I just bought a DAF 45 horsebox which although in excellent condition was not used for 4 years. I am in France and unable to pay the exorbitant rates asked by the garages out here. I drove 4 hours with it at the weekend, great on the way there, on the way back i stopped for fuel, about halfway home it began losing power going uphill and got steadily worse until it was impossible to go above 30mph but even then at a struggle. I managed to limp home and a friend thought it sounded like dirty fuel filters however the next morning the lorry drove fine albeit just around the block. I don't want an intermittent problem as i am just myself with my little girl and breakdown cover in France for horseboxes isn't worth the paper it's written on. Please Help!

Laura, July 2011

any joy with your truck as others may benefit

norb, July 2011

if a pre LF model 45 ,there will be a pre filter bowl attached to the fuel tank some are solid metal and some are clear plastic ,if the clear plastic type you will see the crap in it .but with both of them ,just take them apart and clean them ,will guarantee it that ..1 bolt and they come apart

norb, July 2011

Just re-read this ...so you are in France right now? If so,get new filters..air and fuel and replace them as I said..if impossible to drain the tank because of cost then only option is to dilute the (possibly) crap fuel in the tank with as much new fuel as poss. The other thing that happens if you leave a diesel tank too long empty is condensation and diesels do not like water in their fuel, this would contribute to the power loss (changing the filter will empty the water trap)

d, July 2011

If the fuel filter is clogged the engine will use the fuel in the bowl (filtered) and struggle to get enough thru to keep full revs after a while...then left for a while enough will get thru to give full power again...your prob does sound like a filter, it makes utmost sense to change the filters if its been lying any amount of time and get a look at the diesel filter to see if it is dirty...diesel will break down in time and can even have bacteria growth in it which will clog a filter. May be best to change all filters ,take spares and get the tank drained and refilled before going to France

d, July 2011