Focus Tddi Won't Start When Parked Facing Up A Hill..

[Stonedofmoo]

Hi guys

I'm new here but I've been a member on many car forums over the years. Fantastic source on information :)

My Dad is giving us his old Ford Focus TDDi estate. It's the basic CL model and has done 150k miles but he's a slow driver to say the least, and the head of the engine was recently rebuilt when a cambelt tensioner went taking the head with it.

Anyhow I digress. I'm picking the car up over the weekend and he warned me of a problem it has. Apparently he has to park it so the front of the car faces down any hill, or when he returns the car won't start. The AA get it going somehow, I'm guessing they draw the fuel back into the pump?

Is this something that can be fixed? Is there a valve or something that should prevent this from happening? Its not stopping the car from being driven provided we're careful how we park, but issues like this can catch you out at the worst time.

Any ideas people?

Thanks in advance

[jeebowhite]

Could be a number of things. the problem could be the fuel, most likely is, however it could be something as small as oxygen sensors. if you are talking about steep angles at which the car is parked, that may be the cause, it may be a broken cable that has added/lack of pressure on it, bot giving a full connection, and giving a false reading, ECU reads a problem and fails.

Could be the fuel and an air bubble getting into the system. as its a diesel and diesels arent really fans of air in the system, it could be that their is an air bubble regularly developing in the fuel system, when you park the car pointing up, the air bubble rises, the fuel falls, the engine gets an air bubble and grinds to a halt. at this point the AA probably draw out the air bubble, get fuel flowing and allow it to supply fuel to the engine.

Best bet is to get the fuel lines checked, make sure you don't have any little cuts / tears in the pipes, or no punctures / broken gaskets around the fuel tank. One place I have seen it fall down is the Fuel Sender Unit, a gasket was gone, air was coming in and causing similar problems.

Once the lines have been checked and the fuel system is clear, you need to confirm if it is air in the system, otherwise (IMHO) its probably a sensor that is failing / failed.

My bet is the air bubble...

[artscot79]

Could be a number of things. the problem could be the fuel, most likely is, however it could be something as small as oxygen sensors. if you are talking about steep angles at which the car is parked, that may be the cause, it may be a broken cable that has added/lack of pressure on it, bot giving a full connection, and giving a false reading, ECU reads a problem and fails.

Could be the fuel and an air bubble getting into the system. as its a diesel and diesels arent really fans of air in the system, it could be that their is an air bubble regularly developing in the fuel system, when you park the car pointing up, the air bubble rises, the fuel falls, the engine gets an air bubble and grinds to a halt. at this point the AA probably draw out the air bubble, get fuel flowing and allow it to supply fuel to the engine.

Best bet is to get the fuel lines checked, make sure you don't have any little cuts / tears in the pipes, or no punctures / broken gaskets around the fuel tank. One place I have seen it fall down is the Fuel Sender Unit, a gasket was gone, air was coming in and causing similar problems.

Once the lines have been checked and the fuel system is clear, you need to confirm if it is air in the system, otherwise (IMHO) its probably a sensor that is failing / failed.

My bet is the air bubble...

Ford Focus and Mondeo 1.8 2.0 TDCi 2000 - 2003Problem: Engine hard to start, lack of power, rough idling etc.

Solution: A common problem has been identified with the above models and an insufficient signal from the camshaft postion sensor (CPS). The fault code P0340 may have been triggered which relates to the CPS. A revised wiring harness / sensor should be installed which increases the sensor signal from 5 volts to 12 volts. The increase in voltage will provide an improved signal from the sensor.

from what ive read the way the car sits can make the signal even lower it could also be a wire on the fuel pump really summat you need to get checked as sooner or later it gets worse

[thesilverfox]

Art, this is a TDDi

[jay1981]

Sounds like the fuel is draining back to the tank when the car is facing uphill. What I would do is check all the fuel pipes for leaks, especially the leak back pipes that go between the injectors.

You could try fitting a one way valve in the fuel pipe to stop the fuel draining back, bit of a bodge I know.

[artscot79]

Sounds like the fuel is draining back to the tank when the car is facing uphill. What I would do is check all the fuel pipes for leaks, especially the leak back pipes that go between the injectors.

You could try fitting a one way valve in the fuel pipe to stop the fuel draining back, bit of a bodge I know.

wooops never noticed

[Stonedofmoo]

Thanks guys, I shall check those fuel lines, it's defo a weird one. Could it also be a fault in the fuel pump?

It's only done 150k which doesn't seem much for an older DI diesel engine so I'd be surpised if it's gone already but it could be I guess.

Cheers

[mintalkin]

i agree with jay sounds like air is getting into the system allowing fuel to syphon back to the tank,the fuel filter is also a common place for air to ingress into the system.

[DMR]

mines petrol but mine wouldn't start on an uphill also would drive up steep hills very well either, mine finally packed in altogether and had to replace the fuel pump, not sure how diesels work as never had one but my guess would be fuel pressure, air leak or fuel pump. my guess fuel pump

[Sokol]

Hi,

I am a new member here and this is an old post but had to reply as how i solved my exact problem.

First this is my story.

During last summer i changed oil - oil filter - fuel filter and air filter and i was parking my car up front and it wouldnt start, i checked the fuel filter connections if there was a problem for leaking fuel and found it empty (after many attempts to start the car).

Removed it filled with fuel and all was ok The car started to run as it should do. (had to walk to a gas station 5 km away with an empty bottle of water)

This was an issue any time i parked it upfront but later it was even worse it was happening every time even when parked horizontaly.

Checked it for any leaking found none.

Always the fuel filter was empty after many attempts and filling it manualy.

I decided to change it with a new one that solved the problem (the one that was being replaced had no more than 2 months ).

The result is that it was a faulty filter so check the fuel filter and if you have not thrown away your old one as i did you can make a test buy replacening the old again to check.

I hope it will help someone