Engine Trouble

Didn't know where to put this but... was wondering if any of you could help with a little engine difficulty I'm having. It's a Leyland Daf van (circa 1991)diesel engine.

The fuel lift pump is leaking from the back. There is a tiny hole at the back which is precision-cut and looks like it should be there, but I think this is the hole it is leaking from. If not it is very close to it. The gasket looks fine so I don't know what else it could be. The leak sprays out rather than drips so might be a pressure thing. My knowledge of engines is limited but keen to fix this myself rather than go to a garage, plus it's great fun rolling up ones sleeves and getting dirty now and again!

Oh yes and it's leaking diesel not oil or water. Sorry probably should have mentioned that one first.

Me thinks a new pump is in order. BB

OK - but what do you think could have caused the leak? Just wear & tear?

It's hard to know exactly for sure, but I would say yes. An 1991 engine is pretty old. You also have to remember that a Diesel cycle uses highly compressed air and a fuel injector.

busterb wrote:

Me thinks a new pump is in order. BB

Just so you know, you were right. Getting it replaced this week. Thanks buster! :)

Great. HAve hoed that row out once before. Once to get home late at night, I stuck a match in hole so wouldn't lose all gas. Think it's called a busted diaphragm. Cheers on you

When the diaphram ruptures the gas gets on the wrong side and comes out the weep hole. If you plug the weep hole the gas goes into the crankcase instead, thinning the oil and risking an explosion. You were lucky, Buster. :eek:

BTW- Diesels dont have a diaphram pump as they won't produce enough pressure. They usually use a gear-rotor pump.

1991 engine , how many mile does it have on it ???

That's useful to know Bruce - what exactly is the crankcase?

I'm not sure of the exact mileage but think it's around 70,000. We probably do less than 5000 a year in it, so hope it will last a lot longer.

There's a question ... do you lot still call it mileage, even though you're measuring it in Kilometres?

We don't measure it in kilometres. We measure it in miles. Hence mileage. Other Europeans have progressed to kilometres but we haven't quite moved on from imperial times yet.

what exactly is the crankcase?

That's then bottom of the engine where the crankshaft resides and rotates. It's also where all the lubricating oil drains back to. Once there it's pumped through the motor again, hence oil pressure and a gage to read it. :)

Other Europeans have progressed to kilometres

Regressed. :dead:

Thanks Bruce. :) Fixed it ourselves over the weekend! We fucked up but fixed it in the end (had forgotten to bleed it afterwards) and is now going like a dream!