January 2001
I have a 5 yr old (N) AX 1.5 diesel with 64000 miles on the clock. It's had regular servicing and recently new pre-heater plugs and a new cam belt. I want to keep this car for 200,000 miles if I can (as it's cheap, does amazing MPG and I'm now doing about 25000 miles each year), but this winter it's been dreadful to start. It turns over fine, but doesn't catch until I've restarted it many times. It has always started eventually (so far).
The Pergeot garage I use say that a few 1.5 106s have come back with compression problems with excessive wear on the rings. Have you heard of this problem?
The next step is a compression test, but it is worth getting the piston rings replaced - is it likely I will have further problems.
Your advice would be appreciated.
PS. CHEAP EFFECTIVE ANTI THEFT DETERRENT
Leave a grease-smeared Haynes manual, an oily rag and a can of WD40 on the passenger seat. Works a treat on older cars. Read more
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Dear Annemarie,
If your engine has a compression problem due to worn bores, then it needs a rebore and oversize pistons as well as new rings. The most likely cause is worn or dirty injectors and these could also be the cause of your starting problems. The irregular spray pattern causes excess neat fuel to be introduced to the combustion chambers which 'drowns' the engine then trickles down the bores, washing off the engine oil and leading to the excess wear. So if this is the case, you will also need a new set of injectors.
However, if your engine doesn't have a compression problem, then the cause of the poor starting could well be an air leak into the inlet manifold or one of the pipes attached to it.
HJ