P38A [RESOLVED!] P38 DSE non start - fuel issue

Datatek said:

I'm trying to reduce the problems, I have cornered 3 of them now so they will not cause trouble.

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It's not the P38s that are the problem in the most cases, it's people like Mr Kilmartin trying to repair the more complex parts of them from a knowledge base approaching zero that causes the most bother.

wammers said:

Don't know .

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What happened to me? I decided to leave the car alone and drown my sorrows in my local pub on a daily basis, whilst accepting the fact that I was destined to spend my days driving the Peugeot 206 as my Mrs has very kindly relieved me of my Boxster for the summer...

What actually happened is not far off the above - I've just been very busy with the business and having got another couple of cars to use it has been sat in the car park at home irritating my neighbours. However...

Yesterday, the legend that is brianp38dse popped over again with his box of tricks and general P38 Diesel knowledge, and we went through a few more tests. We tried spraying it with devils juice (easy start) which didn't really help. Didn't want to try too much in case it got addicted. We pulled the glows and bench tested them, all fine. Plugged in Rovacom and found a Water temp sensor was giving insufficient readings so replaced that and still wouldn't start. In the end by process of elimination we pulled out the replacement fuel stop solenoid and replaced it with a known good one and with half a turn of the key she roared into life, sounding just as agricultural as she always has!

So there we go, it was a failed fuel stop solenoid all along, the new part I got was either a duff part or perhaps was just not at it's best. Point being, we're back on the road! Took it out for about 60 miles on varying roads last night and have noticed a few issues but nothing too bad...

It doesn't like to start when it's cold but a few lights on the glows and it fires into life. When warm it starts completely fine - i assume this is something to do with the hot fix mod which I removed and probably re-installed badly... Also D doesn't seem to be any different from 3rd on the gearbox but I think it was doing this before... not driven it in a month so could be anything! I'll investigate that separately. The point being is that I drove to work this morning high above the traffic in comfort and with a decent stereo... something I've been missing a lot over the last month!

Have to say a massive, massive thank you to all of you on here and especially Brian and to Wammers who is clearly the fountain of all knowledge when it comes to these. Next time I'm up your way Wammers I would very much like to take you for a pint.

I would say after 12 pages this thread is now closed! Thanks again - and I'll be glad to help others out where I can.

Stop solenoid threw us a curved ball. But got there in the end. Well done Brian.

P38_OTMS said:

It doesn't like to start when it's cold but a few lights on the glows and it fires into life. When warm it starts completely fine - i assume this is something to do with the hot fix mod which I removed and probably re-installed badly...

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Suspect not all glow plugs working properly. Possibly leak off pipes, er, leaking.

P38_OTMS said:

Also D doesn't seem to be any different from 3rd on the gearbox

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Check fluid level and colour.

P38_OTMS said:

Have to say a massive, massive thank you to all of you on here and especially Brian and to Wammers who is clearly the fountain of all knowledge when it comes to these. Next time I'm up your way Wammers I would very much like to take you for a pint.

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I wouldn't wait. Scotch is favourite, I think. Best post a bottle now.

Well done @brianp38dse !

Grrrrrr said:

Suspect not all glow plugs working properly. Possibly leak off pipes, er, leaking.

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Tested all six plugs yesterday. They are all working fine, glowing red hot. Could well be the leak off pipes as they got pulled around alot when moving the manifold. I'll do some investigation tomorrow.

Grrrrrr said:

Check fluid level and colour.

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I'm hoping that's the case, I know it has been leaking from the cooler so hopefully just ran a bit too low. Thankfully I work with a major gearbox refurbishment centre and the car can take a free holiday for a rebuild if required - although it would be nice not to have the hassle.

Grrrrrr said:

I wouldn't wait. Scotch is favourite, I think. Best post a bottle now.

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Good man, me too. We'll have a wee dram then!

P38_OTMS said:

Good man, me too. We'll have a wee dram then!

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I meant for Wammers. I'm just watching the thread and chewing biscuits.

Congrats @P38_OTMS on getting to a fix! Always a good feeling.
Super blokes on here always willing to advise, help, dive in, to get a fellow LZ'er on the road again.

well we had a nice afternoon out in the sun and It was great when it burst in to life, it was such a relief as we had been through everything we could think of, and we checked and cleared all faults.

Grrrrrr said:

I meant for Wammers. I'm just watching the thread and chewing biscuits.

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JD is Wammers tipple.

wammers said:

Stop solenoid threw us a curved ball. But got there in the end. Well done Brian.

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See post #15. WHYTE & MACKAY lovely and only £16 a litre in Asda at the mo.

Or, to compliment the Kopi luwak, I choose a Paul-Emile Remy Martin Louis XIII (Louis Tres) (in Mathusalem size obvs - der) a very cheeky eau-de-vie....only £7,666 a litre.

There are more expensive Cognacs on the market like a Macallan M or the Isabella's Islay - but all your paying for is the decanter at £6.2 million a bottle!

Saint.V8 said:

Or, to compliment the Kopi luwak, I choose a Paul-Emile Remy Martin Louis XIII (Louis Tres) (in Mathusalem size obvs - der) a very cheeky eau-de-vie....only £7,666 a litre.

There are more expensive Cognacs on the market like a Macallan M or the Isabella's Islay - but all your paying for is the decanter at £6.2 million a bottle!

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Your overpayed down Souf.

P38_OTMS said:

I'm hoping that's the case, I know it has been leaking from the cooler so hopefully just ran a bit too low. Thankfully I work with a major gearbox refurbishment centre and the car can take a free holiday for a rebuild if required - although it would be nice not to have the hassle!

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So I feel like a bit of a tit, with this gearbox thing... driven up to Stanstead tonight to pick a mate up, found out why I wasn’t getting 4th... bloody sport mode was on!

Turned it off, and yay 4th gear! Being a short arse my preferred driving position actually obscured the dash display screen so I hadn’t noticed the little ‘S’ on the display.

So apart from slow cold start which I’m sure is something minor we seem to be back in action!

It wasn't me never touched it your honour
still worth checking oil level as we had the gearbox overheat on dash.

Yea it was a little on the low side, the gearbox oil cooler has a small leak and has been that way ever since I’ve had it. Topped it up with 1L earlier and seems to be a bit better but overheat warning is still there. Another one of the many jobs to sort out over the coming weeks.

I’ll address the cold start issue over the next few days, I suspect I’ve wired up the hot start box incorrectly as it starts first time when warm but not when cold.

Just done a 150 mile round trip and it’s been absolutely sublime. My mates have voted it the best car in my fleet as it’s like “driving on a sofa!”

P38_OTMS said:

Yea it was a little on the low side, the gearbox oil cooler has a small leak and has been that way ever since I’ve had it. Topped it up with 1L earlier and seems to be a bit better but overheat warning is still there. Another one of the many jobs to sort out over the coming weeks.

I’ll address the cold start issue over the next few days, I suspect I’ve wired up the hot start box incorrectly as it starts first time when warm but not when cold.

Just done a 150 mile round trip and it’s been absolutely sublime. My mates have voted it the best car in my fleet as it’s like “driving on a sofa!”

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You should not need the hot start when engine is cold, the normal glow circuit should be all you need. The only thing the hot start does is tell the ECU that the engine is cold, so that the ECU sets cold start fuel and puts the glows on, which they otherwise would not be. Think you may have a few glow plugs not working as mentioned earlier.

Glow plugs were bench tested and all six work just fine. Perhaps something electrical between the relay and the plugs but the plugs themselves are all fine.

I have just thought though... the wiring on the hot start is a bit dodgy and the temp sensor wire is loose - probably got something to do with it...

P38_OTMS said:

Glow plugs were bench tested and all six work just fine. Perhaps something electrical between the relay and the plugs but the plugs themselves are all fine

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What voltage did you test them with? If it was 12 volts, it's not representative as they get not much more than 10 volts in situe and some cheap glow plugs just do not heat up enough to be effective.