Citroen despatch 1.9 diesel fuel issue?

[Philip1927]

I dont want to bore you with all the glory details but my son in law bought this 09 plate car for their business in April. Payed decent money from a dealer but they have had nothing but trouble since. So many things have been changed, been back and fore to the garage but this intermittent problem still persists.
It will run sweet as a not for several days then suddenly it will lose power when you are driving It eventually restarts but only after a struggle. This morning it was trying to turn after but coughed and sputtered until eventually it ran.
So many things have been changed including an injector, EGR, various sensors. All filters have been changed.
The feeling is that there is a fuel problem but it is so unpredictable. The garage has had diagnostics run but nothing it comes up with works.
They are in desperation as the van is vital for their business and cant afford a new one.
Please help.

[white exec]

Can you post the VIN, so we'll know exactly the equipment on the vehicle? Thanks.

[Doo]

Once had a car in with almost same exact issues. Turned out some doughnut had fitted large wheels & tyres which had rubbed on the filler pipe and wore it through, water would get in and cause all manner of stupid

Another, a Peugeot with a plastic fuel tank, had gone over rough ground and pushed the flat panel of the tank up so the pumps suction had held the panel tight against the sump area of tank making it almost impossible to suck any fuel through.

Another, a Jaguar XK8, would run fine then rough as a bag of nails. The fuel electric pump was worn and drawing heavy current which would create a strange lack of volts throughout the system. New pump fixed it.

So many causes and not always flagged up in the ECU.

[Philip1927]

As requested VIN
Think that 0 is a 0 not a O!


VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

Any help would be appreciated.

[admiral51]

That is not the correct vin as it would not be read able to me, it should start with a V .
Best way is to edit your post via the link to the top right of your post then it should end up being posted with a lot of ***************
If you look at my signature it shows how the should look once posted if that makes sense

Edit just tried it with your posted Vin and yes just replace the U for a V

[Philip1927]

Have edited the VIN
Look forward to replies.
Thankyou

[admiral51]

Make sure you subscribe to the topic, that way you will get notifications of any replies, just because you created it does not mean you subscribe to it

[Philip1927]

Just to bump this thread has anyone come up with anything with regard to my original post.
Ta

[kenbw2]

I know I had something similar once and it turned out to be the fuel pump. Try cracking the injectors (the big nuts on the metal pipes) and seeing if fuel comes out.

1.9D on an '09 pate though? I didn't think they ran that late.

[white exec]

The VIN produces this engine and fuel detail:

[van ordinaire]

I would eliminate contaminated fuel before replacing more parts, but before draining the tank, never mind removing it, when it won't start, try priming it.

[Philip1927]

Thanks for the reply.
What do you mean by priming it.
Do you mean giving it loads of throttle?

[Doo]

Thanks for the reply.
What do you mean by priming it.
Do you mean giving it loads of throttle?

No! He means.... Have you read my possibilities? There are many... But since you never acknowledged I will "still" offer some help.

Priming means using the (if fitted) hand pump (usually little black balloon shaped thing) to manually pump fuel from the tank to the injectors. First you need to crack at least one injector (this means to loosen the big nut on the end of the fuel delivery pipe at each injector) nut to allow the fuel to leak out, thus pumping out bubbles which can cause problems.

Once primed, the fuel should now have reached the injector and lessen the probability of non start issues.

But I "would" look at the possibility of various causes of your problem

[van ordinaire]

Yup, zactly so BUT it might be a big black rubber button (near the fuel filter) that you keep pressing until the resistance offered is difficult to overcome.

This worked for me when the C15 seemed to have run out of fuel when I knew it hadn't. Didn't have to touch the injectors, perhaps I was lucky, but I do see the logic of that; it would also release any water, as globules can look like air bubbles in a clear fuel line.

[white exec]

On this this tack, possible that there is air ingress into the fuel line/filter/injection pump.

Diesels suck fuel from the tank (there is no pump in the tank, just a pick-up/strainer and fuel-level sensor), so the whole fuel line susyem up to the injector pump is under suction. A leak likely not visible, because of this. Some leaks open up under heat, which can explain the engine dying after being driven. Air in fuel will also cause difficulty starting or restarting.

Try fitting (with sound joints) a length of transparent fuel pipe between the filter and the pump so that air in the fuel be seen.