Start with the simple things - Ford 6000 now running fine

[Aussiebushman]

Had a constant problem with this 6 cylinder diesel beast constantly cutting out with air in the injector pump. Didn't matter how many times it was bled, it would not run for more than a few minutes. The biggest worry was what seemed to be diesel fuel running out the injector pump. Shock - horror at the potential cost and hassles of repair.

Degreased everything so I could maybe see where there could be a leak. The result was so simple - a hole in the fuel return line where it passed through a steel plate, but nowhere you could see before removing the side covers. The fuel was just running down the line until it pooled at the pump.

Cut the steel lines, replaced the flexible hose with fuel-grade rubber, protected it with some heavy spiral tube and refitted it. Tightened every junction I could find, bled it again.
Surprise, surprise - now runs perfectly! The moral of the story: don't do anything expensive until you have checked the simple things

 

[Wagtail]

Three thumbs up Cobber!

 

[shovelmike]

Excellent troubleshooting, I am glad it was something simple.

 

[chim]

At work we have a Volvo tractor (tractor trailer type, not farm) that made several trips to different shops for an intermittent problem of shutting itself off. It was finally traced to a corrosion hole in the top of the fuel filter base. It had caked crud that hid it till the one garage was pressure washing the engine.

 

[shovelmike]

My 85 Harley Sportster, which I have owned since new, has been leaking a lot of oil. My wife has been putting potty pads under it that we had left from training the dogs.
Found that the problem was simple, the hose clamp at the bottom of the oil tank had worked loose, but it required some disassembly to get to it. In the process, I discovered that the mounting bracket on the side of the tank that helps support the battery tray had fractured due to vibration (Those who have ridden Sportsters can relate), I will have to get it welded back, get some good snail clamps, do some serious cleanup, then reassemble.

 

[Jstpssng]

Had a constant problem with this 6 cylinder diesel beast constantly cutting out with air in the injector pump. Didn't matter how many times it was bled, it would not run for more than a few minutes. The biggest worry was what seemed to be diesel fuel running out the injector pump. Shock - horror at the potential cost and hassles of repair.

Degreased everything so I could maybe see where there could be a leak. The result was so simple - a hole in the fuel return line where it passed through a steel plate, but nowhere you could see before removing the side covers. The fuel was just running down the line until it pooled at the pump.

Cut the steel lines, replaced the flexible hose with fuel-grade rubber, protected it with some heavy spiral tube and refitted it. Tightened every junction I could find, bled it again.
Surprise, surprise - now runs perfectly! The moral of the story: don't do anything expensive until you have checked the simple things

That's the kind of thing which some of us wouldn't figure out until AFTER the expensive fix didn't work.

 

[Aussiebushman]

Thanks - glad you approve!

Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that well. For example, I fitted a reinforcing plate to the front of my old Range Rover to stop the radiator from wobbling about. That required just three rivets to hold it to the backing plate. You guessed it - drilled through the plate right into the copper aircon pipe. $200 to repair the pipe and another $220 to replace the direr and regas the system.

Now that ain't bad luck - it is sheer stupidity!