406 TD - not starting

[Deb]

Hi - first time here so hoping you might be able to help. have a '98 406 LXS TD, had since new. Have had diesel peugeots since '85 and never had one problem, always really reliable. However this one has started playing around a bit. Sometimes when I try to start it spins over fine, but just wont start.l I reckon it feels like fuel starvation, hubby thinks it's electrical, but try it half a dozen times then suddenly starts no problem. usually happens first thing in morning, or when been sitting for some hours, never when it's had recent run. Thought it might be glow plugs but had these replaced about 8 months ago when it first started this problem then was OK till about 3 weeks ago. i reckon it's more likely to happen when just been filled up, but him indoors says I'm imagining it!! AND ... wouldn't start the other evening so I took diesel tank lid off and did it up again, and ... hey presto ... started ... 'he' reckons coincidence!!! Just wondered if any of you had similar problem in the past? It's seven years old but only done 64k miles so only just run in!!! Any help greatly appreciated!

[504gld]

Well a few thoughts here, and by the way welcome to CPUK forum!

New glow plugs doesn't necessarily mean they work. Some people only swear by Beru brand, as the cheaper ones blow quite quickly aparently. I'm on NGK at the moment. Might be worth taking them out and testing one at a time if they are accessable. The engine being indirectly injected will only start if the combusion chamber is hot enought, hence the glow plugs, but if its cranking long enough the friction heat will fire the engine. You could take a reading of the current being used, using a multimeter and comparing it to another 406 if you cant get to the plugs.

Secondly fuel. There could be an air leak allowing air into the diesel, quite common around the rubber pipes and the fuel filter housing. Try squeezing the priming bulb until really hard, and try starting the car, see if it makes any difference.

Thirdly, lack of compression. This could be through valve shim clearance when cold being too big. No real solution other than new shims. Internally worn engine, or ingestion of water in to the cylinders bending a con-rods causing lack of compression (has been known), or the good old XUD head gasket leaking compression. If there any coolant problems? using coolant? oil in coolant? signs of leaking around the block where it meets the alloy head? OK might be extreme but not uncommon on XUD units.

I'd firstly go to the glow plugs myself.

Mat.

[Deb]

Thanks for the advice - didn't realise glow plugs can go that quick, however starts most mornings, only about once a week/every 10 days does it fail, which makes me think glow plugs would play up every time?. Have replaced fuel filter today as that was the easiest/cheapest option first and if it still doesn't solve it will try glow plugs next! Watch this space!!!!!

[Admin]

A colleague of mine had a very similar problem and went through several sets of glow plugs. In the end it was the timing on the diesel pump that was out. Just enough to stop it starting from cold. Try checking that as it's cheap and easy.

Try asking your local garage for a good diesel specialist who can test each part of the system in turn.

[Deb]

Just in case anyone else has this problem thought I'd let you know what's happened so far - has fule filter changed last week, service before this was the first one I had done out of main dealer, and when filter was changed mechanic said the old one had 'collapsed' or had bent in. Assume they used a cheap filter last time,got my own this time, and hey presto, seems fine now. Just goes to prove the old saying that the dearest is cheapest in the long run!! Fingers crossed - it starts beautifully again now!