Iveco Daily not starting help

My father who now has dementia and can not help me as he was a mechanic when he was healthy. He has a 2004 Iveco Daily motor home that has been standing in the garage for the last 3-5 years. I put a new battery in today as the old one was well and truly dead. Engine turns over nicely but doesn’t fire up (diesel motor). All lights on dash working but what could be wrong? I suspect the diesel needs to be drained and replaced but is this the only possible reason for no start? I know many of you have a diesel motor home that possibly stand for awhile, what would you think is the problem?. This vehicle was well maintained and his pride and joy.

I am no expert but Diesel in storage can get a bacteria that causes issues. Google it. You may need to drain the tank & change all fuel filters.
Did you wait for the glow plugs to finish heating before you tried to start it? Especially in winter.

Thanks, I did wait for the glow light to go out. I think some new clean diesel would at least be a start.

You probably have to prime it as well. Most diesels have a priming pump on the fuel filter.

I would be hand priming the fuel pump as suggested first up as it may have created an air lock over time, the fuel should still be ok but worth checking.

I am not a mechanic either but I do remember some years ago, standing in a workshop and a diesel vehicle would not start, and the mechanic thought it was the glow plug not working so he ran some fuel (unleaded) on a rag and held it in the air box after removing the filter, and bingo, the thing fired up.
The fumes were enough to get it firing.

But I would certainly drain all existing fuel and replace, as well as filters.

Sorry to hear about your Dad.
I am hearing a lot of people my age, 75, getting dementia and every one appears to have had something to do with lead over their early years, especially
plumbers (lead pipes/lead wiping joints etc) and mechanics (leaded fuel washing parts and cleaning hands)

Mates Father years ago (mechanic) was very ill for months until he went to a naturopath and found he had lead poisoning from all the leaded fuel he had used over the years.
Naturopath set him up with some pills and he came good in about a month or two.

To start diesels in cold weather they use ether sprayed into the intake.
As well as helping to start cold or difficult engines a spray will confirm if the issue is fuel related.

The most readily available spray in Australia is Start Ya Bastard
Start Ya Bastard Instant Engine Starter (SYB)

Thanks for your replies, I’ve progressed a little today. It’s an 35 S 13 engine and we discovered no fuel is getting past fuel filter. Tomorrow we are going to put some new fuel in the tank. The strange thing is the fuel gauge and mileage doesn’t show up on the dash as yet, I’m thinking it will after its started up, I hope, all the other dash type lights come on as expected. As a son of a mechanic he did teach me about petrol engines but nothing to do with diesel so I’m a little unsure of what to expect. I’m thinking I might need to prime it but don’t know how to do that on a diesel.

It looks like there may be a couple of engine combinations used in these vehicles. It would be worthwhile checking if you have a low pressure or lift pump that feeds from the tank to the filter before the high pressure pump.

REALLY NEED HELP Iveco 35s13 2,8 No start. Have looked at a lot of posts here. - Iveco Daily Forums

The primer pump is often build into the top of the filter housing. Something like this
Just a moment...

Have only done it a couple of times. The pump is only a short stroke so takes a while to get diesel through & under pressure.

Well we have lift off, a very nice young man, a friend of a friend, came round, he’s a recently qualified diesel mechanic. Within ten minutes he discovered a stuck fuel pump was the culprit. Four taps, a blead of the system and start she did. It just shows you it’s the simplest thing that can have you stuck.


My next problem is no fuel gauge, odometer and temp gauge all not working but I’ll do a new post for this after I’ve checked fuses etc.


Thank you all for your help and support.

Ah! So that's why my daughter is looking for a nice young man.