Xantia 1.9 n/a Lucas pump advice

[Rocket88]

new WBOD Xantia seems to have a slight fuel pump issue............hesitates under load, almost likes it's running too lean, similar to a misfire on a pez engine...any ideas dizzler massif ?

[jonathan_dyane]

Does it start from cold ok?

[Lacquer Peel]

Fuel starvation, air ingress

[Rocket88]

Struggles..................especially in this weather.............ignition on, glow plug light on for about 8 seconds, needs a prod of the throttle to help get it going.......................pretty stumbly [?] for first 10 seconds

[Rocket88]

previous owner mentiond previous to him may have dicked about with the pump..it feels like it's running lean...can you adjust these pumps, Google a bit lacking on info on the Lucas pump.

[Supernaut]

Adjusting Lucas pumps is possible, but it's a bit of an arse.

 

The max fuel screw is accessed through the plastic plug on the front of the pump. Undoing that plug drains the diesel out though, so it needs bled afterwards.

 

Even worse: The max fuel screw is in a thing that spins around while the pump runs, so to get to it, you need to have the plug off, one of the driven wheels jacked off the ground, the car in 5th gear, and then turn the wheel while looking up into the hole with a small mirror. Once you find the fuel screw, clockwise = moar, anti-clockwise = less. You need a ball-head allen key to turn it. Can't remember the size, but it's quite small.

 

The plug on the front is plastic, and unscrews. You need to tap it round with a screw driver. However, a nice 'upgrade' is the metal plug from the Lucas pump on a Ford 1.8TD engine, as it has a nice hex drive in the middle of it.

 

 

My experience is based on a turbo XUD with a Lucas pump though, so YMMV.

 

People much prefer the Bosch pumps because you adjust the fuelling on them with a screw that's clearly protruding out the side of it. With a Bosch it's as simple as lifting the bonnet and tweaking a screw.

 

 

As others have suggested, air ingress may be an issue too. My old XUD 306 got worse and worse to start, until it wouldn't at all. The bleed-off pipes between the injectors were replaced, and it behaved itself again. They're just small diameter fuel hose that simply slips onto the little nipples on top (but not in the centre) of the injectors.

[Rocket88]

Just discovered about 1/4" play in the throttle cable....just re-routing that to take up the slack has improved things...............

[Supernaut]

You can also adjust the slack at the pump end of the throttle cable. It's got a clip that goes through ridges on the cable outer, so you just move the clip along a few ridges.

[holbeck]

Just discovered about 1/4" play in the throttle cable....just re-routing that to take up the slack has improved things...............

Always nice when things turn out to be simpler than you thought.

[DodgeRover]

Lol when I was working in NZ the farm had a hilux pickup that they were going to scrap when the WOF ran out as it was a sod to start and had absolutely no power. Because it was diesel none of the local places were interested and it would have to be looked at in the city for mega $$$$

Swapping 2 heater plugs out for working ones from another scrapper saw the starting problem solved then removing over an inch of slack from the throttle cable found a big boost of power..

 

There is info on tweaking the Lucas pumps on the transit forums as well, just avoid any thing that references the Lucas EPIC pump as that was for the turbos

[Lacquer Peel]

I reckon it just needs a good service and going over, the pump is probably fine. These old indirect injection diesels rely on their glow plugs for cold starting even in the middle of summer.

[Supernaut]

I agree with LP. I had terrible problems starting an old XUD when the glow plug relay went!

[Rocket88]

Xantia update...................did a LOT of miles Fri/Sat after tweaking the throttle cable, and found that this needs a slightly different driving style to other diesels...........seems to respond better to a boot full of throttle rather than being driven gently.

Second gear synchro is a tad graunchy, and the stereo went weird on me last night, in that all the bass frequencies have gone!   I presume that means the stereo has lost a channel or something.

Apart from that, all seems to be in order.