You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Peugeot Boxer 2.2 here. Been parked up since July. Brought back to life with a Ctek battery charger.
I'm trying to find the motivation to carry on with the latest van project so last night I spent £100 on a tank of diesel, put a full bottle of injector cleaner in and went for a drive. I did around 40 miles in about in hour of mixed driving. It ran like a dream, no issues at all. I came home ready to crack on with the project and use it all summer.
This morning, I get all organised, ready to fit my side windows. I've got drills, jigsaws, extensions and everything all over the place. Then I tried to move the van into position and it wouldn't bloody start.
Battery seems strong. It was cranking and firing up then dying. Like running for a few seconds and cutting out. Any ideas why it wouldn't just go, when it sounds like it's ready to run?
I've got a bluetooth OBD scanner thing but it's 130 miles away in the wife's car.
(This can be considered a stealth ad if you want it to be. Someone put me out of my misery)
Just a simple things first as it is cold. Are you allowing the glow plugs to heat up? I only ask as sister in law was having problems in cold weather and I watched as she didn't let the heater plugs do their jobs.
Otherwise it's fuel problem or maybe crank sensor error causing difficulties for the ECU and timing the injectors
Sounds like an immobiliser cutting the fuel after firing.
I've got the battery conditioner back on so I'll try again in a few hours.
I can't handle the emotional rollercoaster. I had a total change of heart yesterday, ready to reembrace the travelling dirtbag lifestyle. Now I'm thinking make it work, MOT and ebay advert.
I should have bought another Panda.
Sounds like an immobiliser cutting the fuel after firing.
I had a boxer that the immobiliser went on... in my case it just wouldn't fire at all.
I'd not expect any immobiliser to allow the engine to fire.
I ended up scrapping it as it was a major effort for the auto electricians to fix.
Sounds like fuel.
Fuel pump?
Van been sat for many months, water that's built up in fuel tank get sucked into the pump and sits overnight..... Next day the pump won't work?
Basically once a basic diesel is running it shouldn't really stop unless the fuel disappears.
Edit: fuel filter?
Again, it's been sat for a long time allowing bacteria to grow in the tank which has then been sucked through into the filter clogging it.
Check the filter and clean or replace. You can also add some additive to the diesel to kill the bacteria.
Tis entirely possible if the battery was flat for a long period that it is pretty goosed. Not in that it won't hold a charge, but that the maximum charge it holds might only be 11.9 volts. In a big battery this would be plenty to crank it over, but might not give a high enough voltage signal to the ECU to allow it start. If you charge it up and it starts again then maybe new battery time. Also, as suggested above, if it was cold and your glow plugs are not working then it will crank and maybe fire but not run.
Fixed similar on a Transit that had sat for a couple of months in the cold just before Christmas.
Fault codes for the primary (lift pump), but the pump was fine, issue was sticking relay. I'd locate any relay that runs the fuel system and give them a tap (or pull them and take them inside to warm up).
Pure speculation on my part as you really need a code read.
Quick update...
It's running. A couple of hours on the charger and it fired up no problem. I guess my battery or my alternator isn't in great condition. I thought I was in the clear after last nights test drive but maybe not.
It's due an MOT in 3 weeks I'm going to put it in early for a service and general health check and hopefully get my mojo back. I'll scan it with the OBD thing when the wife gets home tomorrow.
So, when I realised I could move it, I got stuck in and I've spent all day cutting a big hole in it and then gluing a window on. Just waiting for it to cure now. It hasn't fallen off yet but it might when I drive it or slam the door.
If the weather is fine in the morning I'm doing the other side.
Modern stuff is so sensitive to battery condition
You can do a basic battery/alternator test with a multimeter. Voltage at the battery terminals should be nearly 14 volts with the engine running, shows a good alternator charge. With the engine off battery should maintain about 12.5 to 13 volts. Test again after a few hours, shouldn't be much of a drop.