ZX Starting Problem.

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jyusko
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Joined: 07 Aug 2002, 14:11
Location: United Kingdom
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ZX Starting Problem.

Post by jyusko »

Hello:
I recently purchased a 1995 ZX 1.9D (great condition) and last night I encountered a starting problem after driving the car for about an hour. I stopped the car and basically the car stalled out, and I was unable to restart it. The glow plug dashboard light never came back on (even this morning when I tried) and the car won't fire up. It seems to be getting enough fuel and the battery and starter are fine. The car is turning over but just won't fire.
Is there a fuse or a control module that regulates the glow plug heating, and could this possibly be the problem?
Thanks in advance. -Jon
Jon

Post by Jon »

Hello,
Sounds like a problem with the glow plug timer relay. You'll find this under the bonnet, just to the right of the battery. Theres a plastic cover between the battery and inner wing where some fuses etc live, and the glow plug timer relay bolts onto the front outside of this housing.
Jon Wood
IT Supervisor
GSF t/as Andyspares
RichardW
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Post by RichardW »

Did I read correct that the car stopped and then wouldn't start again, even though it was hot? If so then this is not glow plugs. Could be air leak in the fuel supply, or somethign more sinister (slipped cam belt?). Why this should be associated with the glow plug not lighting I don't know - coincidence? Can you confirm whether engine was hot or cold when it first refused to start?
RichardW
NiSk
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Post by NiSk »

Mind you it does sound like the glow-plug relay, what with the instrument light not reacting. I had the same problem with my '93 XM TD12, it turned out to be one of those nasty push-on electrical connectors that had fatigued from the relay unit. A bit of silver-soldering fixed that and it hasn't bothered my since. However, I agree that something isn't quite up to scratch if the car won't start when hot without the glow plugs - sounds a bit like low compression problems.
//NiSk
Jon

Post by Jon »

hm, I should have read the original message more carefully:
<b>"basically the car stalled out, and I was unable to restart it."<b/>
No reason why it should stall, then not restart surely? Failure of the pre heat unit would not cause this. Richard has got a good point.Probably worth whipping off the plastic cover over the timing belt and taking a look at the belt.
May also be a fuelling problem, try the manual primer too.
It is odd though that the glow plug light does not come on. I'm gonna come up with another theory (assuming the belts OK and the fuels getting through): failure of the ignition switch?
Any thoughts?
Jon Wood
IT Supervisor
GSF t/as Andyspares
RichardW
Forum Treasurer
Posts: 10812
Joined: 07 Aug 2002, 17:12
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars: MK2 '17 C4GP 1.6 BlueHDi 120
'13 3008 1.6 HDi GripControl
x 983

Post by RichardW »

Yes, think he is looking at an electrical problem - one that has taken out the glow plug controller feed and the stop solenoid - hence no starting when hot. Could be the fuse, but even so I would suspect a short somewhere that caused it to go in the first place. Out with the multimeter......
Richard
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