Expert anyone?

[Expertamateur]

I recently bought a 2001 Expert 1.9D. The seller warned me that it was hard to start and needed a new battery. I had a spare nearly new one in the shed so that was the first thing I did. It is still a so-and-so to start and in fact the only way to get it going first turn is to start by getting up some pressure by pumping the little manual bleed button under the bonnet. After doing that it is quite eager to start. Without doing that starting is a lost cause.
My question is, does this engine have a fuel lift pump? Where is it located? Is it electric or mechanical? When I get in and turn the key I can't hear any electric pump noise like I can when starting the wife's 406.

[white exec]

Sounds as if it could be either air-in-fuel, and/or an issue with the fuel filter.
If an XUD 1.9D, the injection pump is mechanical, and sucks the fuel from the tank via the filter.

If you can post your VIN number (which will be disguised here, but site staff can read), we can check exactly the engine and ancillaries you have.

Does it always do just this - i.e. if you just prime the pump by hand, will it start more/less straight away?
Any signs of smoke or rough running after a cold start?
What is starting like after a journey (hot engine)?

[Expertamateur]

Thanks for your quick response Chris. Yes, if I prime the pump by hand it will start easily. Later the same day restarts are perfect. Runs smoothly without excess smoke. About as slow as a slug in a freezer but OK. VIN is VF3**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

[white exec]

Fairly normal start when cold but after priming by hand suggests that the glow-plugs are doing their stuff.

The injection pump sucks fuel from the tank (via the filter), and any poor joint (usually at the engine bay end) can allow air to be sucked into the supplying fuel line, and a small amount of air to accumulate at the pump when the engine is switched off. Injection pumps are not good at pumping air, and there should be none in the fuel.

Check the fuel pipe connections, remake any loose ones, and be suspicious about any which are secured by standard (stiff and not-very-circular) worm clips. Check also the fuel filter covers etc for air leaks, because that works under suction too.

It is usually possible to temporarily place a bit of transparent pipe between filter and pump, which should allow any air bubbles in the fuel to be seen.

I don't think your engine has a fuel pre-heater bolted to the block (present on earlier engines), and coming just before the fuel filter. These aluminium castings were known to go porous with age, and were best simply by-passed. DW8 experts here will know more.

Annoyingly, a leaky joint somewhere won't show up as a leak of fuel, because the pipework operates under suction.

Decent starting otherwise is a good sign, though.

[Expertamateur]

So you are saying that there is only the high pressure injection pump fetching the diesel up from the tank, ie. no separate lift pump. That would explain why I can't find one. If the whole system up to the pump is in "suction" then as you say, I should be looking to confirm all joints in the fuel line are air tight. If the fuel is not being pushed from the tank to the filter I would like to think there was a non-return valve somewhere to stop fuel just siphoning back in the event of an air leak at the engine but this isn't a perfect world.
Thankyou for your help.

[GiveMeABreak]

Here’s the system in your vehicle:

Click to Zoom

[white exec]

One-way valves are often built into the filter units - certainly were in the earlier Purflux filters for the 1.9D.

[Expertamateur]

All food for thought. Thanks.

[white exec]

Here's some more of the relevant pipework and units...

Click to enlarge