Page 1 of 3
Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 11:42 pm
by Mctavish
Hello,
I'm new! I have an N reg 2.5td 4WD SGL5...
Following the excellent factsheets in the members area, I took on the fuel filter change and banjo clean operation today.
The job itself was not a problem, but I've been left with problems that were not evident before.
1) Starting - the engine is taking a while to start now whereas this morning it fired almost straight away.
2) On deceleration to a roundabout / junction, the revs are intermittently dropping well down to below 500 rpm, and on one occasion stalled completely - not the case before.
I'm sure there must be some air in the system, but I've read that the pump self bleeds / primes - how long will it need to work through?? Should I have filled the fuel filter with diesel before fitting? Can the fuel pump be manually bled?
Many thanks you wonderful bunch of bongo freaks.
Mctavish
PS - off to France on Sunday morning ferry!
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 11:50 pm
by missfixit70
I'd fill up the filter with diesel or injector cleaner. Check the seals are all tight, did you put a smear of diesel on the rubber seal? & replace the o-ring (& make sure it was seated properly on the bottom when you screwed in the drain screw jobby, again with diesel smeared on the o-ring.
Mine has a bleed pump on the top, I think some don't

but I didn't need to use it when I changed mine.
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 11:56 pm
by gmaczbongo
Also check the new filter is the correct one.
If it is different from the one you removed a quick fix might be to replace it with a similar item.
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:03 am
by Mctavish
Thanks for the replies - legendary! And nearly midnight too - go to sleep!
I put the o-ring on the top of the filter, should it have gone between the filter and the white plastic drain jobby?? This could explain it...
The filter came from Bongo Fury so I hope it's the right part!
Mctavish
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:06 am
by missfixit70
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:07 am
by gmaczbongo
There is one on the plastic thing.
Is it leaking diesel from the joint.
Did you take the old one out.
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:13 am
by Mctavish
Well I feel like a proper plonker - not for the first time, and certainly not the last!!!
I didn't notice any leaking diesel, or an old o-ring - it probably stayed on the plastic bit - will have a look tomorrow. The misplaced new o-ring is probably allowing air to get past the proper seal.
Thankyou both!
Mctavish
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:15 am
by missfixit70
No worries, at least it should be a simple fix

Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 10:41 am
by Mctavish
Re done fuel filter with o-ring in
correct location and all is well again!
Honestly, with a trip to France days away there's me trying to ensure a smooth trip but instead giving myself problems.
Cheers,
Mctavish
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:02 am
by dave_aber
I'm heading to Venice via Portsmouth/Dover/Normandy/Espace Killy/Turin, then back via Austria, Bavaria, some of Germany, Belgium, Zebrugge - Rosyth.
Trying to minimise what I need to do before the off. Changed the front disks/pads and an oil change last week. Fridge is in pieces, and won't be reassembled until I get home on Tuesday. Departing for Portsmouth on Thursday.
Still need to sort out a euro SIM for cheap data (does such a thing exist?), or a decent deal with O2 so I don't arrive home to a silly bill. And need beam deflectors & high-vis vests, etc. Best I get on eBay before I get home eh?
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:25 am
by munroman
dave_aber wrote:I'm heading to Venice via Portsmouth/Dover/Normandy/Espace Killy/Turin, then back via Austria, Bavaria, some of Germany, Belgium, Zebrugge - Rosyth.
Trying to minimise what I need to do before the off. Changed the front disks/pads and an oil change last week. Fridge is in pieces, and won't be reassembled until I get home on Tuesday. Departing for Portsmouth on Thursday.
Still need to sort out a euro SIM for cheap data (does such a thing exist?), or a decent deal with O2 so I don't arrive home to a silly bill. And need beam deflectors & high-vis vests, etc. Best I get on eBay before I get home eh?
High Vis vests are in Poundland.
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 1:19 pm
by missfixit70
Mctavish wrote:Re done fuel filter with o-ring in
correct location and all is well again!
Honestly, with a trip to France days away there's me trying to ensure a smooth trip but instead giving myself problems.
Cheers,
Mctavish
Glad it was that simple, you won't make that mistake again

Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 4:57 pm
by Mctavish
Well the stuttering problem on deceleration appeared to have gone, but there's still significant problems of a fuel starvation type.
On starting, the motor is turning over several times before starting - effectively priming the pump each time??
When driving, it has become very laggy - either something is physically blocking the system, or there's air in there, I don't know. When I tip in, the engine is taking a significant moment to build revs, unlike before.
I have managed to get an afternoon at a diesel specialists - Richard Bros in Redruth tomorrow.
I explained that I'd changed the filter, and the strainer. The guy looked unimpressed that I'd cleaned the strainer - said he wouldn't do it unless in surgical conditions for fear of knocking some crap in to the pump. I was careful, but I'm now really regretting doing any of this myself.
Richard Bros will rig up an alternative fuel rig to determine whether it's pump or the pipes leading up to it. If it's pipes, he can change them, if it's pump, I'm screwed.
My ferry to France leaves Sunday morning at 8 a.m for a 4 week holiday in the Bongo, and what was a really sweet running motor yesterday morning is now looking decidedly dodgy because I wanted to prevent breakdown whilst abroad. May not even bloody get there at this rate, my wife is probably going to kill me.
Bad times.
Mctavish
Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 5:03 pm
by missfixit70
Hopefully it's a fuel hose been disturbed & leaking, they are recommended to be changed every 4 years.
Wonder if it coulda sucked in some crap when the o ring was in the wrong place? Long shot I know

Fingers crossed you get it sorted

Re: Post fuel filter change stuttering...
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 5:24 pm
by Mctavish
On the way back from the garage, she stopped trying to get up a very steep incline.
Could this indicate that air moved to a new highest point in the pump / system whilst her nose was significantly raised, causing her to conk out? She did eventually restart though...
Just trying to think of any clues....
Mctavish