Diesel - won't start

Post by **Tim Leech** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 9:59 pm

Get well soon Ian!.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:37 am

A quick test today reveals that I'm getting voltage at the solenoid, but I can't feel anything clicking. What's the next step? Wish the drizzle would go away...

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:13 pm

Remove the solenoid (27mm?) and there is a plunger and spring inside it. The plunger may have stuck to its seat and may not come out with the rest of it. I've also seen it where the rubber from the plunger has stuck but the rest of the plunger comes out.

It may work OK after cleaning (if that was the reason it failed) but worth checking the resistance from the terminal to the body in case it's gone open circuit. You can run without the plunger if needed but you'll have to stall it to stop, or use the manual stop on the pump.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 2:39 pm

Thanks. Weather has got even wetter, so no more tinkering today.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:02 pm

It dried up a bit, so I headed out to investigate. I couldn't feel the solenoid doing its thing, so I disconnected it and then tapped the connection home which resulted in the correct sort of a click.

So, I set about trying to find what was wrong. Opening the bleed hole on the filter housing resulting in a lot of squelching and eventually fuel came out. I tried using a clear piece of pipe between the two pipes but had no joy getting any fuel through at all.

Then I disconnected the pipes from the housing to make sure fuel was actually coming out. Yes it was, so I filled the hose which goes to the pump and put it back and then pushed the priming button A LOT.

This seemed to do the trick and she fired up and has behaved impeccably on a test drive. Presumably it had created an air lock somewhere. Back to trying to trace that air leak then!

Oilyspanner · Post by **Oilyspanner** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:36 pm

Excellent news, theres probably a pinhole somewhere.

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:10 am

I couldn't feel the solenoid doing its thing, so I disconnected it and then tapped the connection home which resulted in the correct sort of a click.

... or the connectors are corroded and intermittant.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 2:14 am

My diesel wouldn't start on Sunday. It was minus 9 degrees. That's probably why. It's warmer now and runs fine. However I did warm the fuel filter housing with a hair dryer once the temp had risen to 'only' minus 2 and it did start eventually.

I asume it wasn't just very cold?

PS Bought a Purflex fuel filter from Carrefour on the way home

to fit later.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:05 am

Philip Chidlow wrote:My diesel wouldn't start on Sunday. It was minus 9 degrees. That's probably why.

I don't think you can put all the blame onto the cold - it's probably a factor but to my mind there must be something else that's actually causing the problem. Possibly something marginal, which doesn't cause an issue at 'normal' temperatures.

Post by **Defender110** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:14 am

mat_fenwick wrote:
Philip Chidlow wrote:My diesel wouldn't start on Sunday. It was minus 9 degrees. That's probably why.
I don't think you can put all the blame onto the cold - it's probably a factor but to my mind there must be something else that's actually causing the problem. Possibly something marginal, which doesn't cause an issue at 'normal' temperatures.

I.E the glow plugs, but I see you have bought a set off Richard. Engine oil can also be a contributory factor sometimes with it being to thick in the very cold temperatures which slows the cranking of the engine giving the symtoms of a dead battery even when the battery is fully charged. In these times of modern synthetics and semi synthetics this isn't often an issue anymore but if you have a standard 15W/30 or similar it can be problematic.
The higher the number the thicker the oil, the first number 15 is its cold or winter thickness,when hot it behaves as a 30 weight,most newer cars use 5w-20 older cars used 10w-30 or similar. 15w-30 might be alright in warm climates but give bad starting in cold climates.
Older classic car engines often need the thicker oil as their build tolerences were not as good as todays engines.

EDITED: for bad spelling, sorry spelling not always a strong point of mine.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:27 am

My last BX started very merrily even when the temperature here plunged to minus 18 last winter. The heater matrix did freeze up though...

Temperature is definitely ruled out here because it's been almost tropical (well, 5 degrees) here recently.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:27 am

GT started first time even at minus 6!

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:12 pm

Back to not starting again. No great surprise! Bother.