Technical 1.9JTD difficult to start after cambelt change

[russwatkins]

I swapped the cambelt on my wifes GP Sporting 1.9JTD a few weeks ago. Bolted everything up and it started first time - no issues whatsoever.

Swapped the Fuel filter whilst I was at it as well. After a few days the wife mentioned a smell of diesel when driving. Sure enough, the fuel filter was leaking quite a bit from the sensor. Tightened it up and all was good.

The next day she mentioned that it was difficult to start. It goes nearly perfectly from cold. Take it for a run and the car pulls perfectly, if not better than ever! Once you stop the car however if you go back to it 10 minutes or later afterwards, it will not start or takes about 5 minutes to get going.

I have checked that I plugged everything back in, then plugged a code reader in - nothing. I was sure it was the crankshaft sensor however I have just finished swapping this and it hasn't made a difference. I am now at a loss.

The car still drives perfectly when you get it going. The only other thing I did was that I put the old fuel filter back on for a short while to make sure that the filter wasn't the issue.

Anyone any ideas?

 

[varesecrazy]

what are the fuel rail presssures..??

Charlie

 

[russwatkins]

Haven't checked them. How is that done? I take it I will see this info through my ecu diag software?

 

[russwatkins]

I hadn't seated the new crankshaft sensor correctly hence the fault getting worse.

Issue is still there though ie: hesitant startup.

My ECU software will not connect to the fuel rail pressure sensor for some reason - incompatibility.

I'm wondering what my next steps could be. Maybe I damaged the cam sensor when changing the belt.....

 

[judderbar]

I hadn't seated the new crankshaft sensor correctly hence the fault getting worse.

Issue is still there though ie: hesitant startup.

My ECU software will not connect to the fuel rail pressure sensor for some reason - incompatibility.

I'm wondering what my next steps could be. Maybe I damaged the cam sensor when changing the belt.....

Just to be clear here,

1. You changed the crankshaft sensor and you now think it is seated correctly.

2. Changing the sensor and seating it correctly made no difference to the problem

3. The car starts fine when cold and continues to run fine once started

4. When the car is left for 10 minutes or so it is very difficult to start.

5. >>Swapped the Fuel filter whilst I was at it as well. After a few days the >>wife mentioned a smell of diesel when driving. Sure enough, the fuel filter >>was leaking quite a bit from the sensor. Tightened it up and all was good.

>>The next day she mentioned that it was difficult to start.

When you first completed the cambelt job do you know if the car had a warm start problem after you finished that first job and before you found fuel leaking from a sensor?

6. What sensor was fuel leaking from?

7. After changing the crankshaft sensor you now think you have damaged the camshaft sensor when doing the cambelt?

 

[russwatkins]

1 to 5 - Correct.

6 - fuel was leaking from the water sensor at the base of the filter.

7 - I don't think I have damaged the cam sensor, just trying to work backwards and look at what may have caused the issue. There was no warm start issue before I swapped the cambelt.

 

[cmosfxx]

Check every temperature sensor when this is happening. Make sure values are normal.

Also, download multiecuscan. I think you can see fuel line pressure etc

 

[russwatkins]

hmmm.

So, took the cam cover off and air filter box etc. Cleaned the surfaces of the cam sensor. Checked for continuity between the connector and the wires at the sensor end and all ok.

Started the engine and it all seemed ok.

Put everything back together again, wouldn't start:bang::bang:

So.

Took the air filter box off and the diesel water sensor and the car seemed to start ok. Put back on and seemed to stop working.

Could this be the source of the issue? I'm also wondering if this is a red herring and I have a dodgy wire elsewhere......

 

[russwatkins]

Well, fault is still there.

Car started first time this morning. Left it running for a minute or two. Turned it off. Immediately restarted and it was fine.

Stopped the engine for about 5 minutes, went to restart and it wouldn't.

I've worked backwards and removed MAF first, then fuel sensor then air filter. Checked the battery which is 12.7v.

Unplugged the cam sensor and this made no difference, so I know it is not that now.

I'm lost! I'm going to run some diesel injector cleaner through and see if some crap got stuck when I swapped the filter. Failing this, I dunno!

 

[russwatkins]

Fixed! (fingers xx'd!)

A bottle of Lucas Injector cleaner looks to have done the trick.

When I refitted my old diesel fuel filter when I had the original leak from the sensor, it must have dislodged some crap which ended up in the injectors.

Put a bottle of Lucas Injector cleaner in the half tank of fuel. Set off in it to a large cloud of blue smoke, then perfect! Engine sounds a lot lot quieter with less clatter and so far has started perfectly every time.

 

[russwatkins]

Well, spoke too soon

Fault still the same.

I have found that the slightest spray of easistart (I know it is poison) and it fires straight up, then runs perfectly.


So, after many hours spent, here is where I am -

- Car will start perfectly from cold.

- Car runs perfectly once started and has no ecu fult codes.

- If I turn the engine off, it will start again immediately (with a slight hesitation).

- If I leave the car off for 10 minutes, it will not start again without a slight shot of easistart. It will then continue to run perfectly.


I am now starting to think fuel pressure is the problem. Unless anyone has any other ideas?

 

[russwatkins]

Anybody?!

 

[varesecrazy]

Anybody?!

the easistart does point to a fuelling issue..,

but no guarantee it's not a timing / sensor issue,

Charlie

 

[aurick86]

As it's been said:
-get multiecuscan
-check rail pressure ( pressure should be ok but sensor might not be)
-check the temps (air/coolant) for example.. if a sensor is gone.. the ECU will see a temperature of -35 degrees Celsius .. that might be of when teh car is cold..and might start ok.. but will cause problems when warm.