Frontera B Starting Isssues... Help please

[xela]

Our Fronty B 3 Door RS Sport was running perfectly until recently when it struggled to start first thing in the morning.

It would crank & crank for ages before finally firing up with a cloud of white smoke...
It continued to start easily when the engine was warm, and ran smoothly without loss of power, no misfires, no engine management light.

It's the X22DTH diesel by the way...

Then one day, having eventually got it going in the morning, we drove a few miles, stopped the engine for a short while, then tried to start & nothing!

It cranks & cranks but won't fire up.

When you spray easy start into the air intake it does fire up, but the engine dies as soon as you stop squirting the easy start.

I replaced the fuel return pipes that go into the side of the engine next to the fuel pipes (with genuine VX pipes & T Pieces), but it still wont fire up. I opened one of the fuel pipes at the engine to check and fuel does come out when the car is cranking...

I stuck a code reader on it and it came up with no fault codes...

Any suggestions please, as we love our Fronty & want to get it going again... public transport is not much fun...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

[stretch]

Decayed leak off pipes could certainly cause poor/non starting, after you replaced them did you bleed the fuel system?

[vauxsqueeks]

if you have not changed the diesel filter in the last 12 months start there, then re-bleed the fuel lines. (also As you removed one of the fuel lines then you will definitely have to re-prime)..

if you have not changed the glow plugs in the last 2+ years, replace them. ( would result in extended cranking when cold if failing )/check glow plug relay/fuse/wiring.

Not sure i like the white smoke part as this may signify head gasket but the DTi's don't usually fail.

check your battery output if bad, change your battery for at least a 65AH or more.

if correctly primed, cranking for 25 seconds & rest fot 10 seconds. Repeat until running. This may take 6 or 8 cycles to start as the pump must re-prime internally low/high pressure side.

**Dont crank unless you are sure fuel Lines are air free as you will kill the pump.

[xela]

Thank you Stretch & Vauxsqueeks for your replies and advice.

I have checked the glow plugs, they light up red hot when I removed them and tested them using a battery.

Next I will change the diesel fuel filter as it is about a year since it was last changed.

Forgive me, this is the first diesel vehicle I have worked on (my previous 4x4s were petrol Freelanders, but I much prefer the Frontera - Much more solid, Much better built...)

So I have no idea how to bleed the fuel lines or how to re-prime the fuel system. I have found the fuel priming port with a red plastic top on it, near the fuel return pipes. Please can you explain how to bleed/re-prime the fuel system?

I noticed 3 small black plastic containers in the engine bay just inside the nearside wing, with VAC written on them & what look like fuel lines coming in & out of them. The rubber looks as if it is starting to perish. Should I replace those pipes also? Are there any other fuel pipes that could be leaking & need replacing?

Thanks again for your help

[stretch]

the black selonoids by the wing with vac written are vacumn pipes not fuel but they can also cause various issues so worth replacing at some point. DO NOT do anymore cranking the pump is lubricated by the diesel and as it's dry you have a good chance of killing it. I will link to a howto on priming (on phone at moment).

[xela]

Don't worry, won't be doing any cranking until the fuel system is bled/primed...

I changed the fuel filter yesterday, it was black, the fuel in the filter container was black also, couldn't tell if there was any water in there.

Is it normal for fuel filter to be black after 12 months use?

[vauxsqueeks]

[xela]

What type of code reader will pick up fault codes for the Frontera B?

The engine management light has come on.

Plugged a code reader in (made by Autolink) but did not show any stored codes or pending codes or any codes... yet the EML light is on...

Which code readers work on the Frontera B x22DTH?

Thanks

[stretch]

So you said in your glowplug thread that you have done everything suggested in this one so how did you bleed the system?

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=46352
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=59988

[xela]

As I don't have a manual pump I rigged up an electric fuel pump, connected it to the battery, having placed one hose into a can of diesel, the other hose onto the priming port next to the engine...

[vauxsqueeks]