220cdi diesel engine turns over but doesn't start

[crussell]

Evening people

My 1999 t reg, 2.2 diesel, automatic, will turn over but not start. I've had it eight months and it has always been slow to start (suspected failing o rings on fuel lines) but now refuses altogether.

Battery kept draining (bad cell I believe) so that's been changed. The last time I had it running it took three attempts to get it going. Once I'd driven it, turned it back on again it seemed to be fine after a couple of starts. Now given up altogether.

Can anyone suggest some starting points for investigation please? I'm going to order a fuel filter as Ive no history And at 215000 is due a service anyway.

Thanks in advance

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

Have you replaced the seals on the fuel pipes? Cheapest "guess" you can do.

Next stop will be to check its fuel pressure, and then injector leak off.

 

[crussell]

Thanks I'll try that then. Does this forum have 'how to' I can follow?

I'll google it in the meantime

Thanks

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

Usually its the fuel pipes to the pumps and filter that cause grief (if they are yellow in colour rather than clear I would replace them as they shrink around the joints) if they look ok, remove them and check the seals, they usually go flat and allow air in and the diesel to run back to the tank.

After that its a process of checking fuel pressure, injector leak off/hub/mg smooth running of which you will need diagnostic tooling.

 

[crussell]

I'll get them ordered then and get cracking. Relieved its all stuff on the top of the engine....makes life a little easier.

 

[crussell]

I'll get them ordered then and get cracking. Relieved its all stuff on the top of the engine....makes life a little easier.

OK. I've changed the o rings for the green ones and refitted. Done six of them, two on small pipe at back, two into fuel filter and two onto pump on front of engine, question is...

How will it take turning the engine over
to get the fuel through?

At first I didn't think fuel was getting through but then I saw it in the small pipe at back, cranked again and the air had disappeared so I'm presuming the fuel is moving along...

 

[LostKiwi]

Can take quite a while....

 

[crussell]

Better make myself comfortable then!
Better to just keep going and going or will I burn something out?/
Guessing at this point I may need a battery charger handy? Lol

 

[mercedes13156]

Check that you haven't dislodged any of the electrical connectors on the top / front of the engine. I did that on my old 203. I had accidentally disconnected one of the injector power leads and it had lost the connection. Easy to do, but a bugger to find if you're looking for a major issue to solve.

 

[crussell]

Lol, its the sort of thing I normally would do!
Checked all over just in case and nothing loose
Battery struggling I think from turning it over, tried about about twelve times so far, not one straight after the other, just when i be popped out for something.
Was hoping it would have fired by now?!?

 

[mersum1es]

most common reason for non-starter after such repair is that hoses of hp-pump are put back in wrong order...

edit: if they are right, measure injector leak back...

 

[crussell]

Definitely right, I only ever go one at a time.
Not done a leak test, is it very involved?
Car is outside my house on the main road now :s

 

[crussell]

This is what's in place at the minute...not original filter is it?

 

[Xtractorfan]

You can't tell its not an original filter from that pic .. that is the filter housing, the paper element is inside it.

 

[crussell]

I was wandering...I'm finding it v difficult to find a filter for my car online. That's might explain why I've not found one yet...doh.

 

[ajlsl600]

engine rolling over fine .my first port of call on high miles engine,compression test. .good.. fuel arrival ,pressure check, good injectors test.. good... valves not tight, insufficient clearance check, unless hydraulic tappets good. elecronics ,electrics.. good, should be running. you say you changed battery, you mean new one right. some engines req a good crank speed signal or the ecm wont recognise a start attempt and signal fuel delivery, also those crank sensors can play up

 

[crussell]

Thanks. That's right, new battery. Where will I find the crank sensor if I need to change that?

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

I would start with some basics....

Check the fuel pressure from the lift pump and then at the high pressure pump.. don't guess at anything else until you have.

A diesel engine needs 2 things to attempt a start, good compression and good fuel pressure. Check those 2 things first.

 

[crussell]

I'll give that a go...hopefully when I'm back tomorrow all being well, thank you

 

[Xtractorfan]

Or to follow on from Steve's post, find a good indie and he will get that engine running for you.