Citroen saxo 1998 1.5D wont start ? pls advise

alykhalil

margaretclare wrote:

Hi aly

I've just asked my husband who has half a century's experience in 'mechanicking' cars and here's what he says:

Oil change is absolutely essential for any car, between 6,000 and 10,000 miles or every 6 months depending on which comes sooner.

For a diesel car you need special oil, high in detergent. Read the handbook (he says!!) You also need to change the oil more frequently with a diesel engine than with a petrol engine.

We recently had a friend come round in a panic - he'd just acquired a diesel car and what did he do? Went and put petrol into it, that's what! You haven't been trying to run a diesel car on petrol by any chance, have you? It may sound daft, and I wouldn't have believed it only we saw it happen to someone we know!

<<would this cause the car to not start ? cheers and thank you again....>> Again from the horse's mouth ( a qualified mechanical engineer and car DIY-er sitting beside me) - No, it wouldn't cause it not to start. It WOULD cause the engine to wear out quicker!

Aunty Margaret

thank you margaret

i will very much appreciate if you can check with your husband about what could be causing the car to not start. Trust me, it wants to start and its just a centimeter away from starting but it wont start.

NO...LOL..i havent (checked with my wife too) tried filling it with petrol, positive but smelly burning smoke does come out and inspite of changing the glow plugs, new battery, checked cam belt (just opened the cover and saw the belt)...still no luck and the car has done only 70k miles

please advise coz just like me even you also know if a machanic is called he might try his luck all ways to get more money out...thank you ever so much

ohreally

The usual suspects on a diesel engine not starting are heater plugs (connect an ammeter in series to ensure they are all taking juice),lost compression (it is a compression ignition engine after all), fuel pump /solonoid problem.
TBH, you may be better (cheaper in the long run) to get competent help to diagnose the problem as you could spend many frustrating hours trying to make little or no progress if you are randomly stabbing in the dark.

Dave_G_5

My brothers Saxo diesel had a similar problem recently at a similar mileage. If you open the bonnet you should see the fuel priming bulb at the right hand side, give it a couple of squeezes and see if it feels hard or is still squashy. It should be hard almost immediately. If you follow the pipe from this to the fuel filter and then the engine, on ours this had started to split just where it connected to the fuel filter and was leaking diesel. A new piece of rubber fuel pipe and all was sorted again.

margaretclare

Hi aly

I did ask my husband to respond to you. But he says you've had some excellent responses already from others, and he can't really add anything. He also said that, beyond going systematically through all the possibilities that have been suggested to you, there's nothing anyone can do without actually getting to look at the car. It's like a doctor being asked to diagnose an illness without seeing the patient!

When you pay a qualified motor technician you are not only paying for what they do, but for what they know. Nowadays cars are far more reliable than they ever were, but on the other hand you do have to read the handbook and follow the manufacturer's guidance for e.g how often servicing needs to be done, how often to change the oil etc.

Sorry I can't be of more help!

Aunty Margaret

alykhalil

margaretclare wrote:

Hi aly

I did ask my husband to respond to you. But he says you've had some excellent responses already from others, and he can't really add anything. He also said that, beyond going systematically through all the possibilities that have been suggested to you, there's nothing anyone can do without actually getting to look at the car. It's like a doctor being asked to diagnose an illness without seeing the patient!

When you pay a qualified motor technician you are not only paying for what they do, but for what they know. Nowadays cars are far more reliable than they ever were, but on the other hand you do have to read the handbook and follow the manufacturer's guidance for e.g how often servicing needs to be done, how often to change the oil etc.

Sorry I can't be of more help!

Aunty Margaret

cheers for all the help you gave. thank you

alykhalil

Dave_G wrote:

My brothers Saxo diesel had a similar problem recently at a similar mileage. If you open the bonnet you should see the fuel priming bulb at the right hand side, give it a couple of squeezes and see if it feels hard or is still squashy. It should be hard almost immediately. If you follow the pipe from this to the fuel filter and then the engine, on ours this had started to split just where it connected to the fuel filter and was leaking diesel. A new piece of rubber fuel pipe and all was sorted again.

yes you are right...there is a diesel like rubber bulb on the right which is squeezeable...i will have a look at what you said and try that...thank you...will keep you updated....cheers

alykhalil

STARTED STARTED STARTED...the car started...lol....will tell you in a bit what i did !....

alykhalil

Thank you everyone who supported....i managed to start the car...yuppeeeee....

Now, what i did (...LOL...nothing major) :

I combined all your suggestions, about valves, engine oil, fuel injection, starter...yeah i read and i decided i need to work on the car. since 3 hours now i sat sorting it out.
i tried starting the car when i started work on it, cleant the engine thoroughly, then since it didnt still start i thought i would change the engine oil completely, anyway it needed changing. So i did so and the engine oil drain screw had a leak + the oil filter too.

drained the BLACK engine oil..LOL..and changed the oil filter and then cleared the leaks..and then gave it s shot...put the key in turned the ignition, wouldnt start. it ALMOST started but didnt make it. i kept IGNITING ON AND ON AND ON...i was fed up and then ...IT JUST STARTED......

i know the oil change has nothing to do...I DO NOT KNOW WHAT STARTED THE CAR BUT IT STARTED...kept the engine running for 30 minutes, then turned it off and then started it again...it started in half a second...

i dont know how it happened but it just happened. probably some blockage in some valve or somewhere....

thank you everyone for your support....

Dave_G_5

Glad you got it going, just hope it still starts when it's cold in the morning.

alykhalil

Dave_G wrote:

Glad you got it going, just hope it still starts when it's cold in the morning.

LOL..LOL....you bet !...thats what i was telling my wife just now...hehe...will keep you updated...

what would anyone call this problem ? i am sure no one will understand the problem with my car.starts at times and at times...stubborn geek...lol....