Hi there,
As you may have noticed from the rather long title, I require some help with a 'few' things that have gone wrong with my 306.
1. The heater blower is not working on any setting (1,2,3,4) though hot air does come through using the car's velocity to force air in. Fuses seem ok. Actually started a month after my stereo was nicked. I'm worried that a live wire may have caused some havoc... any ideas on finding the fault?
2. I've just serviced the car on the weekend (replacing the glow plugs, oil, oil/air filter). Now the car is idling erratically. Initially when starting the car it would barely stay above 600RPM (it should be nearer 1000RPM when started from cold) and then was stalling. Tried warming the engine by driving for 10mins. then bringing it to rest and same thing; it would hover around 600RPM then stall.
The temp. fix was to increase the idling which now means that when cold it hovers around 750-800RPM but when warm is around 1000-1100RPM! Any ideas? Do I need to replace the Fuel Filter?
I have serviced my old petrol engines but not diesels. Is there something I need to reset?
3. The coolant needs topping up every 2 weeks. I'm guessing it's a pipe leak, but someone said it looks like the cap is not sealed properly. Having looked inside the radiator cap there is no seal, though i dont think there ever was (unless the mechanic has removed it for some reason). Is it possible that water is just evaporataing?
4. When revving around 2000RPM, there is a humming noise around the engine/underneath the car (the wife says its like a 'hoover' noise) thats stays for abour 2 seconds. Anyone able to define this?
Thanks for any help which you can provide! (if anyone is selling a bog standard pug stereo let me know)
Cheers
D
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btw, i have spent around 30minutes sifting through the other posts but they do not entirely answer my problems.
cheers
D
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The coolant loss could be a faulty rad cap. If there is no rubber sealing ring on the cap at present, renew it as they are only about 4 quid.
The humming/hoover noise could be the engine cooling fans coming in as the temp rises at idle.
The low idle problem might not be as simple to fix. Are you sure you did not adjust the fuel pump setings when servicing it?
I have never had this problem before when i have serviced my 306 (same engine)the idle setting on the pump should not really need attention.It may be the fast idle wax stat that gives the engine its fast idle when starting from cold has gone.This is a fairly cheap part but quite fiddly to replace. It is just a thermostat type arrangement with a cable leading from it to the fuel injection pump which pulls the arm of the fuel pump across slightly when cold to inject more fuel.
The heater could well be an electrical fault caused by the stereo theft, or possibly the motor itself has gone or perhaps the resistors in the motor.
Something to get you started!
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Hi there.
Many Thanks for your replies.
1. Well the other heating parts seem to be working ok. In fact at first, the blower was working intermittently but then packed in completely. I'm hoping it is not the motor though I think I will have to run voltage tests across the wires to find out right? Then perhaps pick up some scrapped parts.
2. I am crossing my fingers hoping that the head gasket has not gone...there was a hint of oil in the water but I think the garage guy put something in the coolant to try stop the leak!
By pumping the hand primer, do you mean the rugby ball shaped device? I've wondered what that was for (should look up the Haynes manual more often I guess...).
It does sound like it is the fast idle wax judging from the problems, which are only when the engine is cold...but saying that it didn't improve that much after running it in for 10minutes. I'll take a look at it though. Is it visible to the eye or do I have to remove parts to access it?
I'm sure I did not modify fuel pump settings, but if I did, how would I check/change them?
3. Yep sounds like the neighbour was right! There is supposed to be a seal in the cap (I have no spring/seal). I'll give this a go and hope for the best. I don't suppose Halford's will do Pug specific parts so will have to find someone local (Pug parts can be a pain to find!)
4. I don't think the hummming is the fans as it is always at roughly the same amount of revs...Richard, there you go scaring me again with talk of the head gasket, though perhaps it could be that judging by what you have written!
Cheers
D
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D
1. This is probably the ignition switch burnt out - has the heated rear window stopped working as well? If so you need to put in a new ignition switch, or a relay to switch the power.
2. This sounds like an air leak into the fuel system, but not sure why this should suddenly have occured if you didn't touch the fuel filter or fuel system. Try pumping the hand primer and see if this helps. Could also be failure of the fast idle wax stat as mentioned. This runs from the thermostat housing to the injection pump, and should be tight when the engine is cold, and go slack when it's hot.
3. The rad cap should have a rubber seal at the bottom, and a spring, if not it will leak. Fit a new one first, then monitor the coolant level. Note that half way down the expansion tank may well be about right, and if you're filling it right to the top, then it's just pushing the excess out. However, on these engines, unexplained coolant loss if more often than not the head gasket.
4. Difficult to tell without hearing it! Could be the alternator, aux belt tensioner, or the cambelt tensioner or waterpump. Note if you're having head gasket troubles, air can sometime rush about the engine when you rev it, causing all sorts of odd whoosing noises.....
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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Hi again
I think I have wittled the humming noise down to being the exhaust. I wasn't sure if it was coming form the engine or the underneath of the car, but my other half pointed out that the noise was apparantly from the underside of the boot (whilst driving)
This could mean a hole in the exhaust then? But it only happens intermittently at certain revs, so not sure yet. Will have to get under there on Saturday.
Will also go to a scrap yard to pick up a new rad cap too; does anyone know of a decent scrap yard in South Beds.?
Cheers
D
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There is a cluster of scrap yards next to MFI in Redbourn Road, Hemel Hempstead, not far from the M1. It's not exactly South Beds, but not too far away, possibly?
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Thanks Chris, I know where Redbourn Road is.....will have to look up the MFI and go search for some parts.
nice one
D
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hi again...
having checked the exhaust with me, my mate says it could be the Diff making the 'humming' noise. I have no clue about the Diff (ok in fact i'd never heard of it)
Can anyone give me any pointers? He said it may be out of lube and would need checking/topping up...any pointers here or what else coudl be making that noise would be appreciated.
Cheers
D
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If it makes the noise stood still, and out of gear, you can rule out the diff. Anyway, as it's front wheel drive, the diff is integral with the gear box, so a lack of oil would make it very noisy, and difficult to engage gears. You really need to get someone who knows what they are doing to have a listen to it....
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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hi there,
perhaps i will need to get someone with know-how in:
fyi: the noise only occurs when the car is moving, usually around 1500-2500 rpms but also when then slowing down (gone when stationary - thus the exhaust was ruled out)
cheers
D
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hi again,
I've been trying to log back in since the weekend but I forgot the password (had to find the mail sent by HJ wit my pwd)
I've managed to sort out the idling problem. FYI: there is a manual stop lever near the idling screw which has a spring catch. This catch had come loose so that when the engine was vibrating, this would shake the stop lever and stall the car (same effect of manually pushing the lever). I have now put the lever back in place with the spring and all is ok! Glad I did not take it to the mechanic, who knows what they may have suggested (I don't mean to knock all mechanics but I have had/heard of bad experiences)
I managed to find out what was happening with the coolant leak. There is a slight crack near the top of the coolant 'bottle'. I just need to replace this. The cap seems ok (it has in fact got a spring and seal)
There are only 2 more things I need to get done:
1. find out what the humming noise is. I have a feeling that it may be something to do with the wheel. i've ruled out the exhaust (no holes, noise only at certain speed) and diff(noise is at the back, diff at front).
2. Fix the heater blower! I think either the motor or the resitor has gone. Have had a look at the Haynes which looks a bit daunting, especially if its the resistor.
Thanks for your help guys!
D
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hi again, I've been trying to log back in since the weekend but I forgot the password (had to find the mail sent by HJ wit my pwd)
Why didn't you just email the webmaster for it, as instructed on the log-in page?
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Steady on mate, no need to get ho-hum about it. No one's dissing the website ok?
Yes indeed I could have emailed the webmaster but I knew that I could obtain it from my inbox once I managed to get access to it (server was down). In the meantime I was guessing the password.
D
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no need to get ho-hum about it.
I wasn't. I was mearly offering a suggestion.
DD.
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Unless the thing is different from the last one I tried to fix, it is actually quite easy. Done from under the bonnet, and the Haynes is quite accurate. I say "tried" because swopping it for a known good one didn't work. Think there was a relay to try too,and of course a fuse. Checked the fan by putting 12v across it and it was OK. Decided it must be wiring or switch fault, but despite removing radio etc like Mr Haynes said, I couldn't get the switch out
Finished up putting an earth (fan permanently live at one terminal when ignition on) via a switch so I could at least have the thing on full bore.
4 weeks later had to do the same thing to my 309
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Thanks for that. I am going to give it a go over the x-mas break now I think. How do you attached the 12V across it? Is it just a case of finding a wire from the battery to run it (I assume it needs earthing then too?)
Thanks!
D
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To test the motor you need a 12V supply and earth. I took it off to do this, but you can test it in situ.
From memory, the 12v supply comes into the motor, and the earth is what passes through the resistor and switch etc.
I just checked which of the connectors had a supply and fitted my switch and earth to the other.
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Hi
Glad that the problems are being sorted.
Strongly reccommend changing fuel filter regularly and thoroughly clean out the bowl. I change fuel filter, oil filter and oil at 5000m intervals max on my 205 with similar engine
Good luck
Tim
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