Peugot 306 diesel - Bad starting

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Fri 6 Apr 2012 16:41
Peugot 306 diesel - Bad starting - Nicw

This has been driving me mad, has slowly got worse over the last two years.

Car runs fine does around 50mpg and starts OK (but not great) when warm. Is the last of the non HDI versions - Y reg . Has adelphi injector pump

Its is really dependant on temperature as to how well it starts. It takes about 6 preheat cycles of around 20secs to get it going if the temp is around freezing. On a warm day it will start first go.

It will always fire on one cylinder; then after a few cycles 2, then it normally take another 1 or two goes before all four will go with a big cloud of smoke; then its fine for the rest of the day.

I have replaced : fuel filter, air filter, glow plugs, and have checked the relay to see that they are heat OK.. Any ideas as what to check next?

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Fri 6 Apr 2012 18:34
Peugot 306 diesel - Bad starting - mss1tw

Air leak/loss of vacuum from diesel return line to the tank if an experience I had with a 1.8D FIesta is anything to go by

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Fri 6 Apr 2012 18:53
Peugot 306 diesel - Bad starting - Peter.N.

I would agree, does it have a fuel primer on it? If so pump it until its hard and then try to start, if it goes OK you a have an air leak, although having said that it should cause the same problem when the weather is warm.

The normal cause of poor cold starting is the glow plugs, have you checked for voltage on them? If you switch to the glow plug position you should have around 11 volts for about 15 seconds, if it is nearer 12 volts you have one or more faulty glow plugs.

If they are all OK and you don't have an air leak you must have low compression either due to wear or the valve clearances being to tight. The only other thing I can think of is that the engine is not turning over fast enough which could be due to the starter or battery.

Edited by Peter.N. on 06/04/2012 at 18:55

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Fri 6 Apr 2012 22:48
Peugot 306 diesel - Bad starting - Nicw
Thanks for that- will try the fuel primer ; but starting is massively temperature dependant.

Glow plugs are definately fine, I have had them out, wired them up and watched them glow.

Hopefully the rings are OK as it uses no oil; are the valve clearances easy enough to check and adjust?- any idea what they should be?

Could be poor starter but it always fires on one cylinder, then two then finally starts so there is some varience between cylinders.

Nic
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Sat 7 Apr 2012 10:16
Peugot 306 diesel - Bad starting - Peter.N.

You have done the right thing with the glow plugs then. I think you said it was down on one cylinder when it first starts, that would indicate low compression, valve clearances are the most likely problem but unfortunately they are not easy to adjust, they are set with shims which means removing the camshaft and having a selection of shims available.

Have you tried waiting until the glow plug relay drops out before you try starting, maybe two or three times.

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Sun 8 Apr 2012 17:23
Peugot 306 diesel - Bad starting - Roly93

If you are sure the glowplugs/relay are okay and it is temperature dependant, it might be a weakening injector pump, ie poor pressure/spray pattern. If the compression is okay this is the next think I would look at.

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