306 Td Very Reluctant To Start

[buchanan84 1]

my mates got a 306 td, its rather used and abused (dont think it gets much in the way of a service) and he doesnt want to spend much on it

 

when its cold it takes a lot of turning over (about a minute) before it starts and when its warm its even worse

 

but if you squeeze the hand primer on top of the engine a few times, it starts almost 1st turn

 

i think it sounds like fuel pressure but havent got a clue where it might be losing pressure

 

any ideas???

 

cheers

[jim21070 2]

A common problem this and easy enough to sort. I guess he has a Bosch injection pump.

 

He has an air leak on the suction side of the injecton pump. This is most oftewn caused by one or more of the leakoff pipes (the little rubber ones diasy-chained from injector to injector and then back to the pump) being perished.

 

Other causes are a small pin-prick hole in the priming bulb, the pipes between the filter and the pump or a leak on the filter housing itself. It won't show by leaking diesel as it's under suction all the way and will draw air rather than leaking fuel.

 

Bits from Pug to resolve this are very cheap.

 

Hope this helps...

[buchanan84 1]

whats the best way to find the air leak???

 

dont want to just replace everything in sight

[jim21070 2]

TBH, it is the only way as the leaks can be very minute. I'd start with a new set of leakoff pipes. They don't have to be genuine Pug ones and for test purposes you can use windscreen washer hose although it's not recommended for long-term use although saying that, diesel does not badly attack it, it just makes it go hard.

 

Pop a new fuel filter in to eliminate the fuel filter O ring seal.

 

Then, I'd replace the priming bulb. Get one from any Pug or Cit dealer or from a scrappy.

 

Finally, replace the plastic/rubber piping from the filter to the injection pump, then the piping from filter to the priming bulb and finally from the priming bulb back to the supply pipe on the bulkhead. Tha is a metal one usually and does not give problems.

 

The last bit of pipe to fail is the rubber bit that joins the tank outlet to the metal fuel pipe under the car. If this is bad though, it usually drips.

 

You can tell as soon as you have found it by pumping the priming bulb until it goes hard and it should stay hard for some hours.

 

My bet is that you'll fix it with the leak-off pipes. If you are really unlucky it'll be a crack in the fuel filter housing.

[buchanan84 1]

cheers

 

might have a look tomorro

[adrian_gti 0]

cheers

 

might have a look tomorro

 

how did you get on fella? I'm having a similer problem with my STDT.

Adrian.

[buchanan84 1]

not had time for a proper investigation but the rubber hose between the fuel filter and the pump looks damaged

 

hopefully thats it, just need to find a bit of hose that fits

 

it's my mates car and he's in no rush, just primes it by hand every time before starting