xantia 2.0l hdi 90 estate engine just died

[vfr400rob]

Hi folks! nice forum

I have a Xantia hdi 90 estate which I have owned for 4 days now. Picked it up from cumbria the other day and drove it back down to Lancashire (Darwen) with no fuss drove lovely.
After about 50 miles the amber engine light with a K came on (anti pollution?) didnt really notice anything but the throttle daid feel a bit vague almost wooly.

Had a look at the car prperly when I got home and it looks like there may be a slight fuel leak on one of the unions going into injector 3. there is a bit of diesel welled up in the crevices around the injecor.
Odd thing is it does not smell very diesely. Dried it up and was going to have a look to see if it came back.

So driving back home last night with my son the engine just dies. Turns over but wont fire. Sounds like its almost catching. I waited 5 mins tried again and it started. carried on home it did it again.

last night When running the stop light is off and no fault lights are up the amber engine light with a K is also off.

Had a look this morning. no sign of diesel but amber engine light back on but has started fine. will take it for another run in a bit.

Any ideas? and do you know if there is anyone near darwen with a lexia?

[Peter.N.]

Could be all sorts of things but my first inclination would be the fuel filter.

Peter

[falling-out-with-my-car]

Welcome to the FCF,

change the fuel filter the K light comes on to warn of a blocked filter usually about 25 miles before the filter blocks completely. if left to stand engine off it probably will run again but block up again within a short distance.
fuel filters are about 3 quid each its always worth carrying a spare.
I change them about every 3k but you can leave them longer than that between changes 6k is probably good.
when you cha nge the filter checjk that there is not water in the bottom of the housing if so drain it off or use a nice dry rag to mop it out before putting the new filter in, i usually fill up the housing with some diesel magic before closing the lid this cleans the injectors on start up and I puit the rest in the tank.

for the diesel leak,
check the little black hoses joinniong the injectors for perishing small guage black pipes connecting the injectors together,
they tend to perish at their ends and are often neglected.
regards
Nigel

[RichardW]

It's an HDi Nigel - and as it's a Xantia it will be Bosch and have a low pressure pump in the tank. Not that sensitive to fuel filters - mine had run at least 70k before I changed it....and it's done another 35k since then (or is it more, I forget...!). Lexia will tell you what the EML is on for, but a dying HDi is often the lift pump in the tank. Next time it dies switch the ignition back on and check to see if you can hear it whirring, if not, then there is your suspect.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

Richard,

the lift pump did dawn on me afterwards.

what about the injector leak Richard? do you think it might be the leak off pipes?

cheers Nigel.

[vfr400rob]

Thanks for the suggestins folks. It is an hdi. its done 109k miles
It also has full service history if that has any bearing.
I can hear the pump when I turn on the ignition.

I unplugged all the connectors I could find in the engine compartment sprayed both female and male ends with wd40 thinking maybe throttle position sensor. But do
nt even know what or where it is as no haynes for this. Or whether it could be the cause.
amber engine light is off again seemed ok into town and back but because there was no warning before I am a bit nervous.

I will pull the fuel filter and have a look at it. Will it be obvious if its gunked up?

Cant see any more evidence of fuel leak either.

[electronmirror]

I'd go along with likely faulty lift pump in the tank, look for very fine brass dust in the fuel filter housing. Your symtoms almost identical to mine when lift pump failed.

Take care when checking this. You must not allow any debris to fall into the body of the filter housing, some people take the complete filter housing off the car and change the filter on a bench. The HDI system won't tolerate any debris entering the high pressure injection pump, severe wallet damage may result

It should be obvious if the filter is gunked up but I've not seen severe contamination likely to block it in 113k miles on mine.