BXProject

Err yes I didn't read it right, so he is. The later system was a big improvement though.

There is not that many things it can be really. Either no fuel. intermittent injector fault, or air gulping in somewhere, although air getting in means it won't run right at all and I think you said it seems to clear on light acceleration

IT's air, for sure.
MY latest engine has air issues, I'm buggered if I can find where though...
This engine has the later filter assembly atop the stat housing..
It'll either rev up on starting, or die soon after starting.
Occassionally it'll start fine.
I'm not that arsed really..

But in Jay's case, my prime suspect would be the filter head, well knwon for it, and like I said, I'll happily bring along the unit that came off my car, it was fine..

What was that white plastic thing in the housing for Doc? I think JD explained somewhere.

He did, think it was a thread of mine - it allows fuel to flow thorough the heat exchanger below the filter housing when the ambient temperature is low. I had an air leak from the O ring on the white thingy.

That's the feller. Good memory......Mat..... isn't it

Do you remember you saying you owed me a drink?

Nah mate I remember it clear like now. It was the other way round

With this surging, it's air within the pump, not an air leak as such. The air gets in after fuel filter change for example. What I don't understand is why the air wont come out down the injector pipes, but I guess it must be an air lock.

No, it's air in the supply TO the pump but i'll be damned if i can find it!

Cross purposes dude!
1)Air to the pump is most likely as Doc said.
2)The prolonged cranking is fuel leaking back which may well be combined/caused by no. 1 but could also be a duff non return valve
3) The surge is caused by air with in the pump; the air affects the the fuel pressure within the pump and hence delivery (well, something along those lines)

To avoid fucking the starter motor, use the primer a few times, pref with the ign turned on until you get a replacement unit from Doc

Righty-o... Despite everyone seemingly missing it several posts up, i HAD replaced the primer for a brand new unit to no avail (and the seals, copper washers & filter).

Anyhow, today i ripped the whole lot out right back to the join of the rubber pipe to the steel fuel pipe behind the front subframe.

I then fitted new hose to the steel pipe, an in-line filter and a generic priming bulb with all new pipework right up to the pump.

The result? It now starts on the button and has most of it's power, most of the time!

Still needs a little tweek here and there, but it's pretty much right.

Question: What is the thing bolted to the back of the block that the fuel pipes run to and from? (above octopus). I'd hazard an intelligent guess at Fuel-Heater, so what's to likelihood of bypassing it becoming an issue?...

oh god! Hadn't thought of that!
Yes it's a fuel heater, and they are known for going porous and generally fucking things up!
I'd by pass the son-a-bitch pronto, and I suspect that will cure all the ill's.

As it goes, the one on the engine I removed from the TD was pretty new, so you're welcome to that if you want it, but personally I wouldn't bother with it, it never gets cold enough to actually need the thing over here..

That's pretty much what i thought, hence it's already gone

Cheers dude!

There is a 3 way elbow in the water pipes. The later ones were plastic and those buggers tended to crack and leak water

I've often wondered about the fuel heater though.............does it not reduce the viscosity of the fuel and so improve combustion etc etc?

Yes, in theory and anyway, the later ones have the modified filter unit and the one at the rear of the engine became redundant and was replaced with the 3 way I was on about earlier.

I thought diesel-fuel heaters were just to prevent "wax" from clogging the filter etc. Hence the climate over here not really being extreme enough to cause waxing with modern fuel anymore.

Balls, should have thought of that, but really, who the hell still has one on the car, they should have all perished and fallen off years ago!

Hence the climate over here not really being extreme enough to cause waxing with modern fuel anymore.

You obviously weren't around in the 60's and early 70's. I had to use a propane torch under the tank in a morning, to de wax the fuel.
Nowadays a de waxing agent is added to all diesel from some time in November till the end of March, But slightly heating the fuel makes it atomise further which improves combustion and reduces emissions.
In theory.