A non-starting XUD9

[JohnD]

Although my problem relates to a Pug 306 it'll probably get more views in the Citroen section. During the winter my daughter complained of difficult starting. In the short time I had available I changed two of the glow-plugs -- the easy two. Shortly afterwards I went away for three months. As the weather got colder, so did her starting. From a distance I told her to give the glowplugs two or three goes before start up. The car always staggered into life eventually. Last week I changed the other two plugs after removing the air manifold. On the same day I changed all four plugs in my Saxo. The following morning I confidently went out to try a start in both cars. The Saxo started immediately. The Pug refused to start. I squeezed the hand primer several times but I couldn't get it to fire. Eventually I gave it a whiff of easystart and it rattled into life. It quickly settled down and I went for a drive. It ran perfectly so I returned home, switched off and went for a coffee. Fifteen minutes later I tried it and it started and ticked over fine. This morning it was back to being a none starter. I changed the fuel filter and primed it. Again it wouldn't start. I disconnected the hand primer and put in a new one with a length of tube going to a 5ltr can of diesel. It primed but wouldn't start. I resorted to easystart again. It immediately fired and ran perfectly. After lunch I tried it again and it started so I put it on the ramp and fitted a new rear silencer box. Afterwards the car started and behaved normally - and a bit quieter. I know after a couple of hours when I try it, in spite of using the hand primer, it probably won't start. I'm perplexed. Any ideas??

[RichardW]

Has it done loads of miles? Check the valve clearances....

[jgra1]

Check the glow plugs are getting a 12v feed john?

John

[Harlequin]

if its starting with easy start I would look at the glow plug relay or the glow plugs again - I had the same issue and for me it was the relay

[JohnD]

Has it done loads of miles? Check the valve clearances....

From new, it's only done 50K miles. Just about run in!

[JohnD]

if its starting with easy start I would look at the glow plug relay or the glow plugs again -

I've connected a 12volt test bulb to a glowplug and the bulb lights for the duration of the heat up time.

[white exec]

Attention rightly focussed on the glowplugs and the glowplug relay. GP relay contacts can go resistive iboth externally and internally, but easily cleaned up.

Check the voltage drop through the glowplug cabling/relay: connect voltmeter between a glowplug terminal and battery positive, and look at the voltage drop shown during glowplug operation.

Assume battery is good (enthusiastic cranking), but check whether either battery terminal feels at all warm after a bit of cranking. The original lead (Pb) crimped lump connectors are notorious for deteriorating where the battery cable goes in. If so, cut off, strip back, clean strands, and replace with brass clamp-on terminal.

Even ok plugs work very half-heartedly with a reduced voltage applied to them. Could also test with a second battery jumped on.

[Harlequin]

was the bus bar across the glow plugs? if YES then your only testing the voltage to the bus bar

[RichardW]

Will it start eventually if you keep cranking it? If so, does it stutter into life, or does it start cleanly? Does it make any smoke when you are cranking it? Does it start in big cloud of smoke?

[Xantidote]

was the bus bar across the glow plugs? if YES then your only testing the voltage to the bus bar

That reminds me - I had a problem on my TD when it was about 18 yeas old (!!), which turned out to be the crimped eyes on the busbar, which are fixed to the individual glowplugs. Over the years, I've had the glowplugs out numerous times, and moving the busbar around had disturbed the crimping of the busbar's eye at each glowplug, such that glowplugs not getting the high current they demand. Just a thought.

My remedy was not a new busbar, but individual wire to each glowplug, as this meant it would be easier to test each glowplug in-situ.

[jgra1]

Yes i did the same Martin.. individual wires for each plug to help identify the bad one..

[demag]

I would definitely check the relay contacts they burn out over time. You can get voltage at the plug but no umph behind it.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

[white exec]

Individual cables to the glowplugs no bad idea. Do I vaguely remember the BX19RD having a solid (rather than cable) busbar?

On our 1996 XM 2.5, the main battery cable supplying the glowplug relay contacts is large and beefy, but - mysteriously - a smaller cable leads away from the relay to the four plugs. I have now run an additional cable here, alongside the original, to bring the whole circuit up to HD standards. Together with cleaning all the internal and external relay contacts (and new eye terminations, soldered), starting is now instantaneous, even at temperatures near zero.

[Hell Razor5543]

Well done.

[JohnD]

Good news and bad news! The good news is that the 306 is starting promptly from cold as it should. The bad news is that ebay conned me. A year ago I thought I'd bought 4 Beru plugs off an ebay site. When they arrived they were in the familiar blue cartons but instead of being BERU they were BERLi. However being pushed for time, I fitted the two easy ones, then went off to Spain. As the weather got colder, daughter's starting became more difficult, although it eventually the engine staggered into life. On my return home I got down to fitting the remaining pair - not easy since the air distribution housing needs to come off. After fitting the last pair, my troubles began. The only way it would start was with a whiff of easystart. After spending two days between the rain showers without any success I decided to try a new set of plugs from ECP. When I'd finished, I switched on, waited for the light to go out and away it went. There's a lesson to be learnt - buy cheap and buy twice. Just for interest I connected up two of the 'duff' plugs to a 12 volt battery. After two minutes connected the tips were hardly warm. Thanks to all who have responded.