Clio 1.5 dci 65 Cold start issue / glow plug light

[Kpnuts]

Hello everyone, I'm hoping you might be able to help. My 2003 dci clio has stopped starting properly when it's been left for more than a few hours. The starter motor goes and goes but the engine never catches. it starts by bump or jump starting but it idles badly for a few mins before the glow plug light comes on and the revs pick up to 1,100 rpm (I assume this is the ECU realising something is wrong and increasing the revs to prevent it stalling). I also have the stop light, engine management light and glow plug light come on for a few secs under heavy acceleration - but no noticeable loss of power.

I've read a few threads on here with similar symptoms, so I've worked my way through the cheaper solutions! It's had a new battery, glow plugs, the fuel filter was changed a couple of months ago, took out the fuel sender pump and cleaned it, checked fuel lines for leaks, cleaned egr valve, swapped glow plug relay but no luck.

So it seems like maybe fuel pump or injectors. I took a sample fuel from the filter and took off the Venturi from the pump (as suggested in a previous thread) but couldn't see and metal particles. However, I have just carried out a leak back test and all four injectors seemed to pump out quite a bit of fuel compared to examples I've seen on YouTube. I'll try and upload he video ASAP but I'd guess it was about 30-40ml in the worst one and maybe 20-30ml in the best in a minute running at idle.

i just would like a bit of confirmation it is the injectors - in which case the pump has probably eaten itself as if it is this, I think it will be easier to get a new car unfortunately.

 

[Dan@SJM]

Get a new fuel filter and cut the old one open and see if there is any metallic filings. Failing that get it to someone with proper diagnostics equipment to read live data and see what the pump flow and pressure are.

 

[AlexW]

When you took the fuel pickup/sender out, did you notice any shiney bits in the bottom of the tank? Most likely something like this...

Also, where abouts are you, if you're local I'd happily plug it in for you.

 

[Kpnuts]

Here's the leak back vid: http://youtu.be/pWK-Gn-VDy8

I might try opening the filter next weekend, but I don't have a replacement at the moment so can't do it right away.

I filled up with diesel just before it got really bad, so the tank was near enough full when I took out the sender unit (yes it did get quite messy!) so I couldn't see anywhere near the bottom. There were 2 specs of silver in the mesh filter on the bottom of that. Thanks very much for the offer of a plug in but unfortunately I'm a bit far from you - in Warwickshire.