Peugeot 306 - turns over but will not start

[longdogs]

Hi

No doubt there will be a few questions like this today what with the snow and all that but here goes...

Peugeot 306 2.0 lt HDi diesel.

Went out this morning. Started the car up and was busy brushing the snow off the top when the engine suddenly cut out after about a minute. After that I have not been able to start the car. The battery seems ok and is turning the engine over. Tried cleaning the injector terminals but that didn't help. I'm wondering if if could be a case of something suffering because of the cold and maybe just need to wait until the temp goes up a bit. The car is parked on a slight incline which always makes the fuel gauge look really low on fuel but its no lower than usual.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Burnerman]

Is there a priming bulb that you squeeze, to pump fuel through? If so, squeeze it a few times until you get resistance through pressure, and try again.
John

 

[longdogs]

Hi John

No, there isn't. It is normally done automatically, just tun the key and it starts. (not this time though)

 

[longdogs]

Sorry John. Just realised what you meant. I'm off to look now. Thanks

 

[longdogs]

No, can't see one. Tried it again. This time the engine 'caught' once and then that was it. Engine 'STOP' light remains on.

 

[Burnerman]

If there is a mechanical pump it would be in the supply line to the filter - I just can't remember if there is one. However, Hdi diesels use an electrical fuel pump in the tank - and I guess thats not working. Not much help, I know....!
John

 

[longdogs]

Thanks John. It all helps to narrow things down a bit.

 

[leewill]

In these temperatures the first thing i would do is drain the water from the fuel filter, fuel gets all kinds of crap in with it and if some water has got in with it, it may have frozen, on the bottom of your fuel filter you will have a plastic turn screw, turn it until liquid comes out and keep it going for a bit, also give a couple of glow plug light ups, ie, turn ignition on and off a few times leting the glow plugs heat right up, then go for the crank and hopefully start, if not get back to us..............

 

[longdogs]

Hi. Thanks very much for your time and for your suggestions. I managed to get the car started in the end although not sure why. As I said car was facing slightly uphill on drive so rolled car into road and faced it downhill for a few seconds. Turned the car over and it started first time. When the fuel gauge sorted itself out there was about a quarter of a tank of diesel. I've been parking 'up' for about 15 years so don't know why it would suddenly do that. Can only think that the temp must have affected it in some way. I am parking it facing down now at least until the cold weather has gone.
Thanks again.

 

[Dan199]

This is what exactly happened to mine last night but i cant move the car as the road is like a ice skating rink atm.

I know that my car just hit reserve light so im going to try putting more diesel in then changing the fuel filter then prime it.

How does one prime a HDI?

Cheers

 

[longdogs]

Don't know. The Haynes manual shows a pump in the engine but I couldn't find one. Maybe its done automatically by the pump as suggested above. I have been parking the car facing downwards ever since and so far its been ok so its quite likely you have the same problem.

 

[xr4x4]

i was gonna say... put some fuel in it..!!! fuel pick up will be in same place as fuel gauge sender, so pick up could be sucking up air as well.

on modern diesels, you just crank the bugggers till they self prime, if your lucky enough to have a electric lift pump, then it primes when you turn the ign on....lke mine... it hums when the ign is turned on.

 

[joinerjohn]

If the temperature drops low enough, the diesel fuel will tend to thicken up slightly (waxing). Most fuel companies / suppliers put additives in during the winter months to combat this. As suggested earlier, there could be a small amount of water in the fuel system that has frozen,,, blocking the fuel line somewhere.

 

[Dan199]

I got it going today and she's purring like a kitten, the old fuel filter that i took out was BLACK and was quite a bit of water in the bottom of the housing.
I cleaned it all out and popped in a fresh filter, topped with fresh diesel with a bit of redex and it fired up straight away.

Seems like the car starts much better now.

 

[wozza56]

As a precaution its better in this weather to have a fuller tank as this cuts the risk of the diesel waxing