Dispatch 2.0 2010 Camper conversion Misfire

[The Old Hobbit]

VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, so you have a: DISPATCH III LONG PLATFORM CAB TYPE 12 2.0 HDi 120 (DW10UTED4) Manual gearbox 6.

[The Old Hobbit]

The van has gone back to Charters so all I can do now is hope that they can put it right. I do worry that they will call me with either no fault or another injector (£1400). If it is an injector would it be ok to get a refurb from a reputable source and find someone to do the work simply because the main dealers are so very very expensive. SWMBO'd has her mind set to sell it

[white exec]

You mentioned a certain diesel specialist on Guildford (on Slyfield Ind Est, iirc). I had an appalling experience there some time ago, where they charged me meaningful money (for changing the injectors, which they hadn't), and proved incapable of diagnosing a BX blown head gasket, and insisted on my leaving them with a credit card before they would reluctantly allow a test drive. (I left them with one, expired.) The RAC inspected and correctly diagnosed the next day, and took care of a nasty letter from the company. Trading standards swung into action too. Obviously, it was some time ago, and I hope the then management have passed on. Literally.

Try a Bosch Service Centre; they seem to have a good reputation.

[The Old Hobbit]

Thank you for the heads up on the Slyfield company, I would hope that their customer service and quality of service would have improved!! I had a phone call from Chaterters 10 minutes ago saying that they were having difficulty diagnosing a problem as the ECU was not showing any error/fault codes. I explained in more detail when the misfire was occurring and he said he would pass on the details to his technician. I am now waiting for more contact from the garage. Maybe I just got a Friday afternoon vehicle......... The next cheapest test would to maybe put a tank of better quality diesel and a cleaner to see if that works, but I guess I will have to wait and see if they come up with any suggestions. Onward and upward

[white exec]

Fingers crossed.

[The Old Hobbit]

Well Charters cannot find any fault with my van. They have tested everything they can and gave it a road test and have come up with nothing. Oh well I guess its start from the beginning and give it a tank of high quality fuel, a diesel cleaner and change the fuel filter and then rag it up the motorway. I would just like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read and respond to my questions and I will let you know if there is any difference in the very near future. Thank you. Gary

[admiral51]

Well just looked back and see its 9 years old, with only 24k on the clock
That works out at around 55 miles a week so yes maybe a filter change, top quality fuel and some decent fuel cleaner and a very heavy right foot could work wonders

Tell SWMBO it was suggested by Charters

[white exec]

Use one of the recommended fuel system cleaners*, and at 1:200 for a remedial clean. Put requisite amount in the tank, and wash in by filling with good quality main-brand diesel.

Italian tune-up just involves a motorway run, keeping revs up (3000 will do; drop a gear if needed), and for 15 minutes or so. That not only blows grot from the system, but also pushes lots of cleaner-laced fuel through the pump and injectors.

Diesels should be driven hard fairly regularly. Lots of tootling about isn't the best to keep them in trim, and emissions down.

* The better ones contain naphthalene, lubricant and cleaning solvents, eg
- Wynn's Diesel Fuel Treatment (a 1-litre Fleet can is also available)
- Miller's Diesel Power Plus

[The Old Hobbit]

Millers it is then....... just checked and my local Halfords has it on the shelf so I will pick up a bottle tomorrow and give it a good drive out at the weekend. Thank you for the suggestions.

[The Old Hobbit]

Went to Europarts to collect my fuel filter and the chap was kind enough to point me in the direction of Wynns Formula Gold diesel system and injector cleaner so bought a bottle ready to apply at the weekend and then give the old girl some welly on the motorway. Fingers crossed I get home again

[The Old Hobbit]

Went to Europarts to collect my fuel filter and the chap was kind enough to point me in the direction of Wynns Formula Gold diesel system and injector cleaner so bought a bottle ready to apply at the weekend and then give the old girl some welly on the motorway. Fingers crossed I get home again

Well today I finally managed to get the time to get our van out for a test drive having put in the recommended bottle of cleaner and 50 ltrs of better grade fuel. The drive was fairly short so I did not expect too much from the first run, however the result of the run out was much better than I hoped for. I did a 99 mile round trip, on the A3, so fast moving from my home to Hayling Island. I maintained 70mph in 5th gear giving me an average rev reading of 3000 for most of the journey. On the outward leg we encountered one fairly obvious misfire 30 miles into the journey, with another much smaller misfire about another 5 miles later. I drove at normal road speeds once on the island and turned around and straight back onto the A3 for the homeward journey. During this journey we only had what was a possible smallest of misfires, however still maintaining 70 mph at 3000 offered us no issues. Now I know that 100 miles probably is not enough to get what was a very rich cleaning solution through the whole system? but I can honestly say I am encouraged by the final result. I will keep running the van regularly rather than letting it sit for weeks on end, and maintain the cleaning solution in accordance with with manufacturer's instructions. Thank you for your patience and suggestions which I hope will prove spot on.

[Hell Razor5543]

That sounds like good news.

[white exec]

That's sounding promising. It takes time (as well as mileage) for the cleaning action to take effect, so hopefully it'll improve further.

Much the same cleaning and combustion-improver agents that are in the Wynn's and Miller's products are also present in helpful quantities in better qualities of diesel. These additives (added, or not, at the tanker-filling depot) have a cost, which is why supermarket/budget diesel can be cheaper, but usually lacks torque, compared to the main brands. It is generally advised not to run a diesel on a continuous diet of supermarket fuel, especially for lots of low-speed work.

Worth sticking with good fuel (no need for the super-expensive stuff; standard grade will do), and adding some of those two products on a regular basis - either by a continuous small dose (can be as low as 1:1000) or just every few tankfuls.

Personally, I'm pretty sceptical about most of the bottles of always-expensive Additive Goop on the shelves (some have been found to be nothing more than ordinary diesel fuel, for example), but some - like the two mentioned - actually do work, and have a scientific basis for that. For more information, you can google "cetane improver", and enjoy lots of extra information, involving (amongst other things) mothballs (naphthalene).

[admiral51]

Yes good news indeed, a good run up and down the A3 once a month will give it a new lease of life, 24k its still sat in the showroom
What would be good for it is a nice long run to Millport on the Ilse of Cumbrae**, cracking place to stay, a throw back to days gone by and you do not need to thrash it on the way up or back, just a good long run to clear the system out

**Other places are available and i live in Dorset so know the route, but if you get there the Tavern is a very nice pub