c3 hdi won't start.....suspected fuel problems

adamyates · Post by **adamyates** » 26 Feb 2011, 14:59

hi we've been having problems with my wife car lately (various problems from failed mot to leaky gearbox) but this one is giving me a major headache

it has been taking a little bit more to kick over every morning lately but now it just won't start,it feels very similar to a problem to when the stop solenoid on my van went,it feels like it wants to start but the fuel isn't getting into the engine,my only guesses are the solenoid or it's losing fuel pressure but having searched quite vigorously i cant find the stop solenoid anywhere

has anyone got any ideas where i can find the solenoid or if it could be a different problem

thanks in advance

JamesQB · Post by **JamesQB** » 26 Feb 2011, 16:10

I don't believe it has a stop solenoid, unless someone corrects me. As it uses electronically-activated injectors, instead of mechanical ones like the old TDs, I'd assume that the injectors are simply no longer powered to open and inject fuel when the engine is turned off.

What engine and year is the car? Is it the 1.4 16V with 92HP?

Have you tried cranking it for a good minute or so? When it was just hard to start, was it belching white plumes of smoke when it finally caught?

Although not the problem we've suffered with our C3, I have read of high-pressure pump failure on this car being not uncommon, as well as high pressure fuel rail sensor failing. A Lexia would be handy to see HP rail pressure when cranking.

adamyates · Post by **adamyates** » 16 Mar 2011, 18:45

hi james,thaks for your reply,i ended up taking it to get the codes read,and the guy said it was the high pressure fuel pump and a code for the egr valve came up as well but he said that wasnt connected to the starting problem
the cheapest price i could get to fix it was about £900 so i decided to go it alone,the problem i now have is i brought the part from an online second hand parts dealer and now i have (finally) got the pump off our car i can see it's a differnt make to the one i brought and slightly different all round,my c3 had a "delphi" pump where as the new one is a "bosch"

does anyone know if i need to try and send it back and try and get a delphi one or will the bosch one work fine or is it a case of the one ive been sent came off the 8v version and not the 16v version i have??

JamesQB · Post by **JamesQB** » 16 Mar 2011, 19:00

The 2002-2004 C3 1.4 16V HDi uses the Delphi system - DV4TED4.

The 8V version, which is all I think was available from 2005 onwards as well as being an option prior to that, uses the Bosch system.

So they probably have taken it from the 8V engine. I can't see that the Bosch pump would work in place of the Delphi one, so personally I'd send the Bosch back and get the correct Delphi part.