Cant start 2.4TD surf, Help!!

Goose · Post by **Goose** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:15 pm

Hi, meant to pick up my new toy today...1987 surf, 2.4TD.
I'm buying it off a mate, he's not overly mechanically inclined, I know the basic principals of how they work, but not surf's paticularly....

The thing wont start!! Here's what I've done so far, any help/advice appreciated

Hasnt been started for about 6 mths, it ran fantastic when last running.

There is fuel to the filter. We bled it several times, appears to be only fuel coming out of the drain. The manual pump on the filter goes spongy quickly (30 seconds or so) after you build the pressure up, is this normal? After several starting attempts, checked things like fuel coming thru hoses etc. Tried winding over motor with line from filter off, very little came out.
Did manage to get it to run once, but it ran roughly (but enough to say it was running) for about 5-6 seconds, then stopped. After that, it wouldn't start again.

The fuel guage says "E" (dont start laughing!!), but he put $20 of fuel in it, (so, 15lts or so??), still says "E", but where the needle is sitting, I would say its faulty, it looks like they where they sit when the key is off. So, even from DEAD empty, should $20 fuel be enough to make it run??

I'm not sure on the fuel pump system on a surf, but I know a 'cruiser has that arm which if not in the right position, will not pump. I assume surf's have something equivelent, but I'm not sure what/where it is. (I know with the cruiser, we removed the arm so it would run)

I dont have the equipment to test the glow, but as it did actually run once, I'm assuming that they work.

Well, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, the sooner it's running, the sooner it's mine

krawlr · Post by **krawlr** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:23 pm

sounds like youre plunger is fuked ..........you want to pump it so its hard as a rock!

ok stick a rag around an air line into youre fuel filler (so its sealed,airtight)is what you wana do is pressurise the fuel tank while youre mate cranks the engine .

also try with a multimeter check the volts going too the g/plugs with the ign on ,you should see the volts rise from zero(about 10-15 secs)failing that go boil the jug :wink:

niblik · Post by **niblik** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:29 pm

*cough* cruiser *cough* :wink:

oh goosey.. how the dreams and aspirations come crashing down.. :cry:

still goin into h2o's, if ya can start it?

persistance.. that and brute force will get ya thru.. :wink:

good luck, gimme text if need a hand..

JTop · Post by **JTop** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 7:01 pm

Give it a tow and if there is nothing mechanically wrong it should start
J Top

Goose · Post by **Goose** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:11 am

hmmm, perssurise the tank......I like it!!

as for the tow start, I did suggest that, but my mate is quite anal when it comes to his trucks....(it aint mine yet!!) he wouldn't tow start his new roversurf when it had startermotor issues.......

from experience, the "violent" action of towstarting would make him freak, he's said if we cant get it to run today, it's off to the mechanic....

cheers guys :lol:

krawlr · Post by **krawlr** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:32 am

tell youre mate to go back to waimate :shock:

with the rest of them

Goose · Post by **Goose** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:37 am

haha, funny you should say that....he's originally from dunedin....

mudchuka · Post by **mudchuka** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 3:11 pm

tie a bungy rope on too it put iit in third gear and tow it down the road, it will go or it has a major .

niblik · Post by **niblik** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:44 pm

its weird but before an outing one day, h2o suggested the tow method, so we did... plugs were glowing fine, and towed it for an eternity.. no go.. then put a happy battery in her and it hums.. odd :shock:

H2OLOVA · Post by **H2OLOVA** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:48 pm

Jeez Nibby. :oops:

.....Remember

.....Thats when that dodgy fuel shut off valvy/arm thingy was playing up. We disconnected the next day and it started no problem.

And i thought we both learned something that day............... :wink:

niblik · Post by **niblik** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:53 pm

i did learn somethin... its the retention i have trouble with... :wink:

Steve_t647 · Post by **Steve_t647** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 9:11 pm

hey if you cant tow start it remove the diesel filter and try again.

I had a problem on my parents truck where the pump was allowing air to flow back through the pump and drop the fuel back to the tank (intermittently) then the pump finally failed.

I took the pump and filter (one unit) out (bridged straight through) and then tow started it fine. the diesel pump held the fuel in the line and started fine until they changed it.