Mend > Vans

Intermittent power loss, Ford Transit Diesel?

My 1999 Transit 2.5 DI is suffering an intermitent power loss. It seems to be caused by air getting into the fuel lines, as bleeding the injectors of air cures it (temporarily), although not fully -it always feels lumpy at low revs and slow to pick up from idle, but otherwise fairly good at higher revs... until it happens again-

The power loss usually occurs when the throttle is lifted off, and then suddenly there's no power there, you can stand on the throttle and doesn't pick up at all, or very slowly.

You can often bring it out of this condition by changing down a gear to suddenly raise the revs and it sometimes then starts to come back to life... of course, this is not always practical (need a bit of open road) and that's assuming i've even made it into a high gear...

Has anyone else experienced this, and know of any possible cure?
I was told that the injector pump could be causing it, and duly sent it to be repaired, which made not the blindest bit of difference. I have recently changed the fuel filter also, but that didn't help, either.

Any help that could be offered is greatly appreciated.

Owen
September 2006

Ford Ford Transit 2.5 DI Vehicles, Vans Ford Diesel 1999

I tried the mod mentioned above and it cured my van. Couldn't drive more than 10 miles before without having to bleed the fuel system. Been 150 miles since moving the bleed off pipe and no problems

patrick
November 2013

I have this same problem - how is it fixed? Can someone tell me?

David

email: blindtothefactuk@yahoo.co.uk

David Haddock
February 2008

I've seen this fault mentioned all over the net - on '99 DI Transits in particular (symptoms of air trapped in fuel lines).

Almost at my wits end, I tried a mod suggested elsewhere on this site, moving the leak off return hose to the front injector (from the back).

It seems to have cured it (been about a week now with no problems - before it would happen on almost every trip...)

Not before, i might add, I had spent heavily on injector pump "repairs", new fuel filter (probably a good idea anyway), and seriously considering selling it to some other hapless soul...

You live and learn.

Many thanks to Rob for the mod.

Owen
October 2006

Check the breather on the fuel tank is not blocked and also the strainer on the bottom of the suction line inside the tank as this can also become blocked.

MrMPuk
September 2006