deisel engine will not run long

[TC]

Ok,Setup:Catalina 30 with a Universal M-18 diesel. Drained and replaced oil, replaced oil filter, replaced fuel filter, bled fuel system, drained and replaced transmission oil. I then noticed that one of the cooling hoses had a leak and so replaced it. Filled hoses and tanks with coolant. Started engine.Problem:Everything ran fine for about 20 minutes. Then the engine started acting like the throttle was being reduced until it stopped running. Would start, but would immediately die again with the same symptoms. Bled the fuel system at the injectors and it would run fine for a few (2) minutes and then it would happen again. If I bleed the system it will run for a bit, but if I don’t it will not run for more then 15 sec. I have visually verified that there is half a tank of fuel.Question:What’s wrong? Is there air in the fuel line that isn’t bleeding out? Is the fuel pump on the blitz? Anyone out there encountered something like this before?HELPTom

 

[Kevin McGrath]

Deisel engine

Check your vent line.

 

[James M.]

Check your filters

Make sure your filters were filled with diesel, and are sealed properly.Do you have a water separator? If you changed the filter, it must be refilled with diesel, too. Otherwise, the motor will starve for fuel. The fact that you ran for 20 minutes makes this area suspect.

 

[TC]

Seems like air

Update:Tightened the fuel filter a little bit more and bled the system some more Sunday and the motor ran fine for quite a while. It did quit once, but I re-bled and it started right back up. Obviously I didn't bleed it well enough and there might be an air leak allowing more air in. I replaced the filter in the fuel/water separator and the fuel filter, filled both up and reinstalled, might have an air leak at one of those points. May also just be that I didn't bleed the injector body well enough.Thanks all!