Picasso 2.0 Hdi Diesel Wont Start

[dolphin73]

I was driving my Xsara Picasso and it just suddenly cut out on me and died and then the engine management light came up. It now wont start at all. I had a mechanic look at it but he's not sure what the cause is. He sprayed "Start Spray" past the fuel pump and it did start but otherwise it just turns over but doesn't start. The fuel filter has been checked and thats ok. Any ideas what it could be as i was told if its the fuel pump it would be more of an intermittent problem but this was just a sudden stop with no warning.

[Johndouglas]

. He sprayed "Start Spray" past the fuel pump and it did start

And did it continue to run - or did it cut out again?

[dolphin73]

it cut out again

[paul.h]

When the mechanic looked at your car, did he read the fault code and clear the management light - the code should give a good indication of the fault and what needs to be fixed. Possibilities could include the fuel pressure sensor, the fuel pumps (one in the fuel tank and one at the engine end), a fuel injector, crank position sensor, etc. The best option may be to get a Citroen dealer or independant specialist to have a look with the right diagnostic equipment - if using another garage, make sure they have the right equipment for your model/year of car before booking it in.

 

Years ago we had a 2.0hdi Xsara Picasso that cut out but then all the electrics were lost. It turned out to be a maxi fuse that had failed but for no apparent reason since on replacement it never happened again. To find the problem it ended up being towed by the RAC to a Citroen garage as he could not find it since the maxi fuses are hidden in the engine fusebox under the top layer of fuses.

[dolphin73]

Ahh thats interesting cause the car is in economy mode and i have no electrics which i was told was just cause i was sitting without engine on and hazard lights going. But maybe thats it. Sent hubby out to look lol

[Johndouglas]

the car is in economy mode and i have no electrics

It goes to economy mode when the battery state falls below a certain level.   The flashers will have done it.

[dolphin73]

Oh ok thanks, must have already had a part flat battery then cause i had only been there about half hour.

[paul.h]

Economy mode is a Citroen Peugeot thing to stop the battery going flat if things like the radio are not switched off after the engine is stopped. After about 30 minutes, things like the internal lights and radio stop working until the engine is started again. Then when a door is opened, the economy mode light comes on to let you know, it will be somewhere in the handbook but needlessly worried me first time I saw the message.

[dolphin73]

Yeah i'd never seen it before so didn't know what it was, someone my husband works with said it will clear when car is started but mine wont start haha. Bought a fuel pressure sensor and fuel pump so hoping that will fix it. That was our mechanics thought as to what it could be but if not hoping someone my husband works with who was a mechanic but has the equipment to test codes can point us in the right direction, its just very frustrating. Only had car since September and never had to do anything with it so we don't know much about Citroen's as its the first one we've had lol

[dolphin73]

We put on a new fuel pressure regulator tonight but it has made no difference. We pulled off the pipes on the fuel filter and the pipes leading from the tank one at a time and then turning the key quickly and there does not seem to be any fuel getting to the filter as nothing is coming out any of the pipes. The filter etc has been cleaned out. Any Ideas ??

[paul.h]

Assuming there is diesel in the fuel tank, it looks as if the fuel tank fuel pump may have failed - a quick look on ebay shows them at £100 to £150 but I do not know what a dealer would charge. It comes complete with the fuel tank level gauge since it is built in to this. It is possible to just buy the pump part and fit this to it but check that the fastening clips and hoses are ok to be reused first. I once had a petrol fuel pump fail on a high mileage Saab 9000 and this would not start - the RAC checked everything, it would run for a while on the easy start spray test and he checked there was power going to the pump before confirming it was faulty. This also came with the level gauge and I managed to just change the pump but had to source hoses and clips since the old ones could not be used.

 

In the Haynes manual it shows there is a fuel pump fuse in the engine fuse box, no. F25 and 15 amp - I would check in your handbook if it is the same one and then see if it has failed. The wiring diagram shows the power from this fuse goes direct to the fuel pump, so if there is power to this fuse when trying to start the car it indicates that everything else is probably ok and it is just the pump, or the pump wiring/connector. To replace the pump it says the fuel tank has to be removed so not a quick job. However, ideally the fault code would be read first just in case it is something else to prevent any wasted effort/cost.

[dolphin73]

Thanks, I will get my husband to check the fuses after work, he was getting someone round that he works with to recheck the fault codes as he has the equipment to do it, just very frustrating not knowing what it is and our mechanic lead us in the wrong direction to start with i think (would have thought he would have checked fuel was getting to the filter himself first instead of my husband saying i will check it just in case but he must have done that  ----- but not it seems)

[paul.h]

I hope you managed to fix your car. If so, what was wrong and needed doing to sort it ?

[mvwellard]

Yes we did manage to fix the car. My husband took off the fuel tank (not a quick job but luckily it was only 1/4 full of diesel) and when he put his electrical testers on the fuel pump in the tank he had a reading at the connectors but not at the actual pump. He put a 12v battery charger directly onto the pump  and it SHOULD have started working but nothing. There was some bits stuck in the pump so it looks like its tried to pump, couldn't and burnt out. Bought a 2nd hand fuel pump off ebay and after about 3 or 4 goes to get it to start it finally sprung into life. So much for a mechanic lol. Cars been running fine since :)

 

Thank you to everyone for your help and suggestions.

Edited June 18, 2013 by mvwellard

[Johndouglas]

Cars been running fine since :)

 

Thank you to everyone for your help and suggestions.

And thank you for coming back to tell us about the fix.   If you look at your post No 4, Paul did suggest the lift pump as a possible.

[paul.h]

I am pleased you managed to fix your car and it sounds as though it was not too expensive apart from your time and inconvenience.