Sudden loss of diesel2.5tdi

[VagCabby]

Has anyone had this issue?

On my way to work (30 mile drive) I was about half a mile from my work and I got a sudden strong smell of diesel coming from my car, parked at work and looked under the car and diesel was ******* out from the engine bay. Popped the bonnet and it was smoking, pulled the engine cover off and noticed that the V of my engine block was filled with diesel. After thinking a fuel line had burst I noticed a bolt similer to a sump plug sitting in the V of the block, looked on the side of the fuel pump and there was a hole for this sump type plug to fit into. Fitted it back I and tightened it up and all is well not more leaking fuel.

question is, what would have caused the blacking plug to fall out (threads were fine) the pump is origional from new so I dont see how it would have come loose unless someone has removed it in the past and not fitted it correctly. I had my timing belt and tensioners done 5k miles ago, would they have touched this blacking plug then? Is it a bleed plug for the fuel system? Its located half way down the pump on the left side if your looking from the front of the car. I was lucky nothing set alight!

 

[adamss24]

Diesel doesn't ignite without a naked flame...lucky you found the plug !

 

[crazy88]

Diesel is hard to ignite, we once tried to light a bbq in a windy Wales and only had diesel. It wasn't easy at all! Ha

And no idea why it could have come out. It's definitely an odd one mate, but as said above, lucky you found the plug.

 

[S4_dan]

The only thing I can think of is if your fuel filter doesn't have a bleed screw on it or when a garage last changed it they used the bleed screw on the pump rather than slacking an injector off. Just a theory.

But I will be checking mine now. Even though I changed my filter a few weeks back, who knows what method a garage chose a while back.

+1 on finding the bung though. Could of been a nightmare otherwise!!

 

[VagCabby]

Ah tell me about itluck the bolts on the left side and not the right haha Didnt fancy waiting for recovery after work at 10pm. Deffo something worth checking though as I must have lost a good £10 of fuel from it in the short space of time I could smell the diesel. Its just a allen bolt, east to get to. Car wouldnt start after I refitted it (air in the system I guess) so abit of easy start into the intake and it started fine.