Isuzu 35/42 - priming or bleeding

[Keeping Up]

A friend of mine has an Isuzu engine in his boat (not sure if it's a 35 or 42) which hasn't been run for over a year. I tried briefly to start it today and there's no sign of any activity - it spins over OK but there doesn't appear to be any attempt to fire, and there's no smoke of any colour from the exhaust. I assume there's no fuel getting through. There is something in the bottom of the tank which may or may not be diesel (it may be rainwater or bug, for all I know, or there may just not be enough fuel for the pipe pick it up).

 

Next week I'll be settling down to look at it properly, Can anyone advise me, as I know nothing about Isuzu engines, are these self-bleeding? Is there a manual priming lever somewhere (if so, where?)

[Canalwatcher]

They are self bleeding. when the ignition is switched on you should be able to hear the electric pump ticking if it's not it would not self bleed.

 

Above based on my reasonable but not expert knowledge learnt from servicing of our Izusu 42 on Zodiak

 

Mick

[bizzard]

Possibly bad wiring loom plug connection to electric fuel pump on the engine and should be close by. Twice I've been called out to boats with Isuzu 35's with this trouble. I just chopped the plugs out and reconnected the wires by soldering and wrapping in self amalgamating tape. The 42's I think have the same loom plug. Turn on the ignition and the pump if working should be heard, and felt.

[Burgiesburnin]

You may find that the fuel is stale and has congealed. Get as much of the old fuel out as you can from the system and then get a few liters for the fuel pump to pick up.

Make sure you have enough battery power and keep turning it over stopping every 20 seconds or so.

When it farts, sorry, tries to start keep turning it over.

[Flyboy]

A friend of mine has an Isuzu engine in his boat (not sure if it's a 35 or 42) which hasn't been run for over a year. I tried briefly to start it today and there's no sign of any activity - it spins over OK but there doesn't appear to be any attempt to fire, and there's no smoke of any colour from the exhaust. I assume there's no fuel getting through. There is something in the bottom of the tank which may or may not be diesel (it may be rainwater or bug, for all I know, or there may just not be enough fuel for the pipe pick it up).

 

Next week I'll be settling down to look at it properly, Can anyone advise me, as I know nothing about Isuzu engines, are these self-bleeding? Is there a manual priming lever somewhere (if so, where?)

Seems obvious but is the fuel tap on at the tank ? Your friend may have turned it off when laying the boat up.

[Keeping Up]

I did check that the tap was on - it wasn't laid up, they just stopped using it, so the fuel could be in any condition!. I didn't know it was an electric pump, I didn't hear any ticking, so I'll go looking for it. Presumably when there's not enough fuel to reach the pipe it would tick continuously.

[b0atman]

when I turn mine on I can hear the return line spilling diesel back into tank

If fuel is low the put some fuel bug additive in with new fuel and allow any sediment time to settle probably best to have spare fuel filter/s

[Flyboy]

I did check that the tap was on - it wasn't laid up, they just stopped using it, so the fuel could be in any condition!. I didn't know it was an electric pump, I didn't hear any ticking, so I'll go looking for it. Presumably when there's not enough fuel to reach the pipe it would tick continuously.

It should tick continuously as it returns fuel back to the tank.

[cariad]

When starting from cold hold key in glow plug position for 5 seconds before attempting to start. I use this method on mine and it starts every time.

[LadyG]

I have a diesel tank half full of old fuel, though the engine and Webasto are running OK.

Rather than waiting for re-fuelling and adding additive, I was considering pumping out as much as I could, drain off/remove mucky stuff and re-fill using a filter at the fuelling point, check engine still running, then add additive, which would be double strength untill fuel topped up.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MR-FUNNEL-RFF1C-FUEL-FILTER-2-5-GAL-MINUTE-PETROL-DIESEL-HEATING-OIL-KEROSENE/201605816877?

It's an Isuzu 42

My attempts at maintenance usually have three stages:

1] Everything running well, open owner's manual, look at pictures. Clean mucky bits, oil/grease moving parts.

2]  Some "trouble at mill"

3] Put it all back together, hope it works, if not, were there any bits left over?

 

Edited February 13, 2020 by LadyG

[bizzard]

1 hour ago, LadyG said:

I have a diesel tank half full of old fuel, though the engine and Webasto are running OK.

Rather than waiting for re-fuelling and adding additive, I was considering pumping out as much as I could, drain off/remove mucky stuff and re-fill using a filter at the fuelling point, check engine still running, then add additive, which would be double strength untill fuel topped up.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MR-FUNNEL-RFF1C-FUEL-FILTER-2-5-GAL-MINUTE-PETROL-DIESEL-HEATING-OIL-KEROSENE/201605816877?

It's an Isuzu 42

My attempts at maintenance usually have three stages:

1] Everything running well, open owner's manual, look at pictures. Clean mucky bits, oil/grease moving parts.

2]  Some "trouble at mill"

3] Put it all back together, hope it works, if not, were there any bits left over?

 

The important thing is, after whatever you do, , don't start up the engine directly after the process, leave it alone  for a good few hours for any muck still in the tank to settle,''and there will be'' after the disturbance.

[bizzard]

I wouldn't go to the expense of that filter funnel thing. For that purpose I just stick with epoxy glue a paper fuel filter element into the bell of an ordinary metal or plastic funnel and pour the new fuel into and around through that, dodging the top centre hole of the filter, these can be bought cheaply at car spares shops, or motor factors, any type of small but tallish one will do, just a couple or few quid.

[LadyG]

hello again,

still waiting for my siphon.

My electrician, and all round good guy is coming on Wednesday, among other things we are going to do some boat handling, sea trials, handling etc, then I will service engine, if I can get filters.

I cant find a manual, I have a back stop specialist Isuzu mechanic if things go wrong, but at the moment all is well, touch wood. 

[Alan de Enfield]

42 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Wednesday, among other things we are going to do some boat handling, sea trials, handling etc,

That's a heck of a long way to go, are you paying him by the hour ?

[Flyboy]

On 13/02/2020 at 09:52, bizzard said:

I wouldn't go to the expense of that filter funnel thing. For that purpose I just stick with epoxy glue a paper fuel filter element into the bell of an ordinary metal or plastic funnel and pour the new fuel into and around through that, dodging the top centre hole of the filter, these can be bought cheaply at car spares shops, or motor factors, any type of small but tallish one will do, just a couple or few quid.

Or you could line the funnel with a chamois leather.

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, LadyG said:

hello again,

still waiting for my siphon.

My electrician, and all round good guy is coming on Wednesday, among other things we are going to do some boat handling, sea trials, handling etc, then I will service engine, if I can get filters.

I cant find a manual, I have a back stop specialist Isuzu mechanic if things go wrong, but at the moment all is well, touch wood. 

Best get some clean diesel in the tank first

[LadyG]

12 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

That's a heck of a long way to go, are you paying him by the hour ?

I am using that expression [sea trials] metaphorically, as I've never heard of Ditch trials.

it's a commercial canal, with a sea lock.  

No problems with opening the throttle in the canal, just want to be sure nothing too big is moving.

I pay per day, he is a good worker.

11 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Best get some clean diesel in the tank first

That is why I am trying to remove the crud.

btw I got the Lidl pump working again, though I found no dirt inside it.

I have  the last lot of diesel in a white plastic barrel, with a ridged base, there is no sediment I filtered it with my finest cotton socks and lots of cheesecloth, no water layer,, it is red, but has a slight opaqueness, a bit like watered down blood. I will get some fresh stuff and see if it really is cloudy.

I will just sacrifice 5l, puting it back in to tank and pumping out again a few times. I can't be sure how much crud is in tank.

Big thing will be changing large fuel filter as I have no bleeding manual, I might just change the oil, but again, I want rid of crud before I run the engine / fill up with clean.

[Tony Brooks]

You probably will not need to bleed it manually.

 

First follow the "not an injector pipe" pie away from the injection pump and it should first lead to the fuel filter and from the other side of the filter to the lead to the fuel lift pump. If the pump has a n electric wire or wires going to it you are in luck. If not post a photo of that pump and one of the injector pump and if no one else does I will explain how to bleed it.

 

Assuming it is electric and that you have only changed the filter just turn the ignition on and go an have a cup of tea. Then try to start it, it should just start.

[WotEver]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

Assuming it is electric and that you have only changed the filter just turn the ignition on and go an have a cup of tea. Then try to start it, it should just start.

Yup, that’s all I ever had to do with our Vetus. 

[bizzard]

I think all the Isuzu's 35, 42, 50, 55, 70 have electric fuel pumps as far as I can remember and will all self bleed, all the ones I've worked on did. As TB said just switch the ignition key on, don't try to start the engine and you should hear the electric pump whining, leave it whining for 2 or 3 minutes and it should start up.

[LadyG]

On 03/09/2015 at 17:00, b0atman said:

when I turn mine on I can hear the return line spilling diesel back into tank

If fuel is low the put some fuel bug additive in with new fuel and allow any sediment time to settle probably best to have spare fuel filter/s

I am struggling to the last inch out of the tank, most is sitting in containers.

I've put a double dose of "16" all round conditioner [£25], trying to get that "cloudiness" in the containers back to totally clear, like the fresh stuff. I'll buy some more fresh, so it will be as clean as  I can get.

I've located main fuel filter and oil filter, I wonT change the inline fuel filter. I assume there is no air filter? 

 

 

Edited February 29, 2020 by LadyG

[Alan de Enfield]

5 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I wonT change the inline fuel filter.

 

Why ?

 

 

5 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I assume there is no air filter?

 

No, not in the fuel line there isn't

 

 

6 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I am struggling to the last inch out of the tank,

 

That is the stuff you definitely need to get out, you can put in as much additives as you like but it will not get sludge and rust out of the fuel. You need to suck it out and dispose of it, rinse with fresh and suck it out again.

Leaving it in will just clog your filters when you refill the tank.

 

Maybe a trip to Penrith station would help :-

 

 

[LadyG]

I will just change one thing at a time, and I don't have a spare in line.. I assume any little paper filter will do.  Once engine is running Ok, I'll change it. I find it makes life easier doing things one at a time when dealing with the unknown.

Edited February 29, 2020 by LadyG

[ditchcrawler]

5 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I will just change one thing at a time, and I don't have a spare in line.. I assume any little paper filter will do.  Once engine is running Ok, I'll change it. I find it makes life easier doing things one at a time when dealing with the unknown.

Do you know its not full of crap if you have that much in the tank

[bizzard]

39 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I am struggling to the last inch out of the tank, most is sitting in containers.

I've put a double dose of "16" all round conditioner [£25], trying to get that "cloudiness" in the containers back to totally clear, like the fresh stuff. I'll buy some more fresh, so it will be as clean as  I can get.

I've located main fuel filter and oil filter, I wonT change the inline fuel filter. I assume there is no air filter? 

 

 

If you just leave the containers alone for a few days you'll find the cloudiness and any water will separate out and settle to the bottom without any additive, leaving the fuel above clear, just don't disturb them until this is so. And then gently pour it through the funnel filter back into the tank, but not the contaminated dregs at the bottom of the containers.

Edited February 29, 2020 by bizzard