dear forum users, new, big problems emerged in our car... just when we thought that everything is fixed... we had dirty injectors. Now, our problem is different, so I started a new topic. All info about our previous problem can be found at
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/581155-clogged-fuel-injection-diesel.html
What we need help with the most:
When the engine is bad due to oil pump failure, is it still possible to crank the engine with the starter? What does it mean, when I turn the key and only hear one clicking sound, and nothing moves? Is it the starter? Can I change it? or, can it be a stuck engine?
Quick summary|:
- we have ford transit 1991 van, 2,5 diesel. Sorry for non-porsche car, the reason is explained in the previous topic
- first, dirty injectors. The car was shaking in idle. We run our diesel engine on used veggie oil
- we added some diesel, ATF and injector cleaner, re-fitted the fuel filter, and the problem completely disappeared.
- we always had problems starting when the engine was cold - ever since we started using veggie oil. When the engine was warm, there was no problem, the engine started right up (even though, sometimes it felt like the engine had hard time moving, for second, it really hesitated to move, but then it moved OK... but it could have been just a starter problem...). So, for cold starts, we parked on a hill and push-started it in the morning. \When the engine was warm, we easily started with the starter.
- motor oil: I checked the level regularly, it was always within limits. Even 100 miles before the oil change. But at the oil change, there was only 2 quarts of oil instead of 5! 3 quarts of oil mysteriously disappeared within 100 miles. I have measured the oil level correctly. After the oil change, we have driven about 70 miles in hard terrain, no oil disappeared.
- lately, after starts, the oil pressure warning light stays on for about a minute. Sometimes it is so, sometimes it is not, it goes off right away. Other than that, the engine run fine, very fine.
And now, we have a
BIG PROBLEM
It is 10 minutes to the New Year here, but I dont feel like celebrating!
Today, the tank finally got empty and we filled up diesel. Good. Everything with the injectors seemed to be solved and fixed. We were so happy the car was OK.
We drove half a kilometer to the town square, did some shopping for baby formula... we came back to the car, started it up easily... the oil light did not go out again... and after only about 15 seconds of the car running, the engine shut off itself. The whole time, the engine sounded good, like any other time, no weird sounds coming out of it, as much as my untrained but attentive ear can tell.
We waited for almost an hour (doing other things) and started the car again. It started easily. Again, no unusual sounds, normal, good engine sound. The oil light is on. And after some 10-15 seconds, the engine dies again.
When I try to start it now, it does not. We only hear one click, and nothing is turning. The oil light is on and the battery light is almost off, perhaps due to high current drawn.
We are plugged to a battery charger, so the battery is not dead.
I am scared, our future looks uncertain.
I have two theories:
1) The oil pump is faulty, or the the oil pickup screen is dirty. That caused that no oil was lubricating the engine... and the engine got stuck. The engine cannot move at all and therefore nothing spins when I try to start the car. Some major engine job is needed. What exactly is needed to be done?
This theory is contradicted by the fact that the engine was run only for seconds, in idle, and no unusual sounds were heard from the engine.
2) The engine stopped because we filled up on fuel too late - there was a moment when there was no fuel in the tank and air got sucked in. After we refueled, we could drive away, but there was an air pocket in the system which caused the engine to die, some cranking of the engine would suck in more fuel and the engine would run again.
BUT, AT THE SAME TIME
The starter just went bad at the same time!
this second theory sounds more optimistic, we just need a new starter. But it looks like too big a coincidence: air pocket in the fuel system AND starter failure.
What can I do now? Advice needed... What can I do to tell what is wrong? When the engine is bad due to oil pump failure, is it still possible to crank the engine with the starter? I guess if I could push the car and push-start it, that would tell me that the engine is OK and I have a bad starter... but I cannot push it here, not easily anyway. I would need to find someone with a rope and willingness to pull me behind his car.
The place where we are at is a tiny town with narrow streets... with loads of luck, I will find some repairman... with no knowledge of English... not tomorrow (holiday), not after tomorrow (Sunday), but hopefuly the next day...
Petr