Won't start.... Help :(

[lauren.etherington]

I am having major issues with my car starting. Its been starting no bother up until yesterday where it was struggling and then today it won't even tick over. I know the glow plugs need replacing, my bf was going to do that for me at the weekend so I don't know if it is just the glow plugs or anything else?
Help!

[Ben Jay]

welcome to the forums.

does it run ok once its started?

[mark_airey]

The things I would be looking at here are...........what is the battery like?? does it struggle to turn the engine over at all??

I would also be looking at checking the hand primer and pumping it until it goes hard before you try to start the car and see if that helps at all.

If the glow plugs have totally given up then it will be a nightmare to start though! if a couple are still working then it should still start OK......ish

welcome to the forums.

does it run ok once its started?

are you really the best person to offer advice on this subject, after 7 pages you still haven't sorted your own out/don't know whats wrong with it after everyone trying to help you..................how do you plan on advising someone else?

[Ben Jay]

now im sad

[lauren.etherington]

Runs fine once it gets going..... Its just decided to cock up today for the pure fun of it.

[Dan!]

Souns like it could be the glowplugs. Could also be a faulty stop solenoid or leaky fuel lines letting air into the fuel system overnight.

In my opinion, first thing to do is go and squeeze the hand primer in the engine bay (looks like a black grenade) until it goes hard, then try and start the car. If the primer doesnt go hard then that might be problem. If you squeeze it and hear a hissing noise like air escaping/fuel spurting out then you probably have a fuel leak which is letting air in. If the car still doesnt start id do the next free thing and check both fuel filters are in good condition. One is in the black plastic 'box' to the right of your oil dipstick and the other is under the rear seats on the drivers side, underneath a black plastic lid. If either of these are badly blocked the car would struggle to start!

Next jobs would be to replace Glowplugs, and if that doesnt fix it I expect you will have to look into replacing the stop solenoid on the fuel pump, which can either be a nice simple job or a right pain, depending on what fuel pump you have.

[mark_airey]

Dan, clogged up filters wouldn't make much difference to starting due to the tiny amount of fuel they require at idle, that would be noticable as a lack of power higher in the revs IMO ........

Runs fine once it gets going..... Its just decided to cock up today for the pure fun of it.

Read my above post

if its running fine once you get it started then it sounds like the glow plugs but it would be strange for them all to go at once?!

does it run really rough for the first few seconds once you get it started?

[Dan!]

Agree'd, but when its free to check them its worth doing imo.

And about glowplugs, they can be a pig to start from cold if just 2 have gone tbh, so its not unlikely