Forte HDi fuel filter trouble, Green Flag unhelpful

[Xantian 304K]

Last Friday, after a visit to a really brilliant pub, Square and Compass at Worth Matravers in Dorset, my 147K Xantia Forte HDi engine refused to start. The starter cranked the engine but the engine didn't even cough. I called Green Flag, where I have a Road Assistance but not a Relay cover. They outsourced the job to a local garage, just off Swanage, which will remain unnamed for the time. In half an hour a young car mechanic arrived who admitted that it was his very first callout. He diagnosed the problem as a failure of the fuel pump which would have to be replaced, and called GF for a recovery van to get the car to his garage, do I gave him the keys to the car and I left. This was around 5 PM on Friday. By early afternoon on Sunday, the car still remained in the car park next to the aforemntioned brilliant pub. Having been given a lift to London, where I live, by my friends, I phoned GF and asked them to hold with the recovery unfil I confirm it. On Monday afternoon, I drove to Dorset with a friendly (Polish) car mecbanic. To start with, we found that the car doors were unlocked. It took my friend around 5 minutes to find out that the car needed not a new fuel pump but de-clogging the fuel filter, with a corresponding difference in cost. We drove with the filter assembly to the said local garage to use their compressor. Another, more experienced car mechanic there, who was really willing to help, de-clogged the filter but whie re-assembling it, he put the insert in the wrong way, so it needed dis-assembling and re-assembling again. This done, the car started at the first turn of the key. I logged a complaint with GF and I await their response with interest. On the technical side, I was quite surprised that the filter whicih has never been exposed to any dodgy or a tank bottom fuel, got completely clogged so suddendly, without any warning signs, a noticeable loss of performance, a few key turns needed to start rather than just one, and so on.

Best to all the Tribe
Xantian 304K

[Stickyfinger]

Where did you last fill up ?

[chinkostu]

Why not a new filter? When was it last changed?

[jgra1]

cant help much , but went to that pub a few weeks ago! yes very good place!

also recommend the Bankes, for the ale's and the view! (not the service) - I suspect you have been there already..

both get very busy on a weekend lunch

John