I recently bought a 2003 2.0l tdci with 195,xxx KM's to replace the '04 that had a run-in with a wild boar.

But it failed inspection due to an oil leak. It appears to be coming from between the transmission and the engine, which can't be good news, but I am wondering if there is something simple I might check before it goes to the mechanic on Friday.

Lastly of the 40+/- times I have started the car, two have resulted in a temporary no-start. I always let the glow-plugs warm up. It will attempt to start and sputter for a second, but die. This happens 4-5 times before it'll actually start and stay running. Both have been cold starts, but not any colder than other days and after the car had been running that day once before.

Initially I thought glow-plugs, but that should result in hard starts every time it's cold. Is there some sort of sensor that could not work intermittently telling the computer to pump in fuel?

Thanks!

So this Mondeo is dead.  A week ago last Friday, my Mondeo left myself and my two kids stranded.  Thankfully my wife was just a few miles away and was able to rescue the kids.  

I was driving down the Autobahn and just before I exited I felt a little extra burst of power as I was changing lanes.  Felt a little strange, but didn't think anything of it.  As soon as I began to accelerate on the B road, the car lost 95% of it's power, would only run if my foot was on the floor and began belching white smoke.  I coasted/pushed the car to the nearest parking lot and called a tow truck.  The following wednesday I talk to my mechanic about the diagnosis.  He says "you're going to need a new car".  My heart sank.  I just bought this car 5 weeks prior to replace my '04 Mondeo that did battle with a wild pig and lost.  And we're moving back to the US this summer!  There went 3,200 EUR!  Mechanic said my HPOP (High pressure oil pump) failed sending metal fragments into the injectors and likely into the cylinders.

 

I can't say for certain the HPOP was the culprit of my intermittent no-start as I'm not familiar with the Mondeo diesels.  But from what I do know about diesels, the HPOP needs to be in good condition to be firing the injectors!  So perhaps. 

 

If your mondeo is having similar symptoms, have your HPOP looked at before it fails and takes the rest of the engine with it!