Citoren ZX Diesel Wont start after service

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TImR
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Citoren ZX Diesel Wont start after service

Post by TImR »

Citoren ZX Diesel
Just done a service on our ZX Diesel. Oil, air filter, glow plugs and fuel filter now the bugger wont start. I tried priming the fuel system but it didn’t help however, despite talk of the the rubber priming bulb going hard it never goes really hard – just less squashy. I tried a high pressure bleed and despite a fair bit of engine cranking very little fuel comes out. I presume this means an leak of some sort? Thing is it was fine before the service.
One point of note though, rather inadvertently I did turn the white plastic screw the is at about the same level as the fuel bleed valve and about 90 degrees around from it (if the rear of the car is at 12 o’clock and the bleed valve is at 6 o'clock this thing is at 9 o'clock) after mistaking it for the bleed valve (my first service with the car). I cant find reference to it in the Haynes manual but fear that somehow this fiddling as lead to air getting in the system – anyone know what this thing is?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Tim
volcane305
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Post by volcane305 »

You have an air lock around the fuel filter. Redo the fuel filter and re-bleed. I have had the same problem.
TImR
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Post by TImR »

So how hard should the priming bulb go? I presume really hard considering it should be full of fuel?
Richard Gallagher
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Post by Richard Gallagher »

Keep squeezing it until its hard enough for you to be concerned about splitting it, this will push out the air into the fuel return pipes.

As far as air leaks around the fuel filter, you could try putting a thin layer of grease around the joint to seal it.
TImR
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Post by TImR »

Sounds like it is an air lock because it wont go tighter than a punctured squash ball. Any thoughts on that white 'screw' I mentioned in my main post? I fear its something important and that I have buggered it up – thus causing the problem..
Thanks for your comments so far!
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Post by Richard Gallagher »

I can't think of what the screw will be but as long as you tighten it back up then I imagine it will be OK.
Bear in mind that you do need to pump for some time and that any build up of pressure will quickly subside once you stop pumping.
TImR
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Post by TImR »

I think I was pumping for around 10 minutes! My only concern about the screw is that with the filter out you can see it running some sort of valve inside the filter housing and as it turns the valve changes position - it isn't simply a screw that that holds something in place or is just there to fill a hole - it seems to be an adjustment screw of some sort. Whether its the problem or not I'm a little curious as to what it actually does!
I try again tomorrow - trouble is the battery is starting to run flat!
Thanks again!
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Post by Richard Gallagher »

10 minutes is more than enough, so rather than waste your battery look carefully over the work you have done.
Are the glowplugs fully tightened? They do need to be wound in by some distance, make sure that no thread is visible on each one and that you have connected up the supply wire correctly.
The car will be all but impossible to start if the glowplugs are not working.
TImR
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Post by TImR »

The glow plugs are nice and tight, with a touch of copper grease on the threads, the supply wires are tight and everything is in the right place.. Whaat everything suggested here seems to point to is an air lock in the fule somewhere.
Where is the auto bleed valve by the way? I presume its not the same as the fuel bleed valve?
weety
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Post by weety »

to check for sure that it is air in the fuel line get some old hose or pipe disconect the fuel line into the diesel pump at the fuel filter end, connect the fuel line up to the bit of hose with a hose clip or suchlike then put a funnel into the end off the hose and fill the pipe with diesel. Then find a handy assistant to start the car, the car will start if the problem is with fuel flow as it now has a nice supply of fuel being gravity fed into it. If you do get it started let it run (just keep topping your funnel up with diesel) until it is nice and hot then repeat all the priiming things you have done already. that will give you a better chance of priming it up again and recharge your battery for you.....oh and yes you do look like a pratt holding a funnel of diesel in the air.....
oh and if you still cant get the diesel up into the pump i once used a hoover to suck diesel right up to the pump on a peugeot 205....never ever worked out why it wouldnt prime as it ran perfectly after doing this....which is more than can be said for the wife's hoover that made strange smells for a while then broke down
arry_b
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Post by arry_b »

You've not run out of diesel, have you?
Try pumping the bulb with the fuel filter drain open to see if your priming bulb is acually moving the fuel around.
I think your priming bulb is a bit weak, and you've got a massive airlock.
TImR
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Post by TImR »

Got nearly a full tank - I have been banging around for 2 hours this morning but nothing. I have tried a deep bleed (at the injectors) but there is no fuel getting through. Frankly I'm stumped!
TImR
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Post by TImR »

This is just odd - I have tried squeezing the bulb and bleeding the system and after initially expelling half a cup of diesel now nothing comes through at all. After tightening and squeezing the bulb again It feels as if the fuel line is compleatly empty. What is going on??
mpr1956
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Post by mpr1956 »

as you appear to have tried everything else... is there any possibility that the fuel delivery and return pipes have been transposed on refitting ?
TImR
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Post by TImR »

No - never touched the pipes!
I managed with the aid of some clear pipe to suck the fuel through the system as far as the fuel pump, reconnect it then loosening the fuel pipes at the ejector and crank the engine (for a deep bleed) but no fuel comes out after a couple of minutes of cranking.
The hand primer seems to do nothing but put air into the system so perhaps there is a pin hole in it somewhere? (which would mean that I spent long periods of saturday adding air to the system!)
As I said, it everything worked fine before the service and the only change to the system was a new fuel filter - now I cant even get it to cough.
Got no choice but to swallow my pride and call the pros in tomorrow.
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