peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 - peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 won't start help please

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Wed 1 Aug 2012 18:36
peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 - peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 won't start help please - hazzavan

hi folks

was looking for some advice iv had a good look about but nothing reseambles my problem .

my van was running with no problems atall today my partner took the van out at 7am to go to work it started and ran fine when she got home and parked up about 3 hours later i went to go out and it refuses to start there was no warning lights or anything ?

it trys to start start the glow plug light goes off as normal after a few seconds

i get some white smoke from the exhaust when i try to start it , it constant turns over but not willing to start the battery if full of power and i assume the glow plugs are fine with getting white smoke

the fuel pump is pumpin the fuel and primer is sending the fuel through the lines ? does anyone have any advice that i could check out or know what i would be asking a garage to do

thanks in advicde for any info :)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Aug 2012 20:35
peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 - peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 won't start help please - Peter.N.

If you have smoke from the exhaust then as you say fuel is going in. there are only three things that can prevent it from starting, firstly the timing being out - how long since it had a cambelt? second low compression but that's unlikely to ocur suddenly, thirdly and most likely the glow plugs are not working.

Connect a meter to any glow plug, turn the key to the glow plug position and check the voltage, you should have about 10-11 volts for about 30 seconds, if you have nothing the glow plug relay or the feed to it has failed, if you have a full 12 volts or anything near it, some or all of the glow plugs have failed.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Aug 2012 20:54
peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 - peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 won't start help please - hazzavan

great thanks for the advice i just hooked up a multi meter and it was reading 11.96 on the 1st plug from the left and it was floating around 11,98 and 12.13 or there about on the 4th plug so would you suggest new glow plugs ? thanks or your advice

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Aug 2012 20:56
peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 - peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 won't start help please - hazzavan

forgot to say iv had the van over a year and not done the cambelt etc so not really sure when but there was no sign that anything was going to happen ? thanks agan

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Aug 2012 21:33
peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 - peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 won't start help please - gordonbennet

As above could well be glow plugs, and from the sounds of it you do have power going to them.

A good test i have used previously is to check the current each glow plug is taking in situ (or on the bench), i used to keep a good old Lucas dashboard ammeter from a scrap car lent to someone i can't remember who and never returned), was ideal for this purpose but any good ammeter capable of handling up to say 30 amps will do.

The important first thing is to disconnect the link wire for each glow plug (otherwise you will probably fry the ammeter.;), then using a temporary connection simply connect a live feed through the ammeter to each glow plug connector in turn.

From memory a good plug takes about 20 amps, so by going through them one by one you should soon find which ones are down, probably at least 3 by the sounds of it, seeing as it won't start this weather.

Course it might not be the plugs.

Edited by gordonbennet on 01/08/2012 at 21:34

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Aug 2012 23:05
peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 - peugeot expert 1.9d 2001 won't start help please - hazzavan

thanks guys i had a few spar glow plugs kickin about so i tryed them and it fired up no problem so hopefully thats it fixed thanks for your advice this is my first desle iv had and you guys saved me alot of hassle with fault finding thanks again

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

From economical vans to those that have the largest payloads, we have a shortlist for everyone - click to find out which will suit your needs.

Undecided on which van to buy? Our Top 10 shortlists can help...

If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?