Cutting/cuts out after successfully starting

[Jase Pace]

Hi All,

First post so go easy...

2009 1.6HDi 110 with 100k miles on it. Last month or so it's developed a problem where it will successfully start from cold, but then will cut out. It runs for a few seconds and then power just drops, even if you try to rev it.

It will then take a few goes to get it started again, and then it will run fine. Only happens from cold. Strange thing is, is that it will always start first time from cold, but then after a few secs power just drops off and it cuts out. 

I've put a diesel cleaner in the tank since this fault developed, and also changed the oil and filter couple of weeks ago, but still it persists.

Any ideas?

[GraemeT]

Hi - had this on a 206 1.4 HDi - the hard plastic pipes that run to/from the tank/filter etc can develop a pinhole leak that allows the fuel to drop back into the tank overnight. (or you can have a weak joint that allows air in - gives the same effect). You start in the morning on fumes/stuff left in the filter and then it cuts out before it can suck anything decent back up from the tank.

If you pull the plastic cover off the top of the engine you may see or find a small spot of diesel where there shouldn't be any.

Alternatively try using the manual bulb under the cover to pump up the system first, then start and see if you still get the same trouble - if that works then you could have the leakback problem. If you've swapped the filter then you know what to do here

[Jase Pace]

Hi - had this on a 206 1.4 HDi - the hard plastic pipes that run to/from the tank/filter etc can develop a pinhole leak that allows the fuel to drop back into the tank overnight. (or you can have a weak joint that allows air in - gives the same effect). You start in the morning on fumes/stuff left in the filter and then it cuts out before it can suck anything decent back up from the tank.

If you pull the plastic cover off the top of the engine you may see or find a small spot of diesel where there shouldn't be any.

Alternatively try using the manual bulb under the cover to pump up the system first, then start and see if you still get the same trouble - if that works then you could have the leakback problem. If you've swapped the filter then you know what to do here

Thanks GraemeT! What you've said makes perfect sense (to somebody who's non mechanically minded like myself). So it creates an air gap in the fuel system?

What do you mean by knowing what to do if I've swapped the filter? It was the oil and air filter that I changed. I've read about pumping the system if you change the fuel filter, is that what you're referring to?

[GraemeT]

Hi - if you Google (or search the forum) you can find out more about the 'bulb' - my take is that there's no in tank pump in the HDi so it is up to the pump to 'suck' the fuel up through the low pressure side of the system - if you get a leakback then becomes a hard thing to do.

So there's a rubber bulb in under the engine cover (if you search for 'hand primer HDi') you'll find images/video - basically you pump the hell out of that until your knackered - then see what happens if you start it up.

[Jase Pace]

Hi - if you Google (or search the forum) you can find out more about the 'bulb' - my take is that there's no in tank pump in the HDi so it is up to the pump to 'suck' the fuel up through the low pressure side of the system - if you get a leakback then becomes a hard thing to do.

So there's a rubber bulb in under the engine cover (if you search for 'hand primer HDi') you'll find images/video - basically you pump the hell out of that until your knackered - then see what happens if you start it up.

I've read about this process, so will give it a go tomorrow. Many thanks for your help, really appreciated.

[Lighty]

The 1.6 fuel,system is completely different to the 1.4 though & air leaks on worn pipes are very common on the 1.4.
That said , it does sound like an air leak,is your problem. 
A few pumps on the bulb before starting will show you this & you can usually feel the air in the fuel as you press the bulb, it will get hard once you have pumped it a few times 
Your next issue will be finding the leak, my 1st choice would be changing the fuel filter , make sure you replace the O rings on the little box that fits to the new filter. These O rings come in the box with Purflux filters & are the ones we always use in our workshop.

[Jase Pace]

GraemeT and Lighty, thanks both for your help. Before setting off this morning I pumped the bulb til it was hard (insert 'Then-I-went-outside-to-sort-the-car-out joke here!), and it started no problem without cutting out, so this has confirmed the air leak hypothesis. Now to track down the source of the leak.

[ffrenchie]

Niece had this on hers and it was the fuel filter not fitted properly.

[Jase Pace]

Being the lazy ar*e I am, I kept putting off sorting the air leak/fuel filter replacement. But last couple of days it's really struggled to start, with squeezing the rubber bulb not helping much, if at all.

So I bit the bullet and replaced the fuel filter just now. Fairly straight forward, removing the pipe work and battery to make life easier. On finishing the job and squeezing the rubber bulb, it filled with fuel within a couple of minutes and started no problems with no cutting out.

I think tomorrow morning will be the true test to see if it'll start and carry on running without cutting out after sitting overnight, but *hopefully* the problem's sorted now. Thanks again to the other forum members for their responses and help. It's what this place is all about. Cheers.

[Tomcat3]

Fingers crossed you have fixed your problem.