problem starting after fuel filter change Xantia

[DublinChris]

I have just changed the diesel fuel filter on my 1998 series 2 Xantia. It had been getting hard to start from cold and black smoke on start up so bought filter. I removed the top of housing and took out the old filter which was black. Installed the new filter and replaced top of housing. I hand primed the system using the rubber hand pump and felt the pressure build up. Got into car to start but she wont start - turning over but not firing. Hand primed again and also on cycling of ignition - but nothing - worried I will ruN battery down if I continue. Any ideas as to what I have or have not done correctly? How to get her started?

Thanks CHRIS

[jvwykes]

Hello Chris

I think you should check your fuel in the tank, a filter should not be black. It might have oxidised and therefore needs draining and replacing. Try filling the filter housing with fresh fuel. If it tries to start fuel is your problem.

regards

James

[myglaren]

Hello Chris

I think you should check your fuel in the tank, a filter should not be black. It might have oxidised and therefore needs draining and replacing. Try filling the filter housing with fresh fuel. If it tries to start fuel is your problem.

regards

James

Could also be a fungal/bacterial growth that occurs in diesel and bungs up the lift pump and strainer.
In your case just the strainer as you have a manual lift pump (primer). The HP pump might not have enough ooomph to drag fuel through the gunge but the hand primer will.

[flygirl757]

HI Chris, we had this problem a few years ago and we changed everything; totally ignoring the lectures from a few of the people in here who said it was probably a slight leak from the fuel filter housing. We'd looked at this and not seen a thing and then about 3 weeks later (after changing heater plugs and other things) my bf noticed a tiny insignificant drip from the housing (blink and you'd miss it). Changed the housing and Claudia started first time. After he saw the drip he had to stare at the housing like a lunatic for about 5 minuted before he saw another one so you will have to be patient. Not saying this is the problem but it is worth a try. It will be in my previous posts somewhere unless they are deleted after a few years as it was some time ago.

[myglaren]

Only posts in the For Sale section are deleted - automatically after a set period, 90 days comes to mind.

All your posts are here Michelle.

[DublinChris]

Hi all
thanks for replies so far. I think I have to assume its something other than what has been mentioned so far. Couple of weeks back car was low on fuel and I was heading off MWAY to fill up. She lost power and I pulled into hard shoulder to stop. Tried to start and engine turned over but would not fire up. Left it about a minute tried again and she fired up and I headed off to garage to put in some diesel. So last week she was getting hard to start in morning - engine turning over and eventually firing up and dark smoke. Did this couple more times so I decided to change filter as thinking back I could not pin point a change in any recent services. Bought an after market filter on Saturday and set about changing yesterday having been told it was straightforward and to make sure to prime. The filter I took out was metal top and bottom the new one plastic. Old one was completely black. I installed the new filter and primed it using the hand pump and thats when the problem started. Turning key in ignition but no firing up. Tried repumping as the ball was soft again and then starting but nothing. I removed the knurled screw with plastic pipe at base of housing and nothing flowed out so pumped and fuel came out. Reconnected and tried everything again but no firing up. Silly question but is there a rigt way up for filter. There is hole at one end which I think was to the top? If I have new filter in wrong way could this be my problem?

[Hell Razor5543]

The attached link might explain your problem. Post 5 has photos;

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=42242" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DublinChris]

The attached link might explain your problem. Post 5 has photos;

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=42242" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for that will take a look. Just back to earlier question should hole on fuel filter be to top or bottom?

[Hell Razor5543]

I cannot answer that question, as Gracie is an HDi, and the design of the fuel filter is very specifically shaped to the housing, so you cannot fit it the wrong way up.

[DublinChris]

I cannot answer that question, as Gracie is an HDi, and the design of the fuel filter is very specifically shaped to the housing, so you cannot fit it the wrong way up.

Thanks again mine is series 2 and there does not seem to be a one way to fit option. will look at tank strainer later - car has 192500 miles up and don't know if strainer has ever been cleaned. I was getting a good flow of what looked like clean fuel from the filter housing so hopefully the tank strainer is secondary to whatever my main problem is in getting her to fire up.

[Xantidote]

Chris, as you say there could be more than one issue here.

Addressing the filter issue, silly question, but was the motor factor's new filter identical in shape to the old one? Could he have sold you the wrong filter? I'm assuming your set-up is the same as on my S1 TD (except that you have a wire to the 3rd injector), so the top of your filter housing is fixed with 4 screws/bolts? The top of my filter has a slightly larger diameter "flange" which sits in the rebate around the top of the housing, and most importantly, it has a seal which fits over the flange to form an air tight seal. This all the same on yours? Maybe the aftermarket filter came without the seal, so the fuel system's not airtight?

As has already been suggested, the black on the old filter may well be bacterial growth in the fuel tank. I've not read of this being a problem on diesel cars, but certainly is a problem on some boats/yachts, where the turnover of fuel in the tank is less frequent. On boats, the problem can also be due to taking contaminated fuel on board from a marina/port fuel tank which doesn't have a high turnover of fuel. Problem is excerbated nowadays with the addition of biodiesel in the fuel.

My car's done 190k so very simliar to yours. I've yet to inspect the in-tank filter. I've followed the principle of "if-it-ain't broke......."

[DublinChris]

Chris, as you say there could be more than one issue here.

Addressing the filter issue, silly question, but was the motor factor's new filter identical in shape to the old one? Could he have sold you the wrong filter? I'm assuming your set-up is the same as on my S1 TD (except that you have a wire to the 3rd injector), so the top of your filter housing is fixed with 4 screws/bolts? The top of my filter has a slightly larger diameter "flange" which sits in the rebate around the top of the housing, and most importantly, it has a seal which fits over the flange to form an air tight seal. This all the same on yours? Maybe the aftermarket filter came without the seal, so the fuel system's not airtight?

As has already been suggested, the black on the old filter may well be bacterial growth in the fuel tank. I've not read of this being a problem on diesel cars, but certainly is a problem on some boats/yachts, where the turnover of fuel in the tank is less frequent. On boats, the problem can also be due to taking contaminated fuel on board from a marina/port fuel tank which doesn't have a high turnover of fuel. Problem is excerbated nowadays with the addition of biodiesel in the fuel.

My car's done 190k so very simliar to yours. I've yet to inspect the in-tank filter. I've followed the principle of "if-it-ain't broke......."

Yes all sounds the same. Just went out and rechecked filter and its in correct way and properly seated all seals are good and priming I can see the fuel reaching the diesel pump. But she still wont start - rang my mechanic and he says I must have an airlock. Going to try crack open injectors later - friend coming around to help out so hopefully that's the issue.

[DublinChris]

All is good again!

We cracked open the 2 outer injectors and eventually she fired up. I must have managed to get air in to system and she air locked. Everything was good with diesel getting to pump but just not firing. Took her for quick spin and everything seems fine. Will get to look at the tank strainer as well no harm in sorting that as well keep everything clean

thanks to all for assistance

Chris

[Xantidote]

That's good - let us know how you get on with the in-tank filter, and whether you've solved both (?) problems

[evilally]

Good stuff. When I fit a new filter, I leave the top off the housing, and prime it until the housing fills right to the top with fuel. That way there is a minimum of air in the system. It might be the one way valve in the primer has stopped working, so when you've opened the lid on the filer housing, all the fuel has run back to the tank. That would leave loads of air in the system. How much fuel was in the housing when you retrieved the old filter? It should have been full to the top.