Trouble starting my 406

Please Help!!!!

I have a 1998 Peugeot 406 1.9 LX TD, and over the last few days it takes a
good five minutes to start up. There seems plenty of juice in the battery,
it just doesn't want to fire up. I've recently had it serviced, and MOT'd,
and even though it took a couple of go's to get started it wasn't as bad as
it is now.

I know the car is tapping on now (done 125,000) so I know I should be
expecting to come across more problems. My only thing is that I've never had
a diesel before, so for all I know this is common for a car of this age.

Thanks in advance for any advise you can provide.

 

Is it only from cold, or on every start?
Does it run normally once going?
Do you get lots of white smoke out of the exhaust when it is cranking
but not firing?


If it is only the first start of the day that is a real pain, and lots
of white smoke, I'd suspect the glow plugs and/or the glowplug relay. If
you have a test meter you can check that you are getting 12V onto them
when the ignition is turned on and the glow plug light is on. Testing
the plugs themselves is more tricky; the meter may be able to tell you
if each plug is open circuit or not, but that isn't the only failure mode.

Other problems could include a pinprick hole in a fuel line or fuel
filter, allowing air into the system that needs to be purged before it
will start - but this is less likely.

Matt

 

My money is on glow plugs (also called pre-heater plugs). Recently had a
new set put in my wife's 306 which was virtually impossible to start. Now
starts first turn of the key. And 125,000 miles is nothing for these
engines. Chris who contributes to this group has knocked up 250,000 on his
405 and apparently it runs as good as ever.

 

It only happens when the engine is cold, it starts up first time when warm.
I also get white smoke from the exhaust. I also suspected it may be the glow
plugs. Are they expensive to replace???

 

Get your glow plugs from halfords at£24 for a set of 4 done my 405 with
256000 on the clock and it is running very well .its going for a good
run on thursday down to the coast and back it dos them a world of good
after a long run..

 

Did they have problem starting it when u left it for a service?also
when was the last time you had a set of glow plugs fitted? i always say
every 3rd year.
chris addlestone surrey,

 

They didn't mention anything to me about it, and I don't think the plugs have
been changed for quite some time.

 

so i think it is time to replace them

 

In fairness they last far better than sparking plugs. My 1999 406 2.0L HDI
is still on the originals at 116,000 miles and my wife's 1999 306 1.9TDhas
just had its first new set at around 50,000.