How to bleed a Pulse Diesel Engine

[Sailfree]

2007 Seat Altea FR 2.0 Pulse Diesel Engine. 170BHP

Looked everywhere for info but can't find any ! Can you manually bleed the diesel? If so how?

All i can find is info/you tube videos of post 2009 TDI's !!

I have replaced the timing belt and to get access I had to disconnect the Flow and return Diesel lines to the Diesel filter. Car started but then stopped - obviously air in the fuel lines.

Don't want to crank the engine too much in case the engine mounted fuel pump (high pressure) lack diesel and hence lubrication.

If i disconnect the return fuel pipe at the filter and just switching on the ignition to get the diesel lift pump to fill the lines and engine pump do I just crank the engine until it fires?

AI is completely wrong - it says remove rocker cover and loosen the diesel lines at each injector (i have done this before on marine diesel engines) - but rubbish for a PD engine - there are no fuel lines beneath the rocker cover! It appears to me that the injectors are fed through galleries in the head casting - so nothing there to bleed!

 

[James_R]

Just crank it until it starts. It's very unlikely you'll do any damage to a PD high pressure fuel pump, they're very robust.

 

[Sailfree]

Thanks

 

[Sailfree]

Bleed the diesel from the diesel return line at the fuel filter and getting diesel through. Engine has fired up for 1 sec about 4 times in 25 attempts. Sounds OK when it runs - albeit briefly.

I suspect because I did not bleed the fuel line before reconnecting I have air between the high pressure pump and the injectors. From lifting the rocker cover there are no fuel lines so fuel must go along galleries in the head to the injectors and air in these galleries is compressing.

Is this where i need the OB2 software to bleed these galleries and is there a cheaper OB2 reader that can complete this?

any other ideas?

 

[Sailfree]

Its now started a few times - once for about 5 seconds but then dies!

In owners manual it says car will take a few attempts at starting if the diesel tank has run dry so it is obviously self bleeding.

Will keep trying!

 

[Sailfree]

Looking at a couple of you tube videos it say run the software for 3 min - this I assume runs both diesel pumps without turning the engine over.

Cunning plan!

Disconnect the starter motor cable. Then turn ignition key to start for 3 min. Both the lift pump and the high pressure pump should be energised just no starter motor working. Bleed diesel from return line to check for air but after 3 min it should be air free.

Reconnect starter motor and the return fuel line to filter housing and try to start car again.

When it starts albeit for seconds it sounds OK and my gut feel is that its fuel starvation but can anyone think of other reasons for it only running for 1 sec and even then only randomly starting for 1 sec?

 

[Sailfree]

OK have bleed fuel system and finally took a 12v live connection to diesel tank lift pump and it works fine.

Car engine worked fine before fitting new brake servo ( that required engine to be lowered on trolley jack to gain sufficient access). Conclusion now is that the ECU is shutting down the engine probably due to a sensor fault - have I damaged one in moving engine to fit servo?

Need an OBD2 reader - can anyone recommend one that will identify all error codes for engine sensors. They all seem to offer lots of features but some are a lot dearer!

Any other ideas?

 

[Sailfree]

Update

Got OBD 11 reader.

Showed a camshaft sensor fault. While I have moved engine to fit new master cylinder and new brake servo and while so much removed I replaced timing belt, water pump etc. Initially assumed I had strained wires to sensor but could not find any fault and three wires hoping 2 signal circuits of 5V and an earth.

So really puzzled by this failure which initially appeared a coincidence !

Stripped camshaft belt off and removed camshaft sensor. Note camshaft sensor impossible to remove on dohc 170bhp BMN engine without removing timing belt idler wheel.

While awaiting new camshaft sensor reading about faults on BMN engine came across a AI response that says "diesel starvation can cause a message camshaft failure fault !"

Live and learn every day!

I have now removed rear seat to enable me to take a live to the diesel tank lift pump and ensure all lines are full and diesel filter full.

After I fit the new sensor (with new info its possibly an unnecessary repacement!) Refit timing belt etc. I will clear fault code using OBD 11 tablet. Prime fuel not by repeatedly turning engine over but by disconnecting fuel return pipe at filter and taking live to diesel lift pump ensure line is full !

Then try to start engine.