Car stalling - fuel filter?
Discussion
Jaguar X-type 2007 diesel
Any thoughts on following problems?
- For last few months car has occasionally stalled at start-up (especially in morning when cold). Engine starts on then cuts off after 5-30 seconds. Starts again and then maybe same thing happens or if rev it a bit fine. Maybe happened once every few weeks not everyday.
- Very occasionally stalled at traffic lights/roundabout while idling. Starts fine straightaway and then no problem.
- Today more seriously stalled while driving at 60mph. First time this has happened while not idling/stationery so obviously a lot more serious concern. Stalled almost like running out of fuel.
There are no warning lights and no obvious funny sounds. Also performance and fuel economy seem fine and unchanged.
I am wondering if could just be fuel filter as hasn't been changed for some time I suspect. I looked at MAF sensor and that is not dirty. No funny sounds from fuel pump although perhaps that could be playing up?
Going to take to a garage and get fuel filter changed but any thoughts on what it might be? (or probably isn't) After a number of bad experiences I fear garage will say new EGR value or fuel pump or something else and hear is our bill for £500-1000.
Any thoughts on following problems?
- For last few months car has occasionally stalled at start-up (especially in morning when cold). Engine starts on then cuts off after 5-30 seconds. Starts again and then maybe same thing happens or if rev it a bit fine. Maybe happened once every few weeks not everyday.
- Very occasionally stalled at traffic lights/roundabout while idling. Starts fine straightaway and then no problem.
- Today more seriously stalled while driving at 60mph. First time this has happened while not idling/stationery so obviously a lot more serious concern. Stalled almost like running out of fuel.
There are no warning lights and no obvious funny sounds. Also performance and fuel economy seem fine and unchanged.
I am wondering if could just be fuel filter as hasn't been changed for some time I suspect. I looked at MAF sensor and that is not dirty. No funny sounds from fuel pump although perhaps that could be playing up?
Going to take to a garage and get fuel filter changed but any thoughts on what it might be? (or probably isn't) After a number of bad experiences I fear garage will say new EGR value or fuel pump or something else and hear is our bill for £500-1000.
Mignon said:
Other than this recent time at 60 mph do you think a partially blocked fuel filter will let enough fuel through in normal driving but cause problems at start up when hardly any fuel is flowing?
Well - cold starts and cold weather is when diesel is at its most waxy and thickest - so a partially blocked fuel filter will show up as poor cold starting and cutting out under full loadWell took it to garage for service including fuel filter change. Stalled once on the way. Put it on ramp and left it running and stalled few times at idle. Garage said they could run lots of checks and probably not fuel filter. I said lets change it and see. So far two days, several trips and 100 miles on and hasn't stalled once even early in the morning when cold. Fingers crossed it continues....
I talked to previous owner (bought the car 6 months ago) and he confessed fuel filter hadn't been changed for 4-5 years over which time at least 30k miles if not more.
I talked to previous owner (bought the car 6 months ago) and he confessed fuel filter hadn't been changed for 4-5 years over which time at least 30k miles if not more.
Well it's unusual symptoms for a fuel filter but hey, sometimes components don't follow the rules. Usually with a blocked filter the sediment sinks to the bottom overnight and it flows well enough again for a while to get the car started and running next day. Then the sediment gets spread back over the filter element as you drive and it blocks again, usually at higher load first. When the filter in my own diesel blocked it wouldn't go above a certain speed or rpm but it never caused a single issue at startup or idle. It put the check engine light on, constantly went into limp mode, MPG went down the toilet, it smoked like a chimney and failed MOT emissions but it always started on the button and it never actually cut out. I could always get to where I was going, just very slowly. I was convinced it was something catastrophic but MOT guy guessed filter and proved it with his code reader. Man, what a difference with a new filter in. Full power restored and no more smoke. I was a happy bunny.
Interesting completely different symptoms. I am no expert but just saw some websites describing signs of old filter and it seemed to tie-in. Maybe because it was so old. God knows how many miles it had done. The only other change to car really has been air filter which was fine and changing oil which admittedly which a bit low. Saying that could start stalling at any time and back to square one but so far so good.
philipi said:
God knows how many miles it had done.
God won't, but if your service history doesn't outline it, the government will: https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/Fill your plate in there and it'll throw up the history with miles. I think I did 10yrs and over 100k miles in one and never changed the filter, I only did it because someone told me I should, it was actually running fine. It only takes one fill up at a station with water or dirt in the tanks though and that can cause an issue along with other incidents of course.
227bhp said:
God won't, but if your service history doesn't outline it, the government will: https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/
Fill your plate in there and it'll throw up the history with miles. I think I did 10yrs and over 100k miles in one and never changed the filter, I only did it because someone told me I should, it was actually running fine. It only takes one fill up at a station with water or dirt in the tanks though and that can cause an issue along with other incidents of course.
I meant god knows how many miles the filter had done. That still doesn't help really as not sure when it was last changed. Fill your plate in there and it'll throw up the history with miles. I think I did 10yrs and over 100k miles in one and never changed the filter, I only did it because someone told me I should, it was actually running fine. It only takes one fill up at a station with water or dirt in the tanks though and that can cause an issue along with other incidents of course.
And Mignon you were right - not the fuel filter although overall that has helped. 5-6 days driving with no problems, perfect starting, no stalling and then sodding started again. Actually maybe even worse for stalls/rough idle after starting and still the odd one when slowing down at a junction etc.
No warning lights on still other than after stalling the glow plug light has been flashing (wasn't doing that before). I've hooked it up to OBD2 scanner and no codes although I am getting a red cross/incomplete mark by EGR system so perhaps that is the problem. I've hooked up the same scanner to my XC90 and get a green tick for EGR. I guess going to take it off and see if dirty as a first step.
No warning lights on still other than after stalling the glow plug light has been flashing (wasn't doing that before). I've hooked it up to OBD2 scanner and no codes although I am getting a red cross/incomplete mark by EGR system so perhaps that is the problem. I've hooked up the same scanner to my XC90 and get a green tick for EGR. I guess going to take it off and see if dirty as a first step.
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