35 am

So far so good, boyfrombrasil

Did you notice any muck in the strainer?

jimsmimm · Post by **jimsmimm** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:14 am

I had this problem a few times which was always traced to the fuel filter under the banjo bolt (think there must've been muck in the tank) I eventually fitted an inline fuel filter in the hose prior to it reaching the the banjo bolt, it was clear so enabled me to keep an eye on it and see how much dirt was passing through the main filter which I must add was quite a lot considering how dirty it became.... I also bought a spare to carry in the van so I would be able to quickly change over should it become blocked, which it never did and my fuel starvation problems caused by the banjo filter never reappeared..... got the filters from halfords for about a fiver each....

boyfrombrasil · Post by **boyfrombrasil** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:20 am

brorabongo wrote:So far so good, boyfrombrasil

Did you notice any muck in the strainer?

In the strainer was lots of little black bits. Didn't particularly look blocked but as I had removed it with a cotton bud I suspect that the cotton bud had "cleaned" it a fair bit by the time I had it in my hands.

To clean it when out I used a brake cleaner spray can. The brake cleaner evaporates quicly and removes grease, oil, etc so seems an ideal choice.

Dropped the large metal spacer at the back of the Banjo bolt as I tried to replace it. Got lucky as it fell into the right part of the engine protection tray.....

As for changing the fuel filter? In the fact sheets it doesn't mention that it makes a huge ammount of sense to remove the plastic air intake fittings from the air filter gubbins before trying to remove the filter.

I then also found it much easier to remove the nuts that held the fuel filter housing (?) so that the filter could be turned upside down, then refitted onto the threads and held in place to get a filter removal strap onto it in order to turn it to loosen and remove it.

Before this I also managed to sit an empty 5L ice cream tub onto the engine protection tray directly below the filter in order to catch the fuel as I unscrewed the sensor from the bottom of the filter. As for disconnecting that set of wires at the connectors? Then *@?$%@£, etc, etc...!!!! I think the answer to that is just keep wiggling the connector while pushing in the clip

But it took me over 20 minutes to do it

Not complaining really as next time I would find the whole process easy (less than half hour for both jobs) now I have done it once. Think maybe the fact sheets need a little tinkering with.....

Started again this morning from freezing cold with no problems.... and still using 40% veg oil. Not superstitious so don't have to torchwood

Starting ok.... then losing power

Starting ok.... then losing power

poor start