fuel rail pressure question OM642 CD4
i was testing the pressure of the fuel rail on my car, engine OM642 (car mercedes R320CDI, 2007) and found that the high pressure - 284 bar on engine idle drops to 6 bar when the engine is shut down. And the pressure drops within few seconds.
The question is: is the pressure drop in the fuel rail as i described above is normal? I would doubt that.
What would be the first guess, why it drops like this? Fuel pump is my guess, i had one more opinion from one member it would be the pump.
I want more opinions regarding this, knowing this is diesel section, there will definitely be some diesel enthusiasts, who know the answer to my question.
The reason i am looking into that is when cold, engine cranks for too long for 10 seconds or so. But if i switch ignition on and wait till the pump in the tank builds pressure for 30 seconds, the engine starts with no problem, no long cranking. The engine runs ok when started and no smoke.
To my understanding the high pressure line loses pressure, possibly through the high pressure pump? back to the tank?
Any advise and opinion is appreciated.




I was observing rail pressure on car with ECO stops and during ECO stop the rail hold the pressure (around 5000 psi from my memory).
When you shut the ignition off, the pressure drops like a rock.
I was observing rail pressure on car with ECO stops and during ECO stop the rail hold the pressure (around 5000 psi from my memory).
When you shut the ignition off, the pressure drops like a rock.




All the common rail engines we have in US idle at 5000 psi = 330 bars.
And again, the pressure is bleed with engine shut down.
In high pressure line the pressure on idle was 284 bar (4110 psi). is that not high enough then? i would assume in US or UK or anywhere else the pressure would have to be to the same standard?
I am trying to figure out why my car when cold is cranking too long before it starts up, was thinking the low pressure pump in the tank is not building enough pressure, but when performed guided test through SDS, the computer said it was within specs. The high pressure as mentioned above.
There must be some problem with pressure build up or maintaining it, cause when i leave ignition for longer and then startup, it starts as it supposed to.
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The tank pump is priming pump only, so 5 bars is good pressure.
But the 284 bars rail pressure looks low to me. How high it goes when you rev the engine?
Any codes? Can you test glow plugs?
Last edited by kajtek1; May 29, 2019 at 04:55 PM.
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i take it time starting particularly when hot - I suspect it needs to build up pressure on the common rail -
a friend did the same test on his Ml350 and the pressure was maintained on the common rail when the motor stopped
i take it time starting particularly when hot - I suspect it needs to build up pressure on the common rail -
a friend did the same test on his Ml350 and the pressure was maintained on the common rail when the motor stopped
The reason i am digging into that is when my car is cold, stationary for a day, when starting it, it revs for too long before it starts. But if i switch ignition on for 30 seconds, let the pump in the tank prime the fuel to the engine, it starts in few cranks as it supposed to. So i am guessing the pressure is not maintained in the system after shut off. So checked the low line, seems the pressures are ok and apparently it is ok if the pressure in the low line drops. The high pressure line, seems the pressures are not out of range, but the residual pressure drops which is on the question.
If the pressure has to be maintained to certain levels after shut off, and it is not, what are the possible causes?
Thanks anyone for your insights.
sometine if it is hot and has been left for a few minutes it might fail to start
These symptoms gel with this
http://www.mercedes.gen.in/sprinter-...poor-starting/
sometine if it is hot and has been left for a few minutes it might fail to start
These symptoms gel with this
http://www.mercedes.gen.in/sprinter-...poor-starting/
Thanks for the link. My high pressure line idle pressure apparently is too low then. So if i perform the leak off test and find out the injectors are ok, there will be pressure regulator to be checked/replaced. I will get on it.
Below is the test result. I was running the engine cold, for approx one minute:
cylinder 1 - 3.190ml
cylinder 2 - 3.218ml
cylinder 3 - 3.429ml
cylinder 4 - 6.506ml
cylinder 5 - 3.274ml
cylinder 6 - 7.954ml
So looking at the result, the 4th and 6th injectors are faulty? I can not find the nominal leak off volumes, but if i am right, if the difference is greater than 20%? the excessively leaking ones have to be replaced?
Below is the test result. I was running the engine cold, for approx one minute:
cylinder 1 - 3.190ml
cylinder 2 - 3.218ml
cylinder 3 - 3.429ml
cylinder 4 - 6.506ml
cylinder 5 - 3.274ml
cylinder 6 - 7.954ml
So looking at the result, the 4th and 6th injectors are faulty? I can not find the nominal leak off volumes, but if i am right, if the difference is greater than 20%? the excessively leaking ones have to be replaced?
I asked around a few rebuilders of them injectors. Cause they have that pjezoelectric element, it is complicated to be rebuilding it and according to them, bosch is rebuilding them themselves. You can buy refurbished one for 90-180GBP or a new one for 220GBP, that is with part exchange of the old one.
Did you solve your problem by replacing the two leaky injectors?
I will do the leak-off test once the kit arrives. I removed the fuel return line and let it crank and idle to see if the fuel coming out of the 6 holes was visually different. So far they look the same.
However the return line itself is pouring diesel out of all six ports. Is this normal?
I will do the leak-off test once the kit arrives. I removed the fuel return line and let it crank and idle to see if the fuel coming out of the 6 holes was visually different. So far they look the same.
However the return line itself is pouring diesel out of all six ports. Is this normal?
Good luck with it. Keep us posted.
I read somewhere there is a one-way valve inside the fuel filter. So if that fails low pressure will bleed off from the filter when the engine is off.
I have never heard of any filter with check valve built in, but also I couldn't find any information online about fuel regulating valve on OM642 so maybe it's a thing.
I was considering adding a check valve i a line manually, even bought one. But since priming prior starting made difference, i have left all alone.
I might even get back to it and try adding this check valve, since you reminded me of it


