Car Wont Start! Garage Cant Work Out Why

[shazza.d]

Ok here goes! Car one day doesn't start. Ticking over but not starting. Glow plugs changed. No starting. Starting motor changed. No starting. Easy start sprayed still no start. Ford garage plugs in computer checks all parts including fuel injectors. Timings the lot n still doesn't start. Ecu now sent to london to see if it's that as garage couldn't test it. Been told this is common problem. Other ppl on forums managed to get problem fixed why can't they find whats wrong and fix it. Anyone else have any suggestions

[shazza.d]

It's 03 focus 1.8 tdci sport if relevant!

[Andy H Dibley]

Sounds an odd one.

The thing about these cars is they may look complex and that but they're a simple process to a point, a petrol being a 4 stage affair, the same with a diesel except their is no ignition just compression. You need three things to make an engine go, Air, Fuel and a spark, but in a diesel you just need compression.

If the Ford garage have been properly thorough in checking injectors both of opening and sealing, timing, fuel pressure, compression testing each cylinder, then I guess you could be looking at an ECU problem. I'm not as clued up with the TDCi engines, but I would've thought even spraying some WD40 down the inlet would show some results of wanting to start.

Why was the starter changed out of interest?

[FOCA]

Ok here goes! Car one day doesn't start. Ticking over but not starting.

"Ticking over" is when you have already started the engine and it is running at 700rpm etc (with your foot of the throttle) or whatever the "tickover" speed is (idle/ idling)

"Turning over"

is when the starter motor is "turning over"/ "cranking", being "cranked over" the engine when you turn the key but its not "firing"

Examples -

"My tickover is too high, my engine is ticking over at 2000rpm" - (your engine is running at 2000rpm with your foot off the throttle/ accelerator pedal/ idle is too fast/ idling too fast)

"My engine is turning over (cranking) but not firing" (when the ignition key is turned, engine turns over/ cranks/ turns on the starter but does not fire(start/ burst into life) )

I don't know what is wrong with your car but these are important things to know

If the engine was turning over before you would not have needed a new starter motor

Watch the garage does'nt charge you too much - (sounds expensive)

[giwrgos_ath]

A friend of mine had a similar issue once. It turns out it was a faulty fuel pump. She had it replaced, luckily for free since the car was only 2 years old. The mechanics said it was due to "contaminated fuel" (mixed on purpose with water or whatever else to reduce the cost to the gas station) which is a common issue in Greece.

Also i would say to check your exhaust to see if it is blocked by something.

notice: I am not a mechanic, nor i have any particular knowledge about Diesel engines

[shazza.d]

Sorry for the misunderstanding the car is not firing if that help. Had contact with the garage today and Ecu is fine so not that. My partners mate changed the starting motor after changing glow plugs thinking of solutions to it before taking it to garage to save money that was all. At the time we weren't aware it was such a serious problem. So if it's not the ecu god knows wot it can be. The garage says will have a look at it again wen they get Ecu back and fitted. I don't want to scrap the car as there is quite a lot o ppl on forums that have had this problem and managed to get it fixed and I find it hard to believe were the ones that cant. Apart from the not starting the car was absolutely fine no probs at all.

[artscot79]

im not a diesel expert but ide say its a fuel issue either the diesel pump or blocked diesel filter has anyone checked if the red light on the dash for the immobiliser goes out when the key is put in the ignition and switched to run ........immobiliser fault it wouldnt be the first time ive heard of that happening

[STEADS]

Have you got a obd scanner if so crank it over and see what the fuel pressure is had this problem on my 2.0ltr pressure has to be at a certain psi (which i cant remember off the top of my head) to inject changed the pump on mine and it was fine .