Astra j fuel filter

magpies79

So I’ve change my front brake pads all went well change air filter and oil filter and done an oil change as trying to do more things myself.

now was looking up on changing the fuel filter but there’s one thing I’m not 100% on even after watching YouTube and looking online and that is does my car automatically prime when turning the key 3/4 times then 5th time start it or do I have to disconnect the fuel line I believe and use a pump to ensure no air is in fuel line.

 my car is a 2010 Astra j 1.7cdti 
Thanks In advance for any advice

forgotmyname

I always prime diesel's even if they self bleed.  Priming reduces cranking time and limits the time the pump is dry.

Goudy

It's a common rail fuel system, so air in the system won't bleed out easily.
Too much air and it'll lock the fuel rail, it just won't be able to fill it with fuel and fail to start/run.

The fuel system is quite complicated.
It takes fuel from the tank to the HP pump, then to the rail with the injectors all hang off.
It provides more fuel then it needs so there is excess to return called spill off.

Where it returns this spill off too depends on the cars operating temp.
Cold and it will send it back to the filter or pump as the fuel has been heated by a trip through the HP pump already, so is more fluid.
Warm and it will usually divert it back to the tank to help warm the fuel in there.

So cold and it can't naturally vent the air as it's in a closed loop but when warm and it goes back to the tank it can vent, as it's now an open loop.

The trick is to prefill the fuel filter first.
You can use diesel or a diesel fuel system cleaner/cetane improver, this will also work well, these products are mainly made of hydro carbons that'll burn like diesel, with bit of cetane improver (2-EHN) and a touch of perfume (naphthalene) to make it smell nice.

If it locks with air and just won't start after changing the fuel filter, I have always slackened off the hard line union to the last injector on the rail (the one furthest from the inlet port from the HP pump)
Then just flicked it over with a couple of short burst of the starter motor before retightening the union and firing it up.

Once running check the union isn't leaking.

There are other ways to prime, but you usually need a vacuum pump to draw fuel through (and air out) from the fuel return at the pump/filter.
Some cars have a priming bulb that you squeeze to manually pump fuel through, but I think this model hasn't one of those.

magpies79

Goudy thank you for taking the time for a very detailed response.

I’ve just been online on euro parts to order some bits and didn’t notice a fit it for me service so thought I’d put it in for a fuel filter and rear pads to see what price it would come up with so it gave me the option of a few garages near me literally 5 mins away and £59 to have rear pads and fuel filter fitted which I didn’t think was bad at all.

I have to drive to my father in laws to grab some tools anyway which is a hour and a half round trip so anyone ever used it seems to good to be true.

Parts get delivered to the garage of your choice from the list of garages you pick is this some kind of joint venture where euro parks get business for local garages I’m shocked at the price to be fair….which means one of 2 things I was either getting to used to getting ripped off lol or it’s cheap.

Goudy

That sounds reasonable enough.

You have to remember you have decided it needed these parts and they might find something else.
So you have bought the pads but when they come to fit them the see the discs are worn.

They might tell you before fitting, which if you have them done will cost more.

They might not tell you which would be a waste of new pads as you'll need to fit new pads when the new discs are fitted.

magpies79

Yeah I was thinking that which was the only thing that was putting me off I do need to do the rear and I am going to buy pads anyway so I’ll double check.

 the garage is only round the corner so worst case would be if they said need disc I’d say leave it and I’ll do them all myself because then im sure the price will start to get a lot more and not worth it 

magpies79

So was going to do this at the weekend but it’s now had hold off as I’ve had a coolant leak was driving up on m1 temp gauge start to climb from 90 -100 then onto 110 pulled over coolant pretty much gone was only 10mins from home so filled with water and took it steady temp stayed at 90 for the rest of the journey.

so filled coolant back up and left on drive and been checking it over and it’s losing half of the coolant in the tank pretty much by the next day water pump and cambelt was change about 20k miles ago 
was worried head gasket was gone!!!!

anyway think I’ve finally found the leak it’s the inlet and out let hose I believe that’s what it is it’s the bottom pipe ran my hand under it and can see it dripping 
Are these hard to replace and would I be able to it myself like is it straight forward I’m guessing I’ll lose all the coolant and it will all have to be refilled we’ll say coolant reckon it’s mostly water now.

Goudy

There two pipes on the right of your pic are the pipes to the heater matrix.

They are fairly high up on the coolant system so you shouldn't lose all the coolant if you undid them.
Though you would need to top up and let the system bleed afterwards (run it after with the cap off and let it burp while you top up)

The hoses aren't expensive, less than £30 and they come as a pair.
I've read you should use a non setting jointing compound on them like Hylomar Blue, it's meant to help with future leaks.

The top ends have those flick out clips to attach them to the heater matrix, just flick the metal clips out with a small screwdriver.

The bottom ends just use squeeze clips, just use some pliers to squeeze the tangs together while you pull the hose off.

If you do a search on your favourite search engine you will find these are prone to leaking.
Oddly both petrols and diesels do it. I think the parts are slightly different between the models but the connectors are the same. 
(I think the part number is 13251459, but I haven't got you VIN to cross check that)

You need to check the rest of the coolant system for leaks as this one might be a result of the system overheating because of a fault elsewhere.

There's another couple of hoses that can be problematic, it's the small hoses to and from the oil cooler down by the oil filter housing.
These are prone to leaking as they get oily and the rubber rots away and they can get knocked or disturbed when the oil filter is changed. 

While you are at the coolant system, it's a good idea to replace the coolant tank cap at this age.
They are designed to hold the system as a certain pressure and as they get older they don't work as well.
They are only a few quid so won't break the bank.

magpies79

Thanks goudy really appreciate the help 

magpies79

Sorry just to add yeah I first checed coolant expansion tank cap seem like no leaks and no cracks in tank but like you mention cheap to replace.

I’ve ran my hand down all pipes that I can get to I couldnt seem to fine water anywhere else I’ve not used the car for a few days now and it’s losing coolant but a lot more slowly compared to driving it but guess once there’s more pressure I’d be losing more faster 

Goudy

The coolant system is pressurised.
This allows the coolant to reach boiling and more without spitting and splattering and boiling over. (expanding)

If you take the cap off when it's boiling hot (not recommended) it'll boil up and spit boiling coolant three feet in the air as it's no longer under higher pressure than the outside atmosphere.
Normally the cap regulates the pressure in there.
Too much pressure and you pop hoses, head gaskets etc.
Too little and it boils up just like taking the cap off when hot.

Not many do, but it's advisable to change the cap every 5 years or when the coolant is changed as it's the cap that regulates the pressure inside.

A leak obviously has the same effect of removing the cap when hot, pressure inside drops and the coolant boils over where it's exposed to the outside atmosphere as it can now expand, which is why you can lose a lot of coolant from a small hole in the system when it's at boiling point and would normally be under pressure.

You can buy kits that fit the expansion tank and pressurises the coolant system to help find leaks for around £25, but it sounds like you found it without one.

If you aren't sure the heater matrix hoses are to blame (or you want to drive it somewhere to get fixed), you could try looping the in and out feed with a bit of spare pipe.

So remove the other ends of those two pipes (the ends that aren't in the picture, the engine ends) and use one piece of similar bore hose and some clips to create a loop between the two stubs the pipes came off. (again, the engine end, not the heater matrix end)

This will bypass the heater matrix (no heat from the heater) but would allow you to see if the rest of the coolant system is good or leaking from elsewhere or get you home/to the garage in an emergency.