Hi All,

I've got a 1992 80 Series Toyota Landcruiser. She's a 4.2 TD, and I recently converted her to run on both veggie oil, and diesel. The fuel pump has leaked since I bought her, and I've just had some seals and a gasket replaced.

I’ve just spent the evening trying to plumb back in the fuel pump. I had a little trouble lining up the keyed shaft on the fuel pump, but eventually managed to get it done. I tried to prime the system, with little success. She turned over but wouldn’t fire. Having recently converted to a dual fuel system, I had to disconnect the veg system, and tried priming again. I pumped until I thought my arm would fall off, but the plunger never became “solid.” She started, but what a noise! It was like a bag of nails and a kango combined. I turned the engine off immediately, having a vision of broken valves rattling away in the combustion chambers. Both top and bottom pulleys are lined up correctly. I’m trying not to think the worst, and hope that the answer is simple, but as I’m not a mechanic, any advice would be much appreciated. The 80 is my daily driver, and I’ve got two days to get her back on the road.

Regards, Ian.

Obvious thing to check i suppose would be the pump, as its been stripped and the seals changed. Can you disconnect some fuel lines and check that it is doing its job?

When you say 'converted' to run veggie. Is this a full conversion with preheaters for the oil or just a twin tank setup.

To start these engines from cold on pure oil takes a pretty warm day and G plugs and inj. in tip top condition, even then they will cough and splutter for a few seconds.
I'm no diesel fitter but do have a surf which I run on veggie premix. They aint the most sophisticated of engines and sound like a bag of marbles anyway. You may have excess 'fuel' in the cylinders from cranking it over. I guess its possible to 'flood' diesel engines.
Try some easy start or butane into the intake and see if it will catch.

The conversion is twin tank with a heat exchanger. I've disconnected the veg and it's running on diesel. The engine starts, but doesn't sound at all healthy.

this may sound daft but have you given it a good revving to clear any air in the pump?

years and years ago i did the head on my astra 1.6 d and it took a good 30 miles before the engine ran smooth(ish) again

Did you crack the joint where the fuel goes into the pump to get the air out then bleed the joints at the injectors as it was running, slacken them off till the fuel sprays out but don't completely disconnect them then retighten them. They sound horrendous till they are running on all four cylinders and jump about like a mad rabbit. The lift pump is only to prime/supply the injector pump. It will smoke white till it burns the excess off.

At least it's one more 4x4 off the road for a while

Sounds like teh pump timinghas changed when it was removed.

It needs timing up to squirt the fuel in at the right time. Get it wrong and will knock and bang like a bugger!!