OM605 no power

[MarkC250]

Hi All
I'm having problems with my C250TD (OM605), it has no power.
To give you an idea of how bad it is there's more power below 2K than there is above it, and anyone that's driven one of these will know they don't wake up until the turbo kicks in.

I recently changed the turbo due to it sounding like a police syren, it was a second hand unit but worked fine for a week or so (it is however blowing a bit of oil so will be rebuilt soon), then one morning I started it to go to work and it was gutless from the start, it's been like this for some time now.

The turbo spins and produces pressure but I can't tell how much.
I've checked that the waste gate operates (you can see the arm moving when the vac pipe is disconnected).
I can't see any splits in the air ducting from turbo to inlet manifold.
The air filter is clean (ish).
The fuel pipe O rings were replace a couple of years ago and it doesn't feel like it's sucking in air.
The fuel filter has been changed and the strainer cleaned.

I've had a search on here but can't find anything that sounds the same.

So can anyone help please.

Could it be the MAP sensor, fuel lift pump ?

 

[MarkC250]

I must add that I blanked the EGR off (50K ago).
I blue the fuel lines out with compressed air (only used 1 bar) but this made no difference.

I recently changed the injector leak-off pipes and afterwards it was an absolute pig to bleed the air out, so much so that the battery went flat.

Almost forgot, it's an automatic and the power loss is making it hard to drive.

 

[guydewdney]

Well, its more rhan just in limp mode, as its perfectly driveable in limp.

Have you had the codes read?

Is the map sensor ok? Lhs bulkhead, pipe to manifold.

 

[MarkC250]

Well, its more rhan just in limp mode, as its perfectly driveable in limp.

Have you had the codes read?

Is the map sensor ok? Lhs bulkhead, pipe to manifold.

No I've not had the codes read, I don't want to spend money if I don't need to and as there is no engine light on I didn't think it was worth it.

How do I test the MAP, what readings should I be getting.

Nice to see you're a veg runner, I run bio

 

[guydewdney]

Just 'cos the engine light isnt on, doesnt mean its not running on limp etc. In fact Ive never seen my light on, even with various sensors unplugged and it in limp.

ask an indy or any decent garage with a decent snapon computer to read the codes.

not running veg in the winter at the moment though.

 

[MarkC250]

As you know my car has been lacking in power for some time now,
it's also been popping off the leak off pipes and it's been getting more frequent (I didn't think these were related so hand mentioned it before now).

Yesterday I checked the fuel return pipe by blowing out with compressed air, or I tried to, it's almost completely blocked, I could hear some air bubbling up in the tank but it took over 4bar before it did (fuel cap removed).

So today I'll try and run a new fuel return line.

What I'd like to know is, is this likely to be the cause of my low power ?

 

[Dieselman]

I wouldn't ave thought so. Try running the leak off into a container.

I suspect the turbo isn't being actuated, possibly the MAP sensor or turbo actuator.

Try applying vacuum directly to the turbo actuator, but be careful to not produce too much boost or high turbo revs.

There is no MAF sensor on your car.

 

[MarkC250]

I swapped the MAP already with no improvement.

I can see the waste gate moving when I disconnect the vacuum pipe from the actuator.

My thoughts are that as these pumps circulate far more fuel than they use could the back pressure in the return line stop the pump from operating as it should.

 

[Dieselman]

Lack of return fuel would normally increase the fuel pressure, so inject more fuel.

 

[MarkC250]

I've run the new pipe after draining the thank, but it's shown up another problem,
I got 12L out the tank even though the gauge read just over 3rd of a tank.
it's been running out of fuel at 1/4 of a tank, I thought it was the balance pipe that was blocked, but it obviusly a sender problem.

So my next question is, how much fuel does it take to get it to tranfer into the other side of the tank so the car will start again ?

 

[guydewdney]

If the return is blocked, could the flow be blocked?

Have you tried the old two stroke oil or atf in the the diesel and give ig an italian tune? Or steam in the inklet (from wallpaper stripper for example)? All known about on vegoildiesel forum. Sounds barbaric, but ive done the atf on the car, and water mist on my tractor, both improved significantly.

You need about 20 litres to get fuel back in the pipes from experience.

 

[MarkC250]

I've done the steam injection before with no improvement.

Not tried the ATF.

As this problem started overnight (not something that come on gradually) I doubt either of the above will help just now.

It's now got just under 30L in there and still wont prime (I have a PSA priming bulb in the supply line), I'm wondering if I've got the lines round the wrong way at the tank end.
Just to confirm, the feed is taken from the passenger side and the return goes to the drivers side (via a short length of flexy hose that goes into the rear of the tank), is that right ?

What user name do you go under on the VOD ?

 

[spoton]

feed

I've done the steam injection before with no improvement.

Not tried the ATF.

As this problem started overnight (not something that come on gradually) I doubt either of the above will help just now.

It's now got just under 30L in there and still wont prime (I have a PSA priming bulb in the supply line), I'm wondering if I've got the lines round the wrong way at the tank end.
Just to confirm, the feed is taken from the passenger side and the return goes to the drivers side (via a short length of flexy hose that goes into the rear of the tank), is that right ?

What user name do you go under on the VOD ?

30 litres would be more than enough to fill the drivers half and some of passenger side tank aswell so should prime if plumbings correct

No, I think youll find the feed is from the drivers side ie same side as filler cap and return is to passenger side Ive never actually checked but it would seem to make sense

 

[MarkC250]

Had time to have another look at this today.
spoton, you were, er, spoton about the tank feed.
Paynes manual has it the wrong way around

With the pipes the right way around it still would not bleed, further investigation showed that it's not the return pipe that's blocked, the blockage is in the tank.
But as I haven't got the right tools to remove the sender unit to have a look inside I've looped the return for now, so it's running at least.

I also had a look at the turbo (took the pipe off between filter box and turbo) and it's seized, it wont turn at all.

So at least I know why it's down on power.