Xantia TD engine cut out

pete.fair · Post by **pete.fair** » 11 May 2003, 02:35

Maybe this has happened to someone else, while on the motorway doing 70mph ish the engine just died, so I pulled over to the hard shoulder dipped the clutch incase it was an engine failure and coasted to a SOS box, braked, oh ****, so thought I would test the hand brake, that worked. Checked I had fuel, yup, smoking, no, throttle cable was my next thought, but the engine had stopped... It was raining so switched of the ignition tried to restart, hey presto it started within a second. No funny noises so drove slowly on the hard shoulder for a mile, then picked up speed got home and its been fine since. Does anyone have any ideas please.. Thanks

mbunting · Post by **mbunting** » 11 May 2003, 03:11

To my basic mind, I would say you had fuel contamination ( either fluid or air ).
You should have had enough pressure in your accumulator to stop you. I would check that as a matter of urgency ( listen for ticks - see other threads ).
Mat.

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 11 May 2003, 03:28

If its a 1.9td and it shut down with no hesitation or jerkiness (if thats a real word) then it must have been stopped by the solenoid, wether it was the actual solenoid at fault or the switch that operates it who knows.
They don't usualy go down while they are energised though, they more often than not fail to work after the engine has been stopped on the key and wont re-start untill it cools down, usualy they develop an intermittent fault for a few days as the broken winding expands and contracts with engine heat, then they pack up completely.
If its a keypad model then the power to energise the stop solenoid is switched by a power transistor in the immobiliser electronics, under the tamperproof steel cover on the injection pump, these can play all sorts of tricks on you.
Check the state of the plugs and sockets that connect the stop solenoid to the engine loom at the pump, or the black four pin connector of the immobiliser.
If there was some hesitation before it died then this could mean a temporary restriction in the fuel line for whatever reason.
If its a HDI, prey for nothing serious.
Dave