hard to start

jimaire · **Posted:** Mon May 31, 2010 6:13 pm

Now the Liberty is very hard to start when up to operating temperture. Starts fairly well after sitting overnight. Lift pump didn't help the starting. Battery and fuel filter is new and starter turns it over very fast. Any ideas?
Thanks

stoutdog · **Posted:** Mon May 31, 2010 6:57 pm

jimaire wrote:

Now the Liberty is very hard to start when up to operating temperture. Starts fairly well after sitting overnight. Lift pump didn't help the starting. Battery and fuel filter is new and starter turns it over very fast. Any ideas?
Thanks

Did you check for air in the fuel?

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Mon May 31, 2010 9:24 pm

Any chance you have a tank of fuel contaminated with gasoline or alcohol? Glow plugs will help ignite diesel fuel contaminated with gasoline or alcohol and the glow plugs are not used with a warm engine. hence poor or no start.
Since you live in Mississippi, remove the fuel heater relay from the Power Distribution Center near the battery and stick it in the console or glove box to be a spare, you won't need it unless you are going to a ice fishing party in Minnesota or Canada. If you do have Gasoline or alcohol contamination, the heater will make the Gasoline or alcohol boil out and form a vapor pocket in the fuel system that will cause poor hot starting and then collapse when things cool down. Another source of alcohol that can cause the vapor lock problem would be any fuel system cleaners that contain alcohol.
The common rail engine heats the fuel much more than a regular diesel and will not start with too much air or vapor in the system. If the contamination proportion is small, unplugging the fuel heater relay may be all it takes to use up that tank of fuel.
As you can see in my signature, I have a fuel cooler, even in Illinois/Indianan/Michigan summers, it makes a difference, it would do even more in your neck of the woods.
Good Luck

jimaire · **Posted:** Mon May 31, 2010 9:32 pm

Wouldn't the electric fuel pump force the air out? I have driven it about 350 miles since the dealer had the fuel filter head off to repair several wires along the firewall. I have no additives in the fuel. The other diesel engines run fine on the same fuel. If the electric pump won't move the air on through, then how do I bleed it out?
Thanks

stoutdog · **Posted:** Mon May 31, 2010 9:49 pm

jimaire wrote:

Wouldn't the electric fuel pump force the air out? I have driven it about 350 miles since the dealer had the fuel filter head off to repair several wires along the firewall. I have no additives in the fuel. The other diesel engines run fine on the same fuel. If the electric pump won't move the air on through, then how do I bleed it out?
Thanks

Loosen the bleeder valve on top of the fuel filter and then push the plunger.... If you get any air then, for whatever reason, your fuel pump isn't doing its job. It should push the air out, but you never know....

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Tue Jun 01, 2010 6:23 am

The lift pump will pressurize fuel coming in -
but if it leaks air in while it's sitting - you have to vent the air out.
the CP3 will vent some - but not a lot.

Which - I get back to - fix the leak first and then add the lift pump as a safety factor -
but fix the leak.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:48 am

If you have an external pump, check the fittings between the pump and the tank. You may need to drop the tank and replace the snap fittings that were designed to run under pressure but not vacuum with a hose between the tank and your pump. If your primer plunger is not firm after you installed the electric pump and ran your engine you have air an leak.

hard to start

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