Not pumping fuel...

[votumamor]

Thanks for reading! Its an 84 Volvo 240 Wagon, D24 6 cyl diesel, auto transmission, 150k original miles. It was running great and started up everytime. Smoked a bunch immediately after start up, but would clear up 3 seconds later.

Recently started and moved it to the garage. Replaced the downpipe and nothing else. Sat idle for 10 days. Now it won't start.

Primed from fuel tank to fuel filter. Have been doing air bleeds procedure at all injectors (multiple times) and return line connection. I get BARELY any signs of fuel at the injectors.

Removed the intake line at the fuel filter, dipped the intake into a cup of fuel, and had a friend turn over the engine. Not sucking any fuel whatsoever. Belt, tension and operation look good.

There's a solenoid with a single wire on the driver side of the injection pump. It does get full voltage and click with the key in the "on" position. I assume this is the fuel shutoff ?

There's another solenoid on the passenger side, and towards the top of the injection pump. Its getting battery voltage, but doesn't click etc. What is that thing?

My E30 is sold and being picked up in a day or two. I really need to get this guy running reliable. I have a couple more silly questions...

Is there an electric fuel pump on the tank or underbody?
Is there a fuel pump relay?

[v8volvo]

What kind of fuel is in it? When bleeding air from the injector hard lines, fuel should come out in nice solid spurts. If it is just foaming and dribbling then you've got a problem. But you already know that.

You are correct that the solenoid on the top is the fuel cutoff. Those almost never fail, very unlikely it is your problem. It should get 12v with the key on. The solenoid on the passenger side of the injector pump is the altitude compensation device. It should be energized when the key is on. Above 3300 feet, a switch opens and current does not get to the solenoid, which causes fueling to be pulled back and advances the timing. You don't want that to happen so keep power to it as you have now. It should click when you turn power to it on and off (unplug spade terminal), so if there is no click then the device is faulty but it will not keep the car from running so don't worry too much about it right now.

There are no electric pumps anywhere, in the tank or under the floor on a diesel Volvo unless someone has added one. Thus no relays, etc either.

My next step would be to get some biodiesel (swells up internal seals in the pump, which can cause it to not function if leaking due to ULSD as many of them now are), then gravity-feed it into the pump inlet. If you have access to a method of force-feeding it (like temporarily install an electric lift pump) to prime the pump, then that may work even better. Once the pump is full of biodiesel, it will begin to work. The engine may be ready to start right away, or it may need to sit for an hour with the biodiesel in it before it regains function. The worst case I have seen was on a TDI that needed to sit for about 12 hours after having its pump filled with gravity-fed B99 and cranked and bled, but after we let it sit overnight it fired right up the next morning.

[Jason]

I would check the cut off valve for operation. I have seen the plunger missing chunks and being stuck down in the bore. The '83 I just helped get running had that very problem. I would do as George suggested and try and fill the pump with a elec pump or take off the fuel return banjo and fill it from there with a small funnel.

Jason

[votumamor]

Thanks, I will do as suggested and report back. I'm wondering, is the injection pump rebuildable?

[IceV_760]

Yes it is.

[votumamor]

Does anybody sell a rebuild kit?

[votumamor]

On Thursday, I'm going to fill the pump with biodiesel as suggested. However, its only 5% biodiesel. Will I need find some higher % biodiesel ?

[v8volvo]

B5 biodiesel probably isn't a high enough percentage to have much of an effect on the seals, but filling the pump with any kind of fuel will help to get the air bled out. If the vane pump is full of fuel and you have the line nuts at the injector unions cracked it ought to be able to pick up a prime and start running.

Pumps can be rebuilt but it's not a DIY kind of job. They're not like a carburetor where you can just get a rebuild kit and do it on your workbench -- a lot of major testing and calibration equipment and special tools are required. Best to let a good diesel shop do it if you want it to be done right.

Jason, I had never seen a stop valve come apart like that, interesting to know it can happen. Wonder if the bits got all over the inside of the pump. That's the '83 manual trans car from Texas you're talking about, right? What's its status now?

[Jason]

Yup its the one my friend dragged up here from Texas. The solenoid was clicking, but the plunger wasn't moving full travel and like I said there were chunks down in there. The inside of the pump was full of black crap like they had run it without a filter. I have never seen so much shit inside a pump. I cleaned it out the best I could and bled the crap out of the system and got it to finnaly start. We were about to take the pump off and have it rebuilt but wanted to make sure the engine ran at all. We had to use an air hammer to get the solenoid off the pump it was siezed in so bad. Its running and being driven around now... It needs a set of injectors pretty bad, some steering work and other misc stuff. Its a project and he's short on funds at the moment so not a whole lot is getting done, but at least its running! One less in the junk yard anyway...

Jason

[votumamor]

I pulled the shutoff solenoid to check operation. It gets 12 volts, but doesn't do anything. The plunger appears to be stuck in the closed position. When I tested it before I thought it was clicking. But it appears to be the other solenoid on the injection pump (somebody said it was the altitude compensator).

The plunger is supposed to move when energized, yes?

[Jason]

Yes it should move when energized. You can just cut off the plunger and stick it back in. It will start but you will have to use the manual shut off to kill the engine.

Jason

[IceV_760]

Yes its intented to move.

[votumamor]

The plunger is stuck and won't move at all. Its sticking out of the recess slightly and I may be able to pull it out...but maybe not.

So when the solenoid is energized, the plunger moves inward (sucks back in), thereby opening the valve?

My simple mind had assumed the opposite.

May be a moot point, because that plunger seems to be stuck good. I can't get any movement out of it.

[v8volvo]

Interesting, I have never seen one do this and here are two mentioned in this thread that have broken.

I might have an extra one off my old Rabbit that I could send you. Any older diesel will have a solenoid you can use, or a new one is probably not too expensive either.

George

[votumamor]

George, much obliged but they're cheap enough and I'll order one tomorrow. I found one at vwdiesel.com for $10 + $4 shipping. Will try to order one locally though if I can get it faster.

After seeing the picture, I see now the tip has indeed separated from the solenoid body and lodged itself in the injection pump. No wonder why nothing moved when I energized it.

I'll snap a couple pictures to satisfy your curiosity.

[votumamor]

In the meantime Jason, think I'll try your suggestion and see if it pumps fuel and runs.

[imbodie]

There are no electric pumps anywhere, in the tank or under the floor on a diesel Volvo unless someone has added one. Thus no relays, etc either.


OK.... YOU LOST ME. I found a solenoid right behind the ashtray like I was told there would be. Was told that this specificaly was a fuel relay for the electric fuel pump.

Does this car have a mechanical fuel pump? Where is it? My car is having an issue of no fuel to the fuel filter, let alone to the injector pump... I'm coming up empty everywhere I look????

THANKS in advance...

-Tim

[IceV_760]

Diesel pump itself is the mechanical pump.
It drains fuel from tank, and really leaky pump (many seals "gone")
could cause situation where it wouldnt drain any.
But i believe your fuel lines are blocked by some materia in lines,
which shouldnt be there.

[imbodie]

I pulled the shutoff solenoid to check operation.

Ok, how did you pull it? mine is surrounded by hoses and tubes.
I would LOVE to know what socket or wrench combination you used to get it out, I beleive my cutoff solenoid has failed.

Thanks,
Tim

[Jason]

I'm not sure of the size, but whatever wrench you can fit on it. I have had to use a chisel and hammer to get some of them out of the pump they were so tight.

Jason