Car wont start stopped working overnight

[abuzar1]

I have a 1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turbo Diesel. Car has 224k miles. It was running REALLY well before this. I got the car for next to nothing. I was running it on a 30% diesel 70% wvo blend. I know people hate WVO but I run WVO in my Mercedes Diesel as well so I tried it on this. Few days ago the car barely had any power, I changed out the fuel filter. I guess the wvo was taking out the old crud from the tank? I filter my wvo pretty well so it can't have been the wvo clogging it up.

Anyway, I was daily driving the car. I drove it home around 10pm couple nights ago and it wouldn't start up the following morning around 6AM. Car just stopped working. It went from driving GREAT to zilch. Wouldn't start up. Car cranks but won't start. Definitely fuel delivery problem. Now it was raining pretty hard so it's possible some rain might have gotten into my shed and my last batch of WVO might have gotten water contamination. SOO I was thinking that my Injector Pump had gone bad. However I cracked the fuel line that comes from the tank and goes into the fuel filter. When I crank the car no fuel comes out so I'm guessing the fuel pump has gone bad?

Now my question is, what should I do at this point? Any electrics that I should check? I've checked the fuses marked Fuel pump (fuse 1), In tank fuel pump (fuse 11), and Fuse 13 (it said in the manual it had something to do with the fuel pump). All these fuses are fine. Car has almost a full tank at the moment. If it really was a fuel quality issue then I don't think the car would have been running really well the night before.

EDIT: Ok after more reading it seems that the Diesel volvos have no fuel pumps. So it must be the IP that has gone bad. Is there a good place to pick up a used one?

[anders]

I would check to see if the fuel shut off solenoid has power, if so see if it clicks when you put power to it. I would also check to see if the glow plugs are getting power. I have never seen an injection pump just give up without prior notice.

[abuzar1]

Could you please tell me where that is?

[michaelovitch]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]374[/ATTACH]http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4770/pivolvo1.jpg

the plug thing just above the 6 outlet
it's bolted in the iron part.

it's supposed to make "clic" when you power it with 12 v
it's grounded yet by the engine.

run a wire to it's electrical connection or make somebody turn the key for you.

[v8volvo]

Where are you located?

Running with a plugged fuel filter, or using WVO, or both, can lead to injection pump failure. However, in every case of IP mechanical failure that I have ever known, the car has quit on the road. If it was running fine when you parked it then would not start when you went to crank it the next morning, then it is almost guaranteed that the pump is OK and there is some more minor issue going on.

First thing -- what is the current fuel mix in the pump? If you did not flush adequately and the pump is full of gelled WVO, you will not be going anywhere until there is liquid fuel suitable for running a cold engine (ie regular diesel or biodiesel) in the injection pump and injectors.

Second -- when you turn the key to "on", does the glow plug light illuminate? If not, then the fuse that runs the glow relay and powers the IP is blown. For early 700 cars this is fuse #8 and on later cars it is #13. If the relevant fuse is blown, you need to find the short is that caused the fuse to blow and then replace the fuse. Once you have ensured power to the IP shutoff solenoid, check its operation by removing the wire from its terminal and touching it on and off of the terminal so that you can hear the solenoid "click" repeatedly. If applying and removing power does not result in clicking sounds, then you have a dead or stuck solenoid, but that is an unusual unusual problem and I doubt it is the cause of your issue.

Third -- does the engine crank normally, or does its rhythm sound different? Pop the front timing belt cover loose and check that the belt is intact and not excessively loose. (When was it last changed???) Check that the rear timing belt, near the firewall, is also in place and not missing any teeth. If either of these belts is broken, then the IP will not turn.

Fourth -- maybe the most likely -- has the fuel system lost prime? Look in the translucent fuel line running from the filter head up to the IP. Is it full of fuel? Is the fuel filter tight? Assuming all of the above checks out OK, connect a hand primer bulb in-line *before* the fuel filter (connect to the filter head inlet) and pump it. Watch the clear fuel line. Fuel flowing through? Keep the injector unions loose and have a helper crank the engine while you keep (gently) pumping the primer bulb. Getting fuel to the injectors now?? Close the unions and get the engine running, then find the reason why you lost prime.

These steps should lead you to the problem and hopefully get you going again. Keep us posted on what you find out.

George

[ngoma]

This last post by George needs to be a sticky.

[abuzar1]

1. I have not flushed out the pump... sorry for being so thickheaded but how would I go about doing that?
2. Glow plug lights are fine
3. It seems to crank normally and the belts seem fine
4. The line is full of fuel, filter is tight. I'll go buy a primer bulb and try that. Could I just connect an electric fuel pump and see if that does it? I have a small electric fuel pump on hand.

BTW in response to the earlier suggestion, the solenoid did make a clicking noise.

[abuzar1]

OK so I connected the electric fuel pump. I was wrong, there was NO fuel in the lines. When I connected the electric pump it started pumping fuel into the IP but with lots of air bubbles, idk what's up with that. I got the car started and disconnected the fuel pump and the car was running AS LONG AS I kept my foot on the gas. As soon as I let it idle it cut off. I know the filter is tight, I made sure of that.