03 C5 Estate, 2.0 Hdi, Won't Start After Fuel Lifter Replacement

[tomkranz]

Hi everyone,

 

I've recently acquired an 03 plate C5 2.0 HDi with 235k on the clock. We were coming back from a long motorway run on Boxing Day when the car lost all power and stalled, then refused to start. Belts all looked fine so assumed it was a fuelling issue.

 

I've just replaced the lifter pump in the fuel tank, and the car will now start - however, it's very lumpy at idle, and after 5 mins or so will stall. It then refuses to start again for 10-15 minutes, cranking but failing to fire.

 

There's no manual fuel pump primer, but doing the trick of turning the ignition on/off several times seems to help getting it started. Is there anything else that needs doing that I've forgotten/missed out?

 

Looking at the fuel filter housing, where the bleed screw should be (on the front, pointing to the radiator) there's just an empty threaded hole. I've not touched that so I'm assuming it was always missing, but wouldn't that be introducing air into the system and causing these symptoms?

 

I'm thrown because although a bit rough from cold it's been running smoothly since I got the car a few months ago - all that I've done apart from topping up the oil is to replace the fuel tank lifter.

 

I have a diagnostics kit and software but my laptop battery is dead and so I can't do anything more involved until a new battery for it arrives next week.

 

Thanks,

TOM

[Johndouglas]

It certainly sounds as though air is being drawn in.   Maybe the bleed screw was loose and has vibrated out.   As a temporary measure, see if you can block  the bleed hole with a rubber plug

[ESL57]

It is also possible that if your low pressure fuel pump was on it's way out, it has contaminated the fuel filter.

  In a worst case scenario, some of the brass debris from it breaking up may have got to injection pump.(Hopefully not)

     If nothing else works, I would change the fuel filter first.

[tomkranz]

Thanks for the replies chaps. I've got a replacement fuel filter arriving next week as, with no history, I wanted to do a service on the car anyway. I'm also hunting down a new bleed screw - in the meantime will give the rubber bung idea a go.

 

Will let you know how things progress - thanks again!