I believe it does pull directly from the tank. The reason I say this is… wouldn’t the vehicle need to be running in order to get fuel from the Sprinter fuel pump to the Espar pump? I run the Espar 99.9% of the time without the engine running.
Espar D2 issue!
- Thread starter Wazoo
- Start date
Cheyenne, I am not sure what the EK1 or stand pipe is. This unit ran fine until about a month ago.
since the bubbles are visible entering the Espar pump, I have to believe that there is air entering somewhere between the main Sprinter tank and the Espar fuel pump. Maybe enough bubbles are accumulating in the Espar fuel pump in the first 10 minutes that a fuel lock occurs.
I will try to trace the fuel line from the Espar pump to the main fuel tank. Is there a way to bleed this fuel line entering the Espar pump?
OrioN
2008 2500 170" EXT
Post a pic of where you connected the fuel pump intake hose to....
Cheyenne
UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
Sorry, I should have said KL1 for the aux fuel pick up (not EK1) on the sender.
It is the cut off stub/pipe on the right in this photo...
Cheyenne, I am not sure what a KL1 or a stand pipe is. This install was done by a van conversion company in Golden, CO and has worked for the most part for 4 years. This issue started out of the blue a month ago. I am assuming that the install of the Espar was done correctly because the conversion company has a great reputation and been doing it for a number of years.
Is there a way to “bleed” the system? I will try to trace the fuel line from the Espar Pump to the Sprinter Van fuel tank
I see your pic now. Tomorrow I will try to follow the fuel line and look for this And post a pic
Would I find this on top of the fuel tank? Towards the front or rear?
First thing I am going to do is disconnect the fuel line from the Sprinter tank that is near the Espar pump. I will then attach a spare fuel line to the Espar pump line and drop it into a kerosene fuel container (that’s what I have in the garage). Turn the system on. Theoretically, with no air bubbles now in the system, the Espar should stay running. I suspect that will pinpoint that air bubbles are indeed the issue.
Then I need to track down where air is getting into the original fuel line.
I use the kerosene for the Espar from time to time because Kerosene burns hotter and will help clean out any potential carbon soot build up. Espar dealer passed that tip on to me
Cheyenne
UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
The KL1 tap is on the top of the fuel tank as an integral part of the sender/pump unit and may be visible with a snake camera but I doubt otherwise.
Good idea on trying to run on kerosene as this will eliminate the pick up from the fuel tank. Let us know how you get on.
Good idea on trying to run on kerosene as this will eliminate the pick up from the fuel tank. Let us know how you get on.
I had family here today so I couldn’t spend as much time as I wanted, however….
I looked very closely at the air bubbles at the fuel pump when I fired it up this AM. I took off the hose between the vehicle tank and the Espar pump. Cleaned and reinstalled and made sure the clamp was in the optimal position. Restarted the heater and noticed now that the air bubbles are ONLY between the fuel pump and the D2 unit. I detached the fuel hose from the D2, put the fuel line as high as I could pointing towards the sky. I put a small syringe vial into the fuel line opening and pulled the plunger back and then Squirted the fuel out on the ground 4 times. ( 5mL syringe) I was hope to manually pull any air bubbles out of the line. Then I started the system with the fuel line still off the D2 and still pointing towards the sky. After one cycle of the start up, there were zero bubbles present. I reattached the fuel hose to the D2. Interesting note…. I noticed that the fuel line was not snug against the D2 prior to me pulling it off for this process. The fuel line was about 1/4“+ away from the body of the D2. I don’t know if this gap was introducing air.
Unfortunately, I had family obligations and I couldn’t fire the system up. Tomorrow AM, I will fire the system up. my wife will lay under the D2 side and watch for air bubbles, I will lay under the fuel pump side and watch for bubbles. I am hopeful that this will fix the problem. I will keep you pin the loop. Cross your fingers
Tim
I looked very closely at the air bubbles at the fuel pump when I fired it up this AM. I took off the hose between the vehicle tank and the Espar pump. Cleaned and reinstalled and made sure the clamp was in the optimal position. Restarted the heater and noticed now that the air bubbles are ONLY between the fuel pump and the D2 unit. I detached the fuel hose from the D2, put the fuel line as high as I could pointing towards the sky. I put a small syringe vial into the fuel line opening and pulled the plunger back and then Squirted the fuel out on the ground 4 times. ( 5mL syringe) I was hope to manually pull any air bubbles out of the line. Then I started the system with the fuel line still off the D2 and still pointing towards the sky. After one cycle of the start up, there were zero bubbles present. I reattached the fuel hose to the D2. Interesting note…. I noticed that the fuel line was not snug against the D2 prior to me pulling it off for this process. The fuel line was about 1/4“+ away from the body of the D2. I don’t know if this gap was introducing air.
Unfortunately, I had family obligations and I couldn’t fire the system up. Tomorrow AM, I will fire the system up. my wife will lay under the D2 side and watch for air bubbles, I will lay under the fuel pump side and watch for bubbles. I am hopeful that this will fix the problem. I will keep you pin the loop. Cross your fingers
Tim
I don't want to say this too loudly because the Espar God's might hear me and smote my system. I believe the process I went through to clear the line appears to have worked. I ran the system for 45 minutes this AM. There are still a few bubbles next to the Espar fuel pump but they don't appear to be moving way from the pump area. Over near the D2, there is a very small bubble every 10 seconds passing by and going up into the D2. Maybe over time all the bubbles will be eliminated from the system.
I will run the system 2x per day for 45 minutes to an hour every day this week before I go back country skiing. I need to build my confidence level back up with Espar.
I appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions during this process.
Thank you!
Tim
I will run the system 2x per day for 45 minutes to an hour every day this week before I go back country skiing. I need to build my confidence level back up with Espar.
I appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions during this process.
Thank you!
Tim