Help! Our Ducato won't start after radio change!

[FrenchDucato]

Hello all,
I'm wondering if any of you guys have experienced a similar problem or have any ideas:
We've recently bought a 2012 Ducato to convert for this summer around France. It was working fine, MOT fine, nothing came up at recent garage check either.
We added a reversing camera and were in the process of changing the old radio for a new box with screen and GPS to link to the camera.

Unfortunately, yesterday we wanted to move the van and although it turned over when we turned it on, it cut out 10 seconds later.

Our first thought was that we must have discharged the battery slightly, by leaving the new radio plugged into the wrong cable (always on).
But we borrowed a charger and left it on until it said the battery was fully charged. (12.8V)
This morning it did indeed turnover for slightly longer before cutting out, but it still won't start up properly.

We've gone over all the fuses which can be tested easily, no problems there. No messages or symbols on the dashboard either.

We're thinking we may have dislodged an earth cable while cabling the camera. Or could there be an issue with the can-bus after taking out the radio?

The only other thing we are unable to identify is this loose cable in the picture below above the accelerator which we hadn't noticed before:

Thanks for your time and trouble and any help you can provide!
French Ducato

 

[FrenchDucato]

If it helps, here is the sound it makes on starting up:

 

[mitzimad]

Sounds more like fuel starvation to start and then cut out

 

[mitzimad]

See if it keeps running by putting easy start into the air cleaner inlet if it runs longer it's a fuel supply problem

 

[FrenchDucato]

Thanks for the quick reply, can't try that before tomorrow now, but I'll give it a go.

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[pappajohn]

You say it turns over..... Do you mean it cranks for a few seconds then nothing or it starts and runs for a few seconds then cuts out.???
Big difference in diagnosing problems.

EDIT......
Just listened to your audio link.
Fuel starvation..... Possibly no power to high pressure fuel pump or fuel filter cracked (common problem)/leaking.
Blown fuse maybe

 

[eurajohn]

Ducato high pressure pump is mechanically driven surely.

 

[pappajohn]

Ducato high pressure pump is mechanically driven surely.

Only on a non ecu engine.
Like petrol engines.... Fuel pump feeds common rail injectors

 

[Podney]

Check the battery first. If it’s low on power you’ve got a drain. If it’s ok you’ve probably got a fuel delivery problem.

 

[Wack]

It could be a coincidence if you've not started it for a few days though it does sound like fuel if it starts

Might be worth having a look around the NS headlight , I got this from a breakdown guy

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[Stanbrook]

Check the relays under the bonnet, in the right hand side fuse box. Relay failing that controls the lift pump in the tank will prevent starting.

 

[GeoffnDee]

Is it possible that the fuel cut off inertia switch has been tripped , on my Peugeot Boxer it is in the passenger side footwell on the left side.

 

[FrenchDucato]

Thanks everybody.

We had already checked all the fuses inside the cab.
Following the feedback from Pappajohn we checked the F21 "Fuel pump" fuse under the bonnet and that was fine too.

We also checked the fuel cut off inertia switch. It didn't seem tripped and we can't push it in anymore. It still doesn't start properly.

Not too confident about checking the relays as never done that before. Any hints Stanbrook?

We can't check the N/S headlight tonight - too dark. We'll try in the morning. However the padlock symbol doesn't light up on the dashboard.

I'm sending my photo again. I've circled in red a loose clip/cable. Can anybody identify please? Should it be connected to anything? Is it an earth wire or maybe just a clip to hold it up?

Thanks again,
Have a nice evening

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

Only on a non ecu engine.
Like petrol engines.... Fuel pump feeds common rail injectors

The electric pump feeds the mechanical pump which then goes into the common rail for the injectors. Electric pumps cannot make the 400+bar required for the injectors to work

 

[eurajohn]

Only on a non ecu engine.
Like petrol engines.... Fuel pump feeds common rail injectors

The electrical low pressure pump in the tank initially feeds fuel to the high pressure pump, which is driven by the cam belt on the JTD engine.

I was not referring to the mechanical pump on the pre common rail engines of before 2001.

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[mitzimad]

Will it run on easy start ?first thing most breakdown guys do if there's no obvious cause like its run out of fuel

 

[steveh57]

Look I don't know, but I don't like to see an unconnected cable. Is the cabling to the accelerator position sensor correct?

 

[Spanner]

Look I don't know, but I don't like to see an unconnected cable. Is the cabling to the accelerator position sensor correct?

The black plastic covered clip is only there to support the wiring loom, if you look carefully you’ll see where the teeth of the clip were fastened to

 

[FrenchDucato]

Hello!
Great news (I think!) - following Mitzimad's advice, we bought the Easy Start (which is called 'Start Pilote' here in France if anyone ever needs any), and the Ducato started up this evening and ran for about 10 minutes, before we turned it off to avoid annoying all the neighbours!

The man in Norauto (French equivalent of Halfords) was convinced that it would probably not work, but it did!

So the question now is, will it start normally again tomorrow? Please keep your fingers crossed!

I also followed Wack's advice and took off both headlights (as on our left-hand drive, the thing which I suppose to be the multiplug was on the driver's side!) and checked if anything moved or looked in bad shape, but all seemed well.

Had a good look around under the bonnet, looking for the ECU cables too (from Wack's advice too), but cables seemed ok.

I did find something which moved a little, which I have now identified as the EGR valve cable (I think - on photo red and black plug - the black part moved slightly), so I pushed it on harder.

I haven't ventured into the relays yet as didn't really know how to identify and test them. (there is no relay diagram in the handbook, only the fuses!)

So for now I'm crossing my fingers that it'll start up as usual tomorrow, but maybe that's too optimistic of me?
I've ordered a cheap ELM 327 bluetooth dongle to see if it comes up with any error messages, but it hasn't arrived yet.

In any case, thanks for everyone's help and ideas. I'll let you know how we get on.

PS. I also found a black and blue pin socket behind the radio, similar to but smaller than the bluetooth one, which seems not to have anything obvious that it should be fitted to (2nd photo here if you have any ideas?)

 

[Jev88]

Probably not relevant on a newer than mine van but I had a dodgy earth lead from battery to chassis or gearbox to chassis (don't know which one as changed both to be sure). The engine would start and run and then either stall or cough badly. The vibrations from the engine were just enough to break the earth link. P.s. the crap Fiat/Pug earth leads looked ok but clearly were rubbish as replacement cured my problems.

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[Podney]

Well done. Wack !

 

[jockaneezer]

Looks like the radio might have been a hareng rouge then ?
If it doesn't start tomorrow, you might have a small leak or split in your fuel delivery pipe or filter housing which lets air in and allows the fuel to drain back to tank ? I had it once on a car that had a rubber priming bulb in the fuel line which had perished slightly, once running, it would run fine but refuse to start after any prolonged stops.

 

[mitzimad]

What jock said if it doesn't start without it tommorow you need to look at the filter or pipework for leakat least you can rule out the radio now