I know there are many threads on our site re: Navaras failing, or being difficult to start. I felt I had to start yet another one, as recently I have had these problems, but have found the reason why and cured it.
The following may help other owners with similar problems as most of us seem to use the same products from the same seller!
Some of you may recall my ramblings a few weeks ago when my Navara failed to start?
It did eventually start after disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes and a lot of turning over.
I blamed myself for overcharging the electrical system, after leaving my mobile on in it's cradle for 5 days, this was a proper red herring!
Well, it has happened again today.
Exactly the same scenario, working in deepest Dorset, not used the car for 5 days, when I started it this afternoon it started straightaway, ran for 4-5 seconds then died and would not restart.
I had my doubts about it being an ECU problem this time, as nothing had been left on and I hadn't been charging the battery.
So I suspected a fuel problem. Indeed the primer took too many pumps before becoming solid so I knew I had an air leak.
I then set about inspecting every fuel pipe for leaks, perishing or loose clips, when fortunately out of the corner of my eye I saw a drip coming from the diesel filter. I immediately thought that the water drain valve had failed.
Not having many tools, I removed the entire filter and priming pump complete, it was not coming from the drain valve or the plastic housing that screws into the filter.
Then I noticed that the paint on the filter was lifting slightly, I scrapped this away with my finger nail to see the smallest ever perforation in the aluminium filter case, it was much smaller than a pin prick, extremely hard to find!
When I rubbed the paint away with some glass paper I opened up another similar hole.
Over the course of a few days the diesel was leaking away and air getting in through a porous filter housing, this was my starting problem!
I had noticed the car using more fuel than usual, and it had been hesitating soon after starting up.
Like many UK owners I buy my filters from Milner's the one fitted to my car was a Boshi.
They make these by the thousand so I can't believe I am the only person to have fitted a defective one.
I cobbled together a repair after cleaning the area with petrol and glasspaper, then using silicone sealant, 1/2" cut off a mudflap and some copper wire to bind it on, it lasted the 130 miles home, will change it for a new one tomorrow.
Finally when it did start (we all know what a complete bas**rd these are to start after a filter change!) the engine was making a hell of a knocking sound, for 2-3 minutes until all the air was out of the system it then quietened down to normal.
So if your car is hard to start have a look at the filter, esp if of Boshi manufacture!
Chris
The following may help other owners with similar problems as most of us seem to use the same products from the same seller!
Some of you may recall my ramblings a few weeks ago when my Navara failed to start?
It did eventually start after disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes and a lot of turning over.
I blamed myself for overcharging the electrical system, after leaving my mobile on in it's cradle for 5 days, this was a proper red herring!
Well, it has happened again today.
Exactly the same scenario, working in deepest Dorset, not used the car for 5 days, when I started it this afternoon it started straightaway, ran for 4-5 seconds then died and would not restart.
I had my doubts about it being an ECU problem this time, as nothing had been left on and I hadn't been charging the battery.
So I suspected a fuel problem. Indeed the primer took too many pumps before becoming solid so I knew I had an air leak.
I then set about inspecting every fuel pipe for leaks, perishing or loose clips, when fortunately out of the corner of my eye I saw a drip coming from the diesel filter. I immediately thought that the water drain valve had failed.
Not having many tools, I removed the entire filter and priming pump complete, it was not coming from the drain valve or the plastic housing that screws into the filter.
Then I noticed that the paint on the filter was lifting slightly, I scrapped this away with my finger nail to see the smallest ever perforation in the aluminium filter case, it was much smaller than a pin prick, extremely hard to find!
When I rubbed the paint away with some glass paper I opened up another similar hole.
Over the course of a few days the diesel was leaking away and air getting in through a porous filter housing, this was my starting problem!
I had noticed the car using more fuel than usual, and it had been hesitating soon after starting up.
Like many UK owners I buy my filters from Milner's the one fitted to my car was a Boshi.
They make these by the thousand so I can't believe I am the only person to have fitted a defective one.
I cobbled together a repair after cleaning the area with petrol and glasspaper, then using silicone sealant, 1/2" cut off a mudflap and some copper wire to bind it on, it lasted the 130 miles home, will change it for a new one tomorrow.
Finally when it did start (we all know what a complete bas**rd these are to start after a filter change!) the engine was making a hell of a knocking sound, for 2-3 minutes until all the air was out of the system it then quietened down to normal.
So if your car is hard to start have a look at the filter, esp if of Boshi manufacture!
Chris
