Expert van turning over. But, not starting

[Mel B]

Peugeot Expert - 2008 - 1997ccm 120HP 88KW (Diesel)

Last week a friend of mine replaced the wiper motor for me (he didn't dis-connect the battery).
The van ran for approx 10 minutes afterwards and then died. It has not run properly since.
It was turning over like a good un. But, wouldn't fire. As the remote was not working, I changed the battery. No change.
I followed the procedure on here to reboot the BSI. No luck.

Last Friday: A mobile mechanic came out. He said it was the key transponder that was faulty.
It was firing on easy start.

Tuesday: A mobile auto locksmith came out, cut a new key and programmed it in.
After priming the filter it ran, however if I stopped it, I had to re-prime to get it going again.
I detached and cleaned the connections to the fuel filter and when I pumped the the hand primer good clean fuel was coming out.
The van then seemed to be starting and running normally. However, I didn't test drive it.
The following day, I took it for a pre-booked MOT. I travelled 1/2 a mile and the engine died, not suddenly, but lost power, as if it had run out of fuel.

The RAC came out and he couldn't get it going despite trying hard.
He said that there were no faults showing on his computer.

Wednesday: Three other (yes, 3) mobile mechanics arrived together and all pooled their knowledge. The van has a good battery and fired on easy start. But, would not run!
Their combined conclusion was that it was the new key (I only have the one) that was faulty.

I spoke to the key man yesterday and he was quite off hand and told me "it is no way the key, I've done loads of them. Mechanics always blame the key when they can't fix it".

I tried the BSI reboot 3 times today and it is still spinning over fast but not starting. So, I cant even get it to Peugeot.

HELP!

[wheeler]

Mechanics always blame the key when they can't fix it".

I tried the BSI reboot 3 times today and it is still spinning over fast but not starting.

I've heard that one a few times when they cant get to the bottom of a fault.
Is should be quite simple with decent diagnostics to rule out a key/transponder fault. By the sounds of it id say it sounds unlikely to be the key too.
A faulty key will not cause the engine to cut out whilst it is running, if you snapped the head of the key & threw it out the window whilst the engine was running the engine would not stop.
Id start by working backwards from the wiper motor replacement. Has something not been put back right??

[Mel B]

Thanks for your reply.
What you say makes sense. I will look around in the area that was worked on.
Would it be OK to disconnect the wiper motor plug without disconnecting the battery?

[wheeler]

I would never bother to disconnect the battery doing something like that.

[Mel B]

Great Thanks!

[Mel B]

UPDATE:
I engaged an auto electrician on Tuesday. Who said there was no electrical faults and that the transponder was working and communicating fine.
I decided to have a look myself and when I tried to bleed the filter there was a hissing noise from the fuel line and lots of air and hardly any fuel coming through.
I put a piece of rubber hose straight to filter and into a bucket of fuel and the engine ran without much of struggle.
I replaced the hose back to the bulkhead, but it is still drawing air in. So, I think that a whole new fuel line is needed.
I am not a mechanic. But, know the principles. Plus I've had 7 professionals look at it so far!

[GiveMeABreak]

A bit late, but I'd also suggest you have a fuel delivery issue and nothing to do with the immobiliser (or it would never start if that was not working) and likewise as Wheeler says, won't be anything to do with the key. It'll be either something they've done, knocked or upset when replacing the wiper motor, or just a coincidence and you have another fuel delivery issue.

[Hell Razor5543]

I wonder if there is a fuel cut-off switch, and this got knocked when the motor was replaced? If the knock was hard enough the switch would react in the same way as it would in an accident, stopping the fuel getting into the engine bay.

[wheeler]

No inertia switch on a mk3

[Mel B]

FIXED: As suggested above, I continued my trace along the fuel line to find evidence of chaffing and a tiny hole 2" after the bend at the bulkhead.
£300.00, 6 mobile mechanics, a mobile locksmith + an RAC man, and I end up fixing it myself, with the help and guidance of you guys!

Thanks!

[Hell Razor5543]

Well done, both on your "Percywotsits" (as Citronut would have said) and on finding the fault.