Nissan Vanette hot/warm engine non starting problem.

[Vanette LD20]

Hello as you have probably noticed I am new to the forums and if I may I would like to seek some assistance with a recent problem which has developed with my Nissan Vanette ,I hope I have posted this in the correct forum.
I have made an extensive search through the forum topics and cannot seem to find a similar topic concerning the following problem.
I have supplied some basic information concerning the vehicle please let me know if additional info is required.

Vehicle : Nissan Vanette.
Year : 1992.
Engine :2.0 litre LD20 non turbo.
Mileage : 250.000 Klms.

The engine starts perfectly from cold but when the engine is warm even after a few minutes of running and not necessarily hot it refuses to re-start if I turn it off ,it cranks over with no problem but will not start.
If I leave the vehicle for a certain amount of time it will start straight away even if the engine temperature is not cold as it would be first thing in a morning for instance.

Many thanks in advance.
Kindest regards.
Stuart.

[overrated]

Crack in the head or something like that? When it get's hot the crack expand and you loose compression?

First thing i thought on..

[Vanette LD20]

Hello.
Thank you for your input,the vehicle starts and runs perfectly even over a considerable distance lets say 100kms non stop without missing a beat and no overheating problems or excessive smoke emissions coolant loss etc.however very recently I noticed the symptoms I mentioned previously concerning the starting or should I say the lack of it when the engine is either slightly/moderately warm or is at optimal operating temperature as is the case after a 100kms autoroute trip for example.

Many thanks.

[LD28 Owner]

Have you confirmed that the fuel solenoid on the top of the injection pump is getting 12 volts when the engine is warm? Is fuel getting to the injectors when the engine won't start?

[Vanette LD20]

Thank you for your reply.

No I haven't checked anything as of yet as I wasn't quite sure where to start looking for possible problems,I will now take a look at the two things you mention and see what the results are and post back.

Probably a Dumbo question but to check for fuel at the injectors is it a question of loosening just one union/connection on top of an injector to see if fuel comes out while turning the engine over ?

I must confess I am fairly knowledgeless when it comes to troubleshooting diesel engine problems and do not have a manual for this vehicle (Vanette) as the book seem fairly difficult to source,however I did locate on the web a very explicit engine manual on the URL below which maybe of possible interest to other members also.

Any other suggestions by anyone who has experienced this problem would be welcomed.

Many thanks again.
Stuart.

http://asavage.dyndns.org/nissan/displa ... Page=front

[davehoos]

electrical problem like a dirty earth wires not winding over fast enough.

fuel cut solinoid dies when hot/or low voltage not uncommon.
ignition switch problem when cranking.

warm restart no glow plugs,see if you can trick the water temp sender or give it a little glow plugs.the compression might be a little low.

most LD20 have a timing advance/retarder on the side of the pump for cold starting.on some its a manual cable but others its water heated unit.

[LD28 Owner]

Yes, you're right. Just disconnect a fuel line at an injector and turn the engine over. You should see an occasional spurt of fuel from the line.

If no fuel is obvious, disconnect the wire on the top of the fuel pump,
run a wire from the positive battery terminal to the terminal on the top of the fuel pump. Listen carefully when you connect the wire. You should be able to hear the fuel solenoid open.

With the wire from the battery attached to the fuel solenoid, turn the engine over and see if fuel is now spurting.

[LD28 Owner]

Yes, you're right. Just disconnect a fuel line at an injector and turn the engine over. You should see an occasional spurt of fuel from the line.

If no fuel is obvious, disconnect the wire on the top of the fuel pump and
run a wire from the positive battery terminal to the terminal on the top of the fuel pump. Listen carefully when you connect the wire. You should be able to hear the fuel solenoid open.

With the wire from the battery attached to the fuel solenoid, turn the engine over and see if fuel is now spurting.

[cd20T]

Sometimes, the stop piston within the stop solenoid can stick, and it usually crops up during a warm or hot restart. Try the suggestions above, or as a variation, when the engine will not restart, run a wire from your battery or other 12v source to the stop solenoid, and listen for a click. Chances are you will not hear one. You may want to try this same test when the engine is cold, familiarizing yourself with the sound.

Or, you could just remove the solenoid, and look at the piston within for evidence of scoring. You may also find debris on the solenoid piston that is causing the piston to stick. New solenoids are not very expensive either.

In a pinch, you could remove the piston and reinstall the solenoid, provided your injection pump has a manual shutoff lever (or manual transmission), and yes, you would have to move the lever each time you want to stop the engine. If you get stuck somewhere, and do not want to call a lorry, this method will also work to get you going.