Dumb mistake

[sfgary]

Good morning all, in doing my early spring maintance I changed the fuel filter on the engine. I have done this many times, but this time I forgot to fill the filter with fuel before cranking the engine. The engine is a 54 horse 4 cycinder Chrlsler- Nissen. Now it won't start. I know I have air in the lines and have dealt with this before and know how to bleed each injector. I have blead each injector several times and am no longer getting any bubbles just fuel. I have been working on this for several hours now and short of calling in a professional mechanic I thought this forum will come through as it always has. Thanks in advance for any help.

Gary

 

[Bill Roosa]

Either take off the fuel filter and fill it or
crack the outlet banjo fitting on the fuel filter holder body then locate the engine boost pump manual handle. Should be on the bottom and looks like a flat rounded piece of metal that will move back and forth. Pump it thusly:
with a wrench on the banjo fitting do one stroke of the pump, close the banjo fitting, release the pump manual handle or bring it back to it's starting point, open the banjo fitting, stroke the pump, ......... when the pump pushes fluid (air and fuel) open the fitting when the pump is sucking fuel from the tank close the fitting.
once you have removed all the air from the filter close that banjo fitting and move to the next one in the line, probably the injector pump. Repeat the above instructions till you get no air bubbles, close that fitting and move to the next one, probably the outlet on the injector pump, repeat till no air bubbles....... all the way to the injectors

You have probably driven air into the injector pump so this may take some time to get all the air out.

If you chose to go the remove the filter and fill it route you still have to go up the line removing all the air that you pumped in your attempts to start the engine.

Let the engine run for about 15 to 20 minutes at idle to insure every thing is working ok and there are no leaks.
Also, if you have a sealed oil sump below the engine I'd not try and catch all the fuel just clean it up later. It is going to make a mess any way you do it and I've found that trying to "keep it clean" is just a waste of time.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Do you have an electric fuel pump?

 

[sfgary]

Thanks Bill, I am embarressed to say I don't know where or what the banjo fitting is. I am not a great mechanic.

Sto- no its a manual pump that is original to the engine which is the original to the boat(1974)

 

[Rich Stidger]

I suspect that you have so much air in the system that when the injection pump tries to inject the fuel the air in the lines just compresses and the injectors won't open. Consequently little or no fuel will move in the system.

First, be very careful of cranking the engine with the raw water thru-hull open; you can easily pump water into the cylinders with the amount of cranking needed to purge the fuel system. I would close the thru-hull and open it immediately when the engine starts. DON'T forget to open it promply or you will then be replacing the impeller!

Bill Roosa has exactly the correct method of bleeding the system. The banjo fitting looks like a donut with a tube attached to the side. A bolt is at the top and secures it to the filter or injection pump. Fuel flows into the donut from the inside and then exits through the tube to the next part in the fuel system. Cracking the bolt allows the air to expel from that point back to the fuel pump.

The manual pump lever could be located on or near the mechanical pump. It will have a spring resistance when operated. Pumping the fuel in that manner without cranking the engine will eliminate the possibility of drawing water into the engine.

Once you apparently get all the air out (solid fuel, no air bubbles) you can try to start. Spraying some WD30 into the intake will help the engine start as it will run on the oil in the WD30. It works like starting ether for a gasoline engine.

Be sure all of your fittings and connections are tight so that you aren't drawing more air into the system. I once had a hose connection to my pump that was leaking air and it cause me an hour of frustration. A friend with more experience than me found my problem, fixed it, and the engine lit off immediately.

 

[Chris Patterson]

I have in a worse case scenario SLOWLY pumped air into the filler neck of the tank, with the fuel inlet hose on the pump loose, started more than one. If the fittings, etc. are difficult/impossible to get at, it WILL put fuel through the system. And it will make a big mess. But it'll work.
EXTREME care should be taken, just little shots of air at a time, or rupturing the fuel tank is a possibility..

 

[Steve Dion]

I would NOT mess with the injectors to begin with. Try to first bleed the system prior to the high pressure system. That normally works.

All of these engines are a little different, so it would be wise to get a procedure from the mfg to see if they have an easy method.