Fuel pump leak... ‘92 L300
- Thread starter Scraps505
- Start date
...and once you've found the leak, you can fix it by replacing whichever seal is leaking. A generic Bosch VE Injection Pump rebuild kit has all the seals.
(My money's on the timing device cover O-ring.)
Oh and while you're working in the area, remove the top timing belt cover and make sure the IP front seal isn't leaking diesel onto the timing belt. The timing belt should be clean and dry.
(My money's on the timing device cover O-ring.)
Oh and while you're working in the area, remove the top timing belt cover and make sure the IP front seal isn't leaking diesel onto the timing belt. The timing belt should be clean and dry.
Scraps505
Member
You were absolutely correct. Timing device cover is leaking. I located another, which is the belt cover??
Attachments
The arrowed seam in your photo is another notorious leak spot. The rebuild kit has the seal for that.
The timing belt cover is the big black plastic thing on the front of the engine, it has the toothed timing (camshaft) belts under it. The IP front seal doesn't leak very often, but if it does and diesel gets on the timing belts they'll snap and wreck the engine.
The timing belt cover is the big black plastic thing on the front of the engine, it has the toothed timing (camshaft) belts under it. The IP front seal doesn't leak very often, but if it does and diesel gets on the timing belts they'll snap and wreck the engine.
Can this seal be replaced w/o pulling the pump? Just curious.
I thought the front/rear shaft seals were the main leak points... I guess they're just the ones that are most likely to cause poor running/stalling?
Yes, the top cover seal (large rectangular thing in the rebuild kit) and throttle shaft seal/O-ring (in the top cover) can be replaced easily with the IP in place. The timing device cover O-rings are a little more difficult, but doable. The distribution block seal is a nightmare with the IP in place.
In my experience the pumps start leaking from the body seals long before the front shaft seal gives trouble. When they're installed on the 4D56, that is. The L400 Delica's 4M40 engines are chain drive, and the IP front seal is bathed in engine oil: those seem to fail and let air in more frequently. Many rebuild kits don't even come with the front seal.
Wildmtnchild
Member
This thread has been so helpful. I’ve ordered the rebuild kit and some foot powder and will try to fix my leak in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully the leak will be in one of the easier to repair locations. This will be the first time I’ve ever worked on a vehicle on my own so here’s hoping I don’t break my van.
If you have to remove the top cover, try to leave the accelerator lever (with the coil springs) in place. The accelerator lever is mounted to a splined shaft, and its orientation relative to the splines changes how the accelerator pedal works. If you must remove the lever, mark it and the splined shaft so you can reassemble it correctly.
Nothing too bad will happen if you get it wrong, you'll just find that the engine will idle too fast or too slow (depending on which way out it is), and the engine might be suuuper sluggish. In that case remove the lever and reposition it until everything's back to normal.
There's a full rebuild thread, with pictures, here: http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/ve-injector-pump-rebuild-in-colour_topic17456.html
Best to read it in reverse order, and pay attention to the bits where they say "of course we measured this before disassembly". Replacing seals doesn't require quite this level of teardown, but it's good to know which bolts and adjusters you should avoid.
Nothing too bad will happen if you get it wrong, you'll just find that the engine will idle too fast or too slow (depending on which way out it is), and the engine might be suuuper sluggish. In that case remove the lever and reposition it until everything's back to normal.
There's a full rebuild thread, with pictures, here: http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/ve-injector-pump-rebuild-in-colour_topic17456.html
Best to read it in reverse order, and pay attention to the bits where they say "of course we measured this before disassembly". Replacing seals doesn't require quite this level of teardown, but it's good to know which bolts and adjusters you should avoid.
Scraps505
Member
Awesome thank you! So I got the gaskets replaced and unfortunately did not mark the lever but I took a lot of photos so hopefully I can align it back... I am however having trouble getting the cap back on.. seems to be stuck on the governor lever? Any suggestions? The thread seems to skip that step... also, any advice on how to properly prime the system and get the air out after it’s assembled would be super appreciated as well.
The cap can be tricky to reinstall, you have to get the spring-stack thingy (the "capsule", no idea why it's called that) hooked onto the governor lever as the cap goes on. There's a flat spot on the shaft that slots into the governor, if the flat spot isn't aligned it'll never go together.
This photo is misleading: you can't actually see this part when you're reassembling, because the cap is in the way. You might be able to push the accelerator lever shaft out of the cap, assemble the capsule onto the governor lever, and then drop the cap over the whole thing? If that makes sense...
Bleeding the IP and lines: https://delicaforum.com/index.php?threads/bleeding-the-fuel-lines.1041/
This photo is misleading: you can't actually see this part when you're reassembling, because the cap is in the way. You might be able to push the accelerator lever shaft out of the cap, assemble the capsule onto the governor lever, and then drop the cap over the whole thing? If that makes sense...
Bleeding the IP and lines: https://delicaforum.com/index.php?threads/bleeding-the-fuel-lines.1041/
You can't really damage anything with the priming pump... but seals fail.
I'd check the rubber fuel hoses first, they split a little at the ends and since you've disturbed them they might just be leaking from there. If they're split, just trim an inch off the end to remove the split part and try again.
Have you replaced the fuel filter? Retightened the air bleed bolt on the side of the filter bracket/priming pump?
Worst case: the priming pump has a rubber diaphragm inside, they can sometimes split and cause a leak especially if they're old and/or haven't been used very much. the fuel usually leaks out from under the black plastic cap.
Have you replaced the fuel filter? Retightened the air bleed bolt on the side of the filter bracket/priming pump?
Worst case: the priming pump has a rubber diaphragm inside, they can sometimes split and cause a leak especially if they're old and/or haven't been used very much. the fuel usually leaks out from under the black plastic cap.
joshXstaygold
Active Member
I just found mine is leaking as well. Looks like it’s coming from the opposite side of the “timing device”? Is there a seal there? Just looks like a blocking plate.
moroza
Active Member
Besides an import shop that saw a lot of weird old diesels, at one point I worked for a tractor/equipment dealer with a lot more diesels. Every. Single. Last. Leaking Bosch VE-style pump had a failed o-ring exactly at that spot, and often nowhere else. Furthermore, generic O-rings that seemed to measure correctly failed immediately; only the Bosch (or Zexel, Diesel Kiki, or what have you) part worked. For whatever reason, this part of the pump seems exceptionally finicky, regardless of whether it was equipped with the timing device or a block-off plate (IIRC the seal is the same). Luckily it's not hard to change.
joshXstaygold
Active Member
good to know. I’ve got the kit on order. I was going to go get an o-kit and try to use one of those in the meantime. But may as well wait since they just seam to fail. Yah super easy to get to. Took it off to check and sure as shit o-ring was nonexistent.
moroza
Active Member
Thinking further, it's possible that the finickiness was exacerbated by using the wrong seal materials. Back when I worked at these places was right around when B2-B10 was starting to become the normal No.2 diesel, and before I learned about biodiesel's proclivity for eating EVERYTHING and knew to check, I'm sure many if not most of those O-rings were rubber or some other unsuitable material. In a nutshell, if it's not steel, stainless steel, aluminum, nylon, teflon, or fluoroelastomer (aka Viton), it won't get along with biodiesel - in some cases, even at B5 concentration.
You might consider using a sealant, preferably with the O-ring. Sealants that stand up to petrodiesel are slightly uncommon but out there. Those that stand up to biodiesel are very uncommon, but last night I discovered they do exist, in the form of fluoroelastomer caulk. So far I've found two manufacturers (Pelseal and Thermodyn), but the only place to buy it was McMaster... for $36 for a little tube.
You might consider using a sealant, preferably with the O-ring. Sealants that stand up to petrodiesel are slightly uncommon but out there. Those that stand up to biodiesel are very uncommon, but last night I discovered they do exist, in the form of fluoroelastomer caulk. So far I've found two manufacturers (Pelseal and Thermodyn), but the only place to buy it was McMaster... for $36 for a little tube.
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joshXstaygold
Active Member
I don’t run bio so I’m not worried about it eating through it. Think I may run and grab the o-ring kit and some sealant anyways. Do it and keep the actual seal kit for whenever it does start leaking again.