Isuzu Trooper Owners Club UK™

stuartburman

My wife managed to put 1.44 litres of petrol in the Trooper 2 days ago. Admittedly it's had problems starting before this which I think related to old crud in the tank as whenever the car got low on fuel it took a good few cranks to get it started. Anyhow she left the 1.44 litres of petrol in and has filled up all the way with diesel and it's been performing fine for the 30 or so miles put on the clock since then. However this morning I got the dreaded call to say the truck wouldn't start - I'll take a look when I get home from work, but do you think this small amount of petrol in the tank could have caused this?

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DYLAN · Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:33 Post subject:

I doubt very much that the amount of petrol that went in made any difference at all.
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2002 S-TYPE JAGUAR 3.0 SPORT

stuartburman · Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 13:03 Post subject:

Thanks DYLAN that's what I thought, just seems wierd that it happen so soon after. I wonder if the small quantity of petrol has made the other unresolved starting issue get worse. As an update my wife spoke to a local garage and they suggested spraying 'Easy Start' on the air filter to get it going (hopefully!) and then drive round loads to eat some fuel before topping up again. Would this be a sensible thing to do?

Rhanagar · Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 13:34 Post subject:

NO!

Easy Start is like crack for engines. Once it gets a taste for it you will need to take out shares in the stuff.

Change the filter (as the petrol will clear the crud from the lines blocking it) and fill again with diesel to dilute whats remaining in the tank. Your starting issue is more likely to be a hole in the fuel feed line from the tank. When sat switched off you might be getting drain back to the tank from the pump in the fuel feed. This then creates a bubble of air which has to be purged before the fuel gets there and the truck starts. Obviously the longer you leave the truck (usualy overnight being the longest time) then the longer it needs to crank to pull the fuel.

You may need to change the filter a couple of times before the crud is flushed.
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1990 Isuzu Bighorn LWB Mk.I 2.8TD Manual Lotus Edition
1994 Isuzu Bighorn LWB Mk.II 3.1TD Auto Lotus Edition

Deceased
1994 Isuzu Bighorn LWB Mk.II 3.1TD Auto LS

DYLAN · Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 14:12 Post subject:

You really think 1.44 litres of petrol diluted in 80 litres of diesel Will clear crud off the lines? Shocked

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2002 S-TYPE JAGUAR 3.0 SPORT

Rhanagar · Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 14:35 Post subject:

I have heard of far less than that of 2 stroke oil doing the same. Though saying that if only 30 miles was covered it would take some, but if there was an amount of crud (as OP says in original post) then the petrol could of disturbed it. Also the petrol might of been all that was needed to tip the balance to finally make the starting problem a bigger issue.

Either way I would change the filter and check the fuel lines.

I would never never never use easy start on any engine.
_________________
1990 Isuzu Bighorn LWB Mk.I 2.8TD Manual Lotus Edition
1994 Isuzu Bighorn LWB Mk.II 3.1TD Auto Lotus Edition

Deceased
1994 Isuzu Bighorn LWB Mk.II 3.1TD Auto LS

DYLAN · Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 14:38 Post subject:

I agree about the easy start it's not the best thing to use on any engine.
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2002 S-TYPE JAGUAR 3.0 SPORT

stuartburman · Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 16:26 Post subject:

OK, so I wont use Easy Start to get her going and thanks for the advice...

One worry that I have (and apologies if this going a little paranoid Embarassed

) could the petrol have collected when settled in the tank and got sucked into the cylinder in a higher concentration (1.44 litres out of 75 is about 2% but if settled together this could be higher) and this is causing the cranking but no start? It'd be good to hear that this is rediculous (if it is) and I should get her going without worrying about other damage to injectors/fuel pump etc..

eithan h · Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:30 Post subject:

what about the fuel lines leaking air? have you got a damp patch on top of the tank?

eithan h · Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:31 Post subject:

what about the fuel lines leaking air? have you got a damp patch on top of the tank?

rich31td · **** Joined: 15 May 2009 Posts: 454 Location: Kent

I would have though easystart is a big NO NO on diesels anyway? Wouldn't it suffer pre-ignition?

stuartburman · Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:27 Post subject:

All, thanks for your help and advice. I got the coil hot by powering up 4 or 5 times then gave it some cranking and it started in the end. since then it's started first go, I guess the crud that built up has now given way... fuel and air filters to be changed next week - hope that'll be the end of the starting probs. Thanks again.