C3 Running Terribly When Cold?

[Guest glyndwr]

Hi,

 

My parents have got a 52 plate C3 1.4 16v hdi. On cold start up, the engine starts ok ish, bellows abit of smoke, but has trouble revving past 2000 rpm for a few seconds. Of yo kkep your foot on the accelerator pedal, it will pick up, but after about 4 maybe 5 seconds, but strangely, once the temp guage is onto 3 bars of the indicator, seems alot smoother, revs freely and starts ok.

 

I have read here that this is quite a common fault, I recall ALan fc having a nightmare locating a similar problem, which i believe turned out to ba some kind of vaccuum valve at the rear of the bulkhead (or fixed to back of engine).

 

Has anyone had similar experiences, and what should be checked first before if goes to the dealers.

 

There are no arning lamps on, car drives ok, apart from when cold, no engine management lights, so cant be a major fault, but who knows, these days electronic issues can be a nightmare to find, and expensive to replair replace.

 

Thanks ver much for your input.

 

Best regards, Anthony.

[paul.h]

Has it just started recently with the cold frosty mornings ? If so it could be a glow plug problem.

[Guest glyndwr]

Hi Paul, unfortunately not bud, its been getting gradually worse, but only from start up. Once the engine is up to temp, it runs reasonalby well, for a 100,000 mile small can anyway.

 

 

Has it just started recently with the cold frosty mornings ? If so it could be a glow plug problem.

[paul.h]

Next thing could be a temperature sensor fault thinking of something else (which also is lowish cost) that can affect fueling. Does it use any engine oil ? Is the air filter clean ?

[Guest glyndwr]

Ok, i`ll try to check the temp sensor out. Can the sensor be measured with a meter for resistance, or just replace and try?

 

It doesnt use any large quantities of oil, nothing that i would say is abnormal usage, filters done on service couple of months ago.

 

Thanks.

[paul.h]

Best thing to read the temp is using a code reader which gives live data and then see if the values are realistic. This though could cost more than a sensor.

[Guest glyndwr]

Best thing to read the temp is using a code reader which gives live data and then see if the values are realistic. This though could cost more than a sensor.

 

 

Thanks Paul, i have got an elm327 scanner that works with a few cars, but been told it wil not read the citroens ecu, any idea which cheap end scanner can read the ecu.

 

Thanks

[paul.h]

I think diesels only had to comply from 2004 but I would have a look on the Gendan website and maybe contact the sellers. I got a Sealey PSA one from them but when reading live data it does this as OBDII so could be read by any reader.