Citroen saxo 1998 1.5D wont start ? pls advise

alykhalil

Dave_G wrote:

As above, it sounds like the relay isn't working, but it would be worth checking any fuses in the circuit first. What you have done is correct and if the heating circuit was working correctly then the plug would have glowed. Might be worth just removing the relay and seeing if all the contacts on it are nice and clean. You could also feel the relay as someone else turns on the ignition to see if you can feel it click.

Hi dave...

thank you loads mate...you wont believe this...trying it with jump leads started the car in half a second..so i think its more than confirmed now that something is wrong with the relay....shall i have it replaced or is there a cheaper way ?

i cant believe this...just coz the car wudnt start, i got a new battery, new glow plugs, changed the engine oil and filer..etc..but it turns out to be the relay...huh..

pls advise...shall i get a new relay or is a cheaper option available...?

thank you millions again DAVE.........................................

Dave_G_5

Remove it first and try cleaning the metal contacts on it. If that doesn't work I'd be inclined to replace it, but if you have got a multimeter it would be worth checking the wiring first, or checking fuses to make sure the relay is getting power.

Glad you are getting there in the end, just think how much you have learn't about your car, and it's had a service now too!

alykhalil

Dave_G wrote:

Remove it first and try cleaning the metal contacts on it. If that doesn't work I'd be inclined to replace it, but if you have got a multimeter it would be worth checking the wiring first, or checking fuses to make sure the relay is getting power.

Glad you are getting there in the end, just think how much you have learn't about your car, and it's had a service now too!

cheers mate..you are right..have learnt a lot about the car now. I could buy 1 multimeter...1st i will once again open the replay and clean the contacts and then check if it starts...but again like you mentioned...what if the power isnt reaching the relay..? fuses ? yeah i think i will have to buy a multimeter off of ebay.

there are 2 likely thing now :
1. either the relay is dead OR
2. the power isnt reaching the relay...

i will try and get a multimeter and try it out but i wouldnt know how to use the multimeter...you can please advise me how to use it once i buy it..i will let you know..thank you ever so much

alykhalil

Dave_G wrote:

Remove it first and try cleaning the metal contacts on it. If that doesn't work I'd be inclined to replace it, but if you have got a multimeter it would be worth checking the wiring first, or checking fuses to make sure the relay is getting power.

Glad you are getting there in the end, just think how much you have learn't about your car, and it's had a service now too!

just had a look on ebay for amultimeter...gosh there are just so many...can you suggest which one do i get ? any particular brand or what reading it should have or should it be digital etc ? please suggest..thank you

Dave_G_5

I probably wouldn't buy a multimeter just for this one job, it's ok if you will use it again. Can't you borrow one? Another option is to make a simple test lamp using a car bulb and 2 lenghts of wire. Attach 1 wire to each terminal of the bulb, then test it by connecting it across the battery, it should light up. Next connect one wire to the power feed on the relay and the other to earth (engine block or any good clean metal), turn on the ignition and the bulb should light. If it does, you have power and the relay is most likely at fault, though you could also check the earth on the relay, by connecting one wire to the relay earth feed and the other to +12v at the battery.

Hope this makes sense.

alykhalil

Dave_G wrote:

I probably wouldn't buy a multimeter just for this one job, it's ok if you will use it again. Can't you borrow one? Another option is to make a simple test lamp using a car bulb and 2 lenghts of wire. Attach 1 wire to each terminal of the bulb, then test it by connecting it across the battery, it should light up. Next connect one wire to the power feed on the relay and the other to earth (engine block or any good clean metal), turn on the ignition and the bulb should light. If it does, you have power and the relay is most likely at fault, though you could also check the earth on the relay, by connecting one wire to the relay earth feed and the other to +12v at the battery.

Hope this makes sense.

working on it just now..will keep you updated...cheers...

alykhalil

Dave_G wrote:

I probably wouldn't buy a multimeter just for this one job, it's ok if you will use it again. Can't you borrow one? Another option is to make a simple test lamp using a car bulb and 2 lenghts of wire. Attach 1 wire to each terminal of the bulb, then test it by connecting it across the battery, it should light up. Next connect one wire to the power feed on the relay and the other to earth (engine block or any good clean metal), turn on the ignition and the bulb should light. If it does, you have power and the relay is most likely at fault, though you could also check the earth on the relay, by connecting one wire to the relay earth feed and the other to +12v at the battery.

Hope this makes sense.

here are the results mate :

right, no need to buy a multimemeter just for 1 job. use and old heald lamp of mine..LOL...took 2wires connected it...

1. The power cable (i think it was the power cable, coz it had a black and small green wire together) going into the relay, i touched that with 1 wire from the head lamp and turned the ignition and the other wire from the head lamp i touched to the engine body and IT BULB LIGHTS....

2. I think the earth cable going into the relay is like a computer printer or scanner cable, which has about 6-7 female pins (the relay has 6-7 male pins which fit into the earth cable. i touched 1 female pin (out of 6 ) of the earth cable that fits into the relay and the BULB LIGHTS...but it lights with touching just 1 particular pin ..other 5 pins, the bulb dont light...

3. now the earth on the relap which has 6-7 male pins coming out which fit into the earth of 6-7 female pins of the cars body...i touched all the male pins of the relayS EARTH but the BULB DONT LIGHT.

hope i am making sense...

so what do you think would be the verdict...i think its the relay...i wish i could get a relay for just 5 minutes and check it out and if not return it back. I cheked the price of the relay with eurocarparts and its about £52...but if its not the relay faulty, they wont take it back..would they ?

any more and final advises mate ? thank you for your precious time mate.
cheers
aly

Dave_G_5

You've proved that you have power to the relay, and I'm sure if you connect the lamp between the wire feeding the glow plugs and earth then it won't come on, proving that you have no power reaching the glow plugs so I'd be about 90% certain that the relay has died.

£52 sounds expensive though. Last choices would be try a scrap yard, or try removing the cover from your old relay and see if you can repair it, but you will need a soldering iron for this (about £10). If it was me I'd have a quick go at repairing it, but I've alreadey got an iron and I have soldered before. Choice is yours, but in my eyes it's already broken so no harm in trying.

alykhalil

Dave_G wrote:

You've proved that you have power to the relay, and I'm sure if you connect the lamp between the wire feeding the glow plugs and earth then it won't come on, proving that you have no power reaching the glow plugs so I'd be about 90% certain that the relay has died.

£52 sounds expensive though. Last choices would be try a scrap yard, or try removing the cover from your old relay and see if you can repair it, but you will need a soldering iron for this (about £10). If it was me I'd have a quick go at repairing it, but I've alreadey got an iron and I have soldered before. Choice is yours, but in my eyes it's already broken so no harm in trying.

right...i do alreday have a solder iron...but how to i try to repair the relay and i dont know what to do unless i take a picture of the inside of the relay and send you and maybe then you can help....

cheers mate

Dave_G_5

If you can get inside the relay (it sounds like you can) then I would just check that all joints are ok. A quick bit of heat on each joint should do it. If that doesn't work then I'd be getting a new one from somewhere