Peugeot 306 (1993 - 2001) - 1999 1.9 diesel estate. Cold starting problem.

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Mon 17 Dec 2007 15:19
1999 1.9 diesel estate. Cold starting problem. - FredFlange
Hello

I have a Peugeot 306 1.9 diesel estate 1999.

I'm having trouble starting on a cold and frosty morning.

The car starts but after one or two seconds conks out.

After a few tries I sometimes go in the house and come out five mins later and try again and eventually get it going but it takes quite a few attempts before it's running.

I took it to one garage and they put in new oil and a new starter motor.

A few weeks later I went to another garage and they put in a new fuel pump idle control valve which cost about £20 plus labour. The mechanic said we'll try it,might help, but it hasn't made any difference.

I find that garages don't always know a lot about diesel engines so they experiment....we'll try this we'll try that and see if it works.

The engine is turning over OK but the cold weather is making it difficult to start.

Any advice would be welcomed.

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 17/12/2007 at 18:59

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 17 Dec 2007 15:50
Puugeot 306 diesel - Screwloose
Fred

I'd have thought that their very first test would have been to see if the glow-plugs were sound and being fed by the control relay.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 17 Dec 2007 16:16
Puugeot 306 diesel - FredFlange
Sorry I should have mentioned before I went to any garage I got my friend to fit new glow plugs.I'd have done it but there is this plastic cowling that's got to be removed first,what a nuisance. Why do they need these plastic things to stop you getting at the engine ?
I also couldn't hear the relay click off so I went to someone else and they checked the glow plugs to make sure they were working OK and the relay was clicking off and it was although it was quite a few seconds before you heard the click and it was very soft.

I know with diesels new glow plugs can often cure a starting problem.

Edited by FredFlange on 17/12/2007 at 16:19

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 17 Dec 2007 16:27
Puugeot 306 diesel - RichardW
Is it really a 1.9 - ie the 'old' indirect injection XUD, or is it infact a 2.0 HDi?

The plastic cover is making me think it's an HDi - and if you weren't up to taking the cover off, you sure weren't up to changing the plugs.... :-))
--
RichardW

Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 17 Dec 2007 16:45
Puugeot 306 diesel - FredFlange
That's sounds a tad unfair.


I managed to change the glow plugs OK on my previous car a Vauxhall Astra diesel.
I've never had a car before this one with a plastic cover over the engine.
It's a 1.9 diesel.

Now back to my question.......... thanks.

Edited by FredFlange on 17/12/2007 at 16:48

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 17 Dec 2007 17:07
Puugeot 306 diesel - Screwloose
Fred

Listening for clicks is far short of actually checking that the plugs have a feed.

If it really was starting fully on all cylinders and then cutting-out; then it's possibly pulling air into the pump from an overnight leak.

One known air entry point is a perished priming bulb; another is the fuel filter water sensor.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 17 Dec 2007 17:19
Puugeot 306 diesel - FredFlange
He also put a meter on to check the voltage so I think the glow plugs are OK as the car is starting OK. Pulling in air sounds a distinct possibility. The battery also looks fairly new. I bought the car in July and it's been OK during the summer but now it's getting cold I'd like to get this problem sorted.The fuel may be struggling to get in.

Edited by FredFlange on 17/12/2007 at 17:23

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Our honest used car pricing is a little bit different to all the others. You can get to our values through make or model - you don’t have to follow a prescribed route. Plus, it’s live, which means we can react to changes in the market quicker than any printed price guide.

Honest Used Car Prices

From which small car to buy at which price point to the best UK-built cars, our Top 10s have the lot. Click now for your shortlist.

Unsure of what to buy? Our Top 10s are here to help you....