Non starter

rls106

rls106

Joined
Dec 22, 2021
Posts
66
Likes collected
53
Location
Gillingham, UK
Funster No
85,946
MH
Peugeot Boxer 2.5 d
Exp
Since 2009
Hi, hope somebody can help. I have a 1996 Peugeot Boxer 2.5 diesel (non turbo) Compass Motorhome. I used throughout Summer and occasionally had problems starting vehicle. It eventually started apart from once when I jumped it using my car and jump leads. I put into storage in September and went to start it today. She turned over but wouldn’t start. I tried jump starting again but although close wouldn’t start. I took battery out of van and measured voltage at 12.86v so I presume battery ok.
any ideas as to what my problem could be?
 
Try turning the heater plugs on, wait until light goes out and quickly repeat before trying to turn engine over. Could be the cold as suggested above. Welcome to fun!
 
When did you last change the fuel filter? Sounds like starvation?

Diesel esp older ones like yours need fuel and a squeeze!

Find a diesel specialist.

Cheers James

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GeoffnDee said:
I would suspect that the cold start glow plugs or their timer relay are not working as required for cold engine starting.
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Thasks for reply. Sounds complicated I think I need to get a mechanic out.
irnbru said:
Try turning the heater plugs on, wait until light goes out and quickly repeat before trying to turn engine over. Could be the cold as suggested above. Welcome to fun!
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hi, tried that but made no difference.
 
You need to describe the scenario better. When you say not starting was engine spinning over but nothing else, or not spinning over? Did you get glow plug light? Any smoke / coughs / smells from exhaust?
 
Jamesh said:
When did you last change the fuel filter? Sounds like starvation?

Diesel esp older ones like yours need fuel and a squeeze!

Find a diesel specialist.

Cheers James
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I’ve never charged the filter. I’ve had van for two years. I think I need to get it looked at.
 
Are you not in AA, RAC etc? might be cheaper to try that route first.
 
I recently went looking at older motorhomes around that era with a friend and most have a choke cold start thing to pull out. Maybe thats not out.:unsure:

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Landy Andy said:
You need to describe the scenario better. When you say not starting was engine spinning over but nothing else, or not spinning over? Did you get glow plug light? Any smoke / coughs / smells from exhaust?
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Hiya, engine turns over and glow light came on and when it went out I turned key. Smoke came out of the exhaust each time I turned key. Not aware of any smells.
initially I thought battery low as turned over very slowly. I put it on jump leads to my car and it turned over faster but not sufficient to run. The battery voltage was 12.86V.
 
irnbru said:
I recently went looking at older motorhomes around that era with a friend and most have a choke cold start thing to pull out. Maybe thats not out.:unsure:
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There’s no choke on this one.
 
Just a thought, but please check your grounds on the engine, can course slow cranking, probably be a braided strap on the gearbox to the chassis.
 
Hi given that you had problems starting in summer it may be glow plugs or injectors, You said it nearly started so perhaps try a friend with a big battery fully charged. If you get it started try using Redex Diesel to help clear your injectors. Your battery voltage sounds fine so more likely an injector problem.

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rls106 said:
Good idea , thanks.
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The RAC/AA person should be able to confirm if power is getting to the glow plugs when the cold start light is on and possibly check if they are getting hot, as they should when the light is showing. If power is getting to them for the period the light is on but they are not working (getting hot) they may need replacing.
If power is not getting to the glow plugs when the cold start light is on it could be a faulty glow plug timer relay or faulty wiring to the glow plugs.
 
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It's the amps that are as important as the voltage, you need to carry out a load test on the battery, you could connect the multimeter to the battery whilst cranking and keep an eye on the voltage, from what you've described it sound like a battery fault.
If you want it testing properly take it to a battery supplier and they can drop test it
 
If you are getting smoke as it turns over, presumably at a reasonable speed, then its getting fuel. Suspect the cold start heaters are not working properly- you might have more luck tomorrow as the weather should be warmer! The oil wil be a little less thick and the battery should be happier especially if its been on charge overnight. Dont forget to dip the clutch when cranking.
Let us know how you get on
Mike
 
Sluggish starter operation is normally due to low voltage at the starter. A good auto electrician would quickly identify the problem. Possible causes: poor battery, poor battery connections, poor connections at the starter, poor engine/battery earths. All quick and easy to identify.
Your engine needs to be turning over quickly to get it to start, especially as it has not been running for some four months.

Geoff

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.another aid to help take a little load off the battery when its cold and oils are thick is to depress the clutch prior to starting, it takes the weight of the gearbox shafts in cold oil. might just give you that extra bit of oomph!

its an old habit of mine and do it every time no matter what .
 
How about some easy start in the air intake?
 
Earth straps from battery and engine block to wing. Original are rubbish.
 
next time you jump start it put the earth lead direct to the engine block and as mention easy start
 
Further to my previous post. Now while the engine is reluctant to turn over quickly is the perfect time to diagnose the problem. Any poor connections, cables, battery etc will be under maximum load. After you eventually get it running it will be nowhere near as easy to replicate the fault.

Geoff

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I went through loads of mechanics who couldn't solve a similar issue with mine.

Wildbill finally tracked it down to a leaky injector. It was returning fuel straight back to the tank around the seal. Meant there wasn't enough pressure in the manifold. new injector and it started on the turn.
 
So happy that you have sorted the problem.
 
rls106 said:
There’s no choke on this one.
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It's not a choke, if you have one it looks like a choke but retards the injector pump but, if you haven't changed the fuel filter for 2yrs, that and the air filter is a good place to start+ earth one of you jump lead between the neg side of your battery and the chassis in case a poor earth isn't helping things. Good luck!

EDIT: have I just read that you have solved your problem?
 
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Don't think so....

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