xantia diesel wont start

rongee68 · Post by **rongee68** » 13 Dec 2008, 14:04

r reg 2.1 xantia diesel wont start first thing in the morning. after i bump start it down the hill it starts ok for the rest of the day. i've put in new heater plugs and new battery. any idea's what the problem could be?
thank ron

Post by **Peter.N.** » 13 Dec 2008, 15:27

Hi Ron

The thing is, are the heater plugs actually working? Connect a voltmeter between any of the plug terminals and earth, when you turn the switch to the glow plug position you should have about 10 or 11 volts for about 30 seconds. If you do, you possibly have air getting into the fuel system, try operating the primer until it goes hard and then see if it starts.

Post by **CitroJim** » 13 Dec 2008, 17:15

I know this sounds bizarre but the very act of changing your glowplugs may be the reason.

I've just fallen into a terrible trap with my 2.1TD. I got a new set of Glowplugs from GSF and for a couple of days, no problem but now mine is very hard to start on a cold morning.

Not proved just yet but they don't list a glowplug specifically for the 2.1TD. They supplied me with a set of BBGV636 which, on checking the BERU website, are for the non-turbo XUD engines that do not employ post-heating.

The ones needed are the GN909 types which look identical but are designed for post-heating. Post heating means they carry on glowing after startup and on a 2.1TD they glow for several minutes afterward.

The problem of using the GV636 on a post-heat system is they will only last a very short while before burning out as they're not designed to glow for more than a few seconds.

The other thing to check is your fuel lines and especially the leakoff pipes. You have changed the plugs and in doing so will invariably have disturbed the leakoff pipes which go hard and brittle over time and more than likely cracked one. Look for wet injectors as a clue.

Normally a Lucas pump does not worry about air leaks from bad leakoff pipes but the Lucas EPIC pump on the 2.1TD is the exception. It is highly sensitive to air leaks, not least from bad leakoff pipes.

I'm niggled now. I have to put the right glowplugs back in mine and that means the inlet manifold has to come off for the fourth time this week

Post by **Peter.N.** » 13 Dec 2008, 17:56

Lovely these 2.1s arn't they.

Post by **CitroJim** » 13 Dec 2008, 18:19

Peter.N. wrote:Lovely these 2.1s arn't they.

Very wonderful Peter

Glowplugs, even though the top half of the inlet manifold has to come off, are a doddle compared to a 1.9TD! And the manifold comes off easy-peasy as well.

I'd have nothing else..

I've just spotted your new signature Peter

rongee68 · Post by **rongee68** » 13 Dec 2008, 21:02

thanks guys, heater plugs i put in were 909's. the engine turns over slower in the morn, a bit quicker and it would start. new battery is a bit more powerful than than the one they say should be on there. could it be the starter? the 2.1 is a fab motor, tows caravan lovely, thats why i got it. also got the heater fan problem but can live with that for the time being just need it to start in the mornings thanks
ron

Old-Guy · Post by **Old-Guy** » 16 Dec 2008, 16:05

Ron

The cold-cranking current is several hundred amps, so when you said

the engine turns over slower in the morn, a bit quicker and it would start.

you put your finger on the cause: not enough juice getting to the starter.

If you haven't already done so, I suggest you check the starter power circuit all the way from the positive post of the battery right round to the negative post, looking for any poor connections, especially on the 'earth' side from starter to battery neg.

I don't know whether the starter earth-path on the 2.1 goes through the starter to block/bell-housing face. On some engines where the two mating faces are dissimilar metals (e.g. steel and aluminium alloy) this is a favourite problem area - once some corrosion starts, the high current makes it worse. All faces need to be clean bare metal. DON'T use copper-ease. Once the starter is torque-d up correctly, a squirt of WD40 helps to keep salty water out.

I've had (not a Citroen) one loose starter bolt as the cause of all my starting problems - after repeated slow cranking, the other bolt was hot enough to burn my questing fingers!

Good hunting

Guy

rongee68 · Post by **rongee68** » 16 Dec 2008, 18:31

had starter off and got it tested, they say it ok. am going to test glow plugs again and try an earth from starter to battery then hopefully i get somewhere. thanks for all your help
ron