I am an idiot.
Discussion
This is just a bit of a vent, really, though I am a little bit stumped.
At this point in time, I should be getting a bit of a nap, half way back to the UK for Christmas.
But, the car wouldn't start.
The battery seemed ok so I'd assume its because its a diesel and I'd not filled up in ages, so it probably doesn't contain anywhere near enough of the anti-goop chemicals they pump into it over winter. I'd thought about it, but then when driving it around in -15 the other week, thought "oh, its ok then". Then it went below -20 for a couple of days and now warmed up to -5, so it should be fine, except for some reason it isn't. I got some booster-y, chuck in the tank stuff earlier, didn't help. Went into town and bought a battery charger, put it on charge for a while on the off chance the glow plugs needed more juice than the starter (it was turning over fine), didn't help even with some of the spray-down-the-intake stuff for good measure. Its now on charge properly just in case I didn't quite charge it enough.
And even if when I give it one more try in the morning, it goes - its now too late to get back without some kind of non-stop 20-hour drive.
So I just spent £180 buying the cheapest flight back to Heathrow, then I'll need to spend the 2 weeks I'e got free flying back out here, getting it fixed somehow, driving it back and then flying back here again. I'd been thinking of spending that time going skiing
Because I am an idiot.
(Does it sound like the diesels turned to goop, dead glow plugs (though the dash light comes on & off ok) or has the car just decided to commit suicide for some reason? I checked the header tank wasn't frozen up & it has plenty of antifreeze in there according to the dilution amounts on the bottle so I wouldn't expect that.)
At this point in time, I should be getting a bit of a nap, half way back to the UK for Christmas.
But, the car wouldn't start.
The battery seemed ok so I'd assume its because its a diesel and I'd not filled up in ages, so it probably doesn't contain anywhere near enough of the anti-goop chemicals they pump into it over winter. I'd thought about it, but then when driving it around in -15 the other week, thought "oh, its ok then". Then it went below -20 for a couple of days and now warmed up to -5, so it should be fine, except for some reason it isn't. I got some booster-y, chuck in the tank stuff earlier, didn't help. Went into town and bought a battery charger, put it on charge for a while on the off chance the glow plugs needed more juice than the starter (it was turning over fine), didn't help even with some of the spray-down-the-intake stuff for good measure. Its now on charge properly just in case I didn't quite charge it enough.
And even if when I give it one more try in the morning, it goes - its now too late to get back without some kind of non-stop 20-hour drive.
So I just spent £180 buying the cheapest flight back to Heathrow, then I'll need to spend the 2 weeks I'e got free flying back out here, getting it fixed somehow, driving it back and then flying back here again. I'd been thinking of spending that time going skiing
Because I am an idiot.
(Does it sound like the diesels turned to goop, dead glow plugs (though the dash light comes on & off ok) or has the car just decided to commit suicide for some reason? I checked the header tank wasn't frozen up & it has plenty of antifreeze in there according to the dilution amounts on the bottle so I wouldn't expect that.)
I know these are obvious questions,however, are you allowing the car to heat up, e.g if it has glowies(assuming the saxo?), are you turning the key on to the electric power bitty, and waiting for the yellow light to go off? (If it has a button which can be held down to heat up the engine, try holding it for longer than usual just to be sure you have enough heat)
If not, get a jump from another vehicle, preferably large and diesel, this may zap it into life.
Have you checked the Oil?
As at work various customers have brought in vehicles with no oil, and they'll often just turn the starter over until the battery goes flat.
Do you have any fuel in the vehicle? As no fuel means no ignition.
If yes to all, then i'm stumped and somebody more intelligent than me can help.
Good Luck
P.S. If i'm sounding grumpy i'm just home from work, cold, and tipsy,and there have been many dead cars today
ETA: refer to P.S and have a guess
If not, get a jump from another vehicle, preferably large and diesel, this may zap it into life.
Have you checked the Oil?
As at work various customers have brought in vehicles with no oil, and they'll often just turn the starter over until the battery goes flat.
Do you have any fuel in the vehicle? As no fuel means no ignition.
If yes to all, then i'm stumped and somebody more intelligent than me can help.
Good Luck
P.S. If i'm sounding grumpy i'm just home from work, cold, and tipsy,and there have been many dead cars today
ETA: refer to P.S and have a guess
Glow plugs definitely working, you can hear the relay click on and off? Bleed the system up, I'm guessing they have a hand pump somewhere near the fuel filter.
I know it sounds obvious but if it was working when you parked it and now it's not even catching and trying to start, it's either fuel or ignition. It's only when they are running dodgy, smoking and cutting out it gets technical
I know it sounds obvious but if it was working when you parked it and now it's not even catching and trying to start, it's either fuel or ignition. It's only when they are running dodgy, smoking and cutting out it gets technical
If it is turning over and not starting, it is possibly the glow plugs are not getting juice. Check fuse. See if the relay is swappable with another one in the fusebox. Usually is. Otherwise put ignition on until glow plug light goes out, try to start, do a few times without cranking, then crank. See if that works.
Finally got it going - fully charged battery, turned the ignition on a few times to try and get the most of the glowplugs before trying to start it, half a can of starting spray and squeezing the fuel primer and just as I was about to give up, it caught.
Then spent hours digging it out of the snow. Finally ready to drive to the airport, where I've made sure they have multistoreys to keep it nice and warm!
Then spent hours digging it out of the snow. Finally ready to drive to the airport, where I've made sure they have multistoreys to keep it nice and warm!
Merry ChristmasMy dad's been reporting 2 or 3 attempts to start his 1996 diesel Citroen so first thing I check is supply to the glow plugs (which are a year old). It was interesting to note the glow plug light goes out after about 5 seconds, but the actual plugs have supply to them for nearer 20 seconds. Now I've told him to count to 10 and ignore the light, it starts effortlessly.
Might be useful info for some!
Might be useful info for some!
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