[P38_OTMS]

Hi Guys,

Had my P38 2.5 DSE for about a month and a week ago it just died on me. I'm very mechanically minded having built many race cars over the years so I'm no stranger with a spanner although I have to confess I'm no diesel expert...

I started the car on my drive and managed to drive about 200m down the road before the car cut out. It was like it's run out of fuel - this cannot be possible as I had filled it up two days prior and the gauge is still reading 3/4 full. I've removed the fuel lines from the fuel filter and there is absolutely no fuel coming into the filter whatsoever. Now to me this would suggest that the lift pump has failed. However I understand that all the lift pump does is prime the system then the injection pump does the rest. This would not explain it cutting out whilst driving. Also when I was stranded on the road side trying to start the car the glow plug light would stay on constantly rather than turning off before cranking over.

The next day I started to do further investigation and now the glow plug light doesn't come on at all, and it still won't start. All fuses in the engine bay are OK, including the one on the glow plug relay beside the ECU. Before I start cutting holes in the floor to access the lift pump does this sound more like an electronic issue than a mechanical issue?

It's almost like there is a fuel cut off switch somewhere but I cannot find it anywhere so assuming my car doesn't have one.

Help!

Thanks,

J

 

[kretslopp]

What you’re describing sounds like the fuel shut off solenoid situated on top of the fuel injection pump. The round thing with a single wire attached. If that doesn’t receive 12V the engine cannot run.

Download a copy of the rave manual and look through the wiring diagram for the fuel injection system. There is an inertia switch that at least affects the lift pump and probably the fuel injection pump solenoid as well. Not sure about that last but it sounds probable as I mentioned.

Failure of the lift pump usually leads to longer cranking to start the engine if everything else is fine, no air in the fuel lines for example.

As you mentioned the lift pump ought to run while starting. But it seems to be pumping also while the engine is running since the relay is energized first by the glow plug relay while cranking and then by D+ from the alternator.