108cdi wont go

[ashton.w]

Hi out there
I recently purchased a vito van which the previous owner assured me was running when he parked it but was not now as the battery was dead and he wasn't going to spend the time or money on getting it going.
after trying to jump start it to no avail I had it towed to my home where I started further investigation. this has led to finding a whole host of horrors which include evidenceof a large amount of carbon deposit being cleaned out form under the engine cover and broken/ stripped injector hold down bolts.
I have removed after much struggling and swearing 2 injectors and cleaned and refitted them and retapped the hold downs with 8mm helicoils in an attempt to get it running and asses if I should continue throwing good money after bad.
I have cleaned most the electrical contacts with contact cleaner and have bled the system but it still wont even kick with the use of ether.
can anyone suggest anything other than washing it in petrol and drying it with a match.

 

[carat 3.6]

Reading it's fault codes would be a good start.

 

[ashton.w]

re fault codes

tried that but the code reader I have say no stored codes and no current codes also tried live data but no go. im using an autel ms509

 

[nick mercedes]

I have cleaned most the electrical contacts with contact cleaner and have bled the system but it still wont even kick with the use of ether.
can anyone suggest anything other than washing it in petrol and drying it with a match.

If it won't even run on easy start, then it might be time to give up.

Is it a 638 or a 639, much rust?

 

[ashton.w]

Im a dinosaur I trained on aircooled Volkswagen and haven't been in the trade for a long time having trained back in the 70s before the onset of computers. Most the guys in the trade now couldnt set points or rebuild a carburetor let alone line bore a set of crankcases or bore a cylinder block, replace valve guides or cut seats etc but I can however whilst I grasp the concept I am not familiar with the current systems. all I am asking is that those out there with the relevant skills give me some pointers.

 

[nick mercedes]

If it's had easy start in to the intake and not made any effort to start then it's about f$uck!d surely?

 

[StMarks]

Iirc the 108 is the 638 series mate.?

Hi out there
... asses if I should continue throwing good money after bad. ......

The first thing you should do IMHO is to check the structural integrity of the van's bodywork.
I have previously been in a similar situation to you.: I brought a 110cdi with an engine fault (or two), spent a good deal of time & effort rectifying those issues & others before (when I had everything nicely sorted) finally turning my attention to the bodywork.
It was only the that I discovered that it was rotting from the inside out.: All the main weight bearing components of the bodyshell, those formed from the heavy gauge steel, were rotting away internally.
It is plausible that it would have passed another MOT, because visually everything looked ok, but the writing was on the wall for that bodyshell.

It is a real shame, because those little 638's are a joy to wizz round in. The (post 2006 galvanised) 639 that I now have is positively cumbersome by comparison.

So, in a nutshell, I should carefully check out the viability of the van substructure before investing too much time in the mechanical side of things if I were you mate.

Hth.

 

[ashton.w]

thanks for getting back to me. im not up on the models. I bought as due to an accident I have difficulty getting in and out of normal sedans and cant see over my shoulder well as neck fusion limits my range.
Up until recently I owned a Toyota coaster but the fact it was heavy to steer and needing constant upkeep I have had to find something that was easier to drive with better vision and I drove a merc and was very impressed with the easy access power and driveability however ive been kinda screwed by a dishonest seller so ill try to run with it and see what happens. As I said in my previous post I am an ex mechanic and can perform most tasks within reason eg cant lift heavy things and come to think of it im not real smart either. As for rust its not bad a little around the front jack mounts and in the inner guards and supposedly only has 256k on it so I wouldn't think even the worst owner could have done to much damage or am I being optomistic

 

[ashton.w]

I should mention at this time that I am in perth western Australia

 

[StMarks]

......I have cleaned most the electrical contacts with contact cleaner and have bled the system but it still wont even kick with the use of ether.......

Im a dinosaur I trained on aircooled Volkswagen and haven't been in the trade for a long time having trained back in the 70s before the onset of computers. Most the guys in the trade now couldnt set points or rebuild a carburetor let alone line bore a set of crankcases or bore a cylinder block, replace valve guides or cut seats etc but I can however whilst I grasp the concept I am not familiar with the current systems. all I am asking is that those out there with the relevant skills give me some pointers.

You will be very well aware that traditional diesel engines do not need an electric circuit to work. (Obviously modern electronic injector systems are different in that respect) Isn't the 108 a traditional pressure system.?

So, my suspicions would point towards the fueling "engine off" being stuck in off.?

Or, another more terminal possibility that would involve the engine turning without ether offering any ignition, would be if the camchain had broken & the pistons are rising & falling without the valve gear opening accordingly.

Sorry, but you did ask.

 

[StMarks]

I should mention at this time that I am in perth western Australia

That ^^ could be a very positive aspect in respect to the rust/rot angle.

 

[carat 3.6]

If it wont even try to start with either, I'd look to carry out a compression test next.

 

[ashton.w]

it is common rail electronic injection and I have had the slightest cough from it. It is pulling plenty of air on the induction stroke. can anyone tell me where the low pressure pump is located and is it electric or manual also the only thing I can find that remotely resembles a maf sensor is on the pressure side of the turbo in the side of the solid plastic pipe that runs vertically up beside the radiator on the r/h side of the vehicle. unfortunately I don't have a diesel compression tester to test the comp

 

[ashton.w]

hey carat 3.6 im with you on the Clarkson thing. Without Clarkson, May and Hamond there is no topgear

 

[nick mercedes]

it is common rail electronic injection and I have had the slightest cough from it. It is pulling plenty of air on the induction stroke. can anyone tell me where the low pressure pump is located and is it electric or manual also the only thing I can find that remotely resembles a maf sensor is on the pressure side of the turbo in the side of the solid plastic pipe that runs vertically up beside the radiator on the r/h side of the vehicle. unfortunately I don't have a diesel compression tester to test the comp

Low pressure pump is on the back of the high pressure pump.

 

[ashton.w]

As you would all be aware any diesel engine is normally good for well over 500k where this has done 252k so I feel anything terminal inside would have to have been a result of gross neglect and normally you can find evidence of that all over a vehicle whereas this one apart from wear in the floor mat under the drivers heels is quite good.

 

[ashton.w]

I read somewhere that a guy had a similar issue and pulled the back off the low pressure pump revealing a problem with a couple of orings which he replaced subsequently fixing his problem. he mentioned he had a leak associated with the problem whereas I cant find any evidence of a leak.

 

[nick mercedes]

As you would all be aware any diesel engine is normally good for well over 500k where this has done 252k

Mercedes 611 and Vitos are not the most robust of engine or van.

It's possibly a good time to look for a new van.

 

[nick mercedes]

I read somewhere that a guy had a similar issue and pulled the back off the low pressure pump revealing a problem with a couple of orings which he replaced subsequently fixing his problem. he mentioned he had a leak associated with the problem whereas I cant find any evidence of a leak.

If you can't get it to run or even fire on easy start?

 

[ashton.w]

I read somewhere that a guy had a similar problem and found that there was a leak in the low pressure pump. he took the back off the pump and replaced a couple of orings and that solved his problem. has anybody heard of a problem like that.