Hi guys
Until a couple days ago, the Old Land Cruiser was running great on an 75-23-2 mix on Veg Oil diesel and rug.

I went to town, but, the engine started stumbling. I also noticed that it was a little hard starting.

There is some blue smoke when it first starts, but, clears up within 15 seconds, as I keep the glowplugs running. Figured the engine has a BUNCH of miles, and maybe the Injectors are needing refreshed ???

Mechanic took it and I got it back a couple days later. Ran MUCH better, but, still has 1 cylinder stuttering on start-up. This morning, I took off with it, and noticed the stutter was getting worse, then, it barely ran, then stalled.

I keep a small bottle of stale rug in the cab, so, slipped a tad into the air cleaner and started right up. Drove about 1 mile, with LOTS os stutter and it quits again.

Luckily, I talked with the mechanic beforehand, and found there is a filter INSIDE the bolt that holds the fuel line to the fuel pump. Managed to get the bolt out, and there is a brass screen inside the bolt. managed to get it out, and there was a tiny bit of jelly and bits of fibres ??? Kinda looks like a decompased rag or something ???

Cleaned it all out, a sniff of stale rug and I drive it home, about 2½ miles. Took the bolt out again, and there is more of this stuff around the bolt ???

Cleaned it off, and waiting for the wife to call from the Bus Stop. Once I return to the house, I will have to take out the tank and clean it, thoroughly ???

Anybody ever have this problem with the fibre stuff ???

Which LC diesel has the inlet filter screen?
The stuff could be polymerized VO or crud in the tank that the VO and RUG have cleaned off.
Add an inline clear filter like MBenz uses upstream of the inlet screen so you can monitor the crud. Draining and cleaning the tank and blowing out the lines with air might be a good idea.

Exactly what I spent the day doing, John. There is a TON of crap in the tank, and I used my newly built transfer pump to circulate the fuel and pump it out. Filtered it, dumped it back in, and circulated it more, and pumped it out.

The Land Cruisers are built to run in water over the top of the wheels, so, removing the tank is VERY difficult. Lots of extra hoses and brackets, all rusted up.

This thing is 30 years old, and the engine was replaced with this 4 cylinder Toyota Diesel. It came out of another LC. On the drivers side, there is an inline design Injector Pump. On the fuel inlet line, there is a bolt (Banjo) maybe, that is hollow, and inside that hollow is a brass screen. It unscrews.

I picked off "stringy" stuff, that resembles cloth fibres ???.. There WAS small gelled bits clinging to these fibres. When I pumped the tank, I carefully checked the crap in the bottom of the bucket, before I poured that fuel through a bag filter, so I could analyze the bits.

It is VERY humid here, so, I might have a growth problem, and need to add a Biocide ??? Bits of rust, HARD dirt type pieces, chunks of stuff, and the fibres, were what I found, mostly.

Added a clear inline filter before the fuel pump, and ran the engine after priming the system with the hand primer pump, and it runs like a different vehicle.

Most LCs have a drain plug on the bottom of the tank that makes it relatively easy to pressure wash or steam clean the tank in place, after disconnecting the fuel line of course. Bio-gunk can only grow if there is moisture present, and VO absorbs moisture. So make sure the VO is dry before mixing it with solvents, and try to keep the tank full to reduce condensation. Also check for a water trap/fuel sedimenter. They're often located along the frame between the tank and the engine. What series LC is yours?

I believe it's an FJ55 ??

This thing has a plate covering most things underneath.

The tank skid plate on mine has a hole to access the drain plug.

If it's an FJ then it was originally a gasoline vehicle and the fuel system might not be upgraded to diesel specs with a sedimenter and tank drain plug.

It WAS a 6 cylinder Gasoline gulper.

Hi Fla._Deadheader,

rug fuel system, there is most of your problem. As john said no sedimentor.

I have a LC Troopy HJ45 but only use the origional tank for diesel. I use a poly tank for my wvo which eliminates the problems associated with running wvo in a steel tank.

Your problem is common here in Oz and most people seem to rectify it by removing the tank, cleaning it out and treating the inside of the tank with a suitable diesel fuel paint/liner.

I have heard that some people remove the screen before the lift pump and place it before the ip. This lets the crud catch in the fuel filter instead. I don't know if this will damage anything but it's up to you if you do it.

I would be installing a sedimentor if you don't have one on your fuel system. This unit should stop most of the crud that gets through to the lift pump screen.

There is also a small screen on the tanks fuel pickup on most LC's, this screen can become blocked with crap causing your fuel starvation also,

God bless froggo.

Thanks Froggo, and John.

When I had things torn apart, yesterday, I also blew through the fuel line, back into the tank, before I started cleaning. Took a LOT of breath and holding it, before it finally let the air into the tank.

Removing the tank will be a REAL hassle. Seems to be a seperation inside the tank. Couldn't see well enough with a light, but, I could catch a big screwdriver in the seperated area, like the tank is peeling on the inside ???

There is NO plastic lining in the tank, is there ???

Hi Fla._Deadheader,

the tank should not have a plastic liner. If there is a seperation then there may be rusted out baffles or just a big layer of crap built up in there.

If you want to clean it out there are not many options other than taking the tank out.

I thought the tank was a swing down system. Two nuts and a few hoses.

God bless froggo.

I need to get a concrete slab poured, so I can get off of the wet ground, from all the rain we get here. Getting too old to squirm around under vehicles, on bare wet ground.

I need to dig out the Manual on this thing, and see if they have a tank page. Thanks Froggo.

quote:

I thought the tank was a swing down system. Two nuts and a few hoses.

So did I, at least all the LCs I've seen were configured that way.