207 1.6 HDi Won't Start

[DHallworth]

Evening Gents,

I managed to get the 207 back together this afternoon.

I've recut the injector seats, replaced the copper washers, the black seals at the top and the white injector protector that sits right at the top of the cylinder. I've primed the fuel system using the bulb on the top of the engine and have checked that there's definitely diesel at the injectors.

When trying to start the car it just turns over, it's turning over very quickly almost as if there's no compression. What's puzzling me is there's no chuffing coming from around the injectors when the car is cranking. I've sprayed WD40 around them to see if there's any bubbling around the injectors when cranking and there's nothing visible.

I've read a few things on the internet saying tow it and it'll start and Paul has said the same thing but I can't get my head around it.

David.

[Hell Razor5543]

Has it got hydraulic lifters (whatever they are!)? If so, this may be why it needs a tow start (going by what I have read on the forum).

[GiveMeABreak]

Have you primed it David?
Under the engine cover there should be a priming bulb and a transparent tube.

• Squeeze and release the repriming pump until fuel appears in the transparent pipe with the green connector.
• Operate the starter until the engine starts.

I've assumed as you've been working on the fuel system that it may need priming.

[DHallworth]

I have done, Marc. There's definitely diesel at the injectors. It just sounds flat like there's not enough compression there. It's really odd!

David.

[xantia_v6]

Has it got hydraulic lifters (whatever they are!)? If so, this may be why it needs a tow start (going by what I have read on the forum).

See viewtopic.php?f=3&t=40166&p=452386#p452043

If you have turned the engine over by hand, it may have squeezed the oil out of all the lifters.

[DHallworth]

It's been sat for 2 weeks but hasn't been turned over until today when I did it with the key.

David.

[DHallworth]

Well, I got fed up looking at it tonight after reading loads of threads on various forums for cars fitted with the DV6 engine. There are a lot of reports of the car not starting after having had the injectors removed.

Last night I tried priming the bulb a load more and it still wouldn't go, I then tried putting an extra battery on it with jump leads, that made no difference either - not even a splutter or anything. As it was late when I started mucking around last night I gave up.

Tonight, I pushed it straight round to the front of the house, aimed it down the road, got up to about 10mph and lifted the clutch with it in 2nd gear. The car started instantly and was idling perfectly. I drove down the road a couple of hundred yards, came back and had a look around the injectors, there doesn't seem to be any chuffing or funny noises.

Will give everything one more check over in daylight and then we should be good to go!

David.

[DHallworth]

This thread still puzzles me as I cannot see any reason the car wouldn't start. It's not once hiccup'd since it was bump started and it seems to be running really well since.

Need to do a rear wheel bearing at some point as there's a feint rumble from it but other then that it seems a sorted little car.

David.

[Peter.N.]

Certainly sounds as though there was insufficient compression due to no oil in the hydraulic tappets or maybe just drain down from the pistons, unusual but not impossible. A squirt of Easy Start will usually make it go if there is any compression at all.

Peter

[white exec]

A really odd fault this - lifters with insufficient oil to operate.
Wonder how long one of these engines can be left to sit before this becomes a problem, even if no work has been carried out on it?
David's two weeks doesn't sound very long. Could this happen with a car left at an airport, for example?

Just wondered if the non-start could be electrical: voltage dropping when starter motor is used, but an instant start available when bump-started. But then there's David's report of 'no compression'. Can a valve really be open if a hydraulic tappet doesn't lift??

[Peter.N.]

It was the 'turning over quickly' that made me think there was low compression Chris, broken cambelt effect! though obviously not.

Peter