Hi Guys,

lost all power while driving.Engine turning over ok but it won't start.RAC bloke sprayed some Easy Start Spray into air intake and it started.

Next day i tried to strart it and same problem again,turning over but won't start.

Any ideas guys ?

Octavia 1.9 Diesel 2005.

Thanks alot.

Edited 2 November, 201213 yr by paulhugill

Haynes suggests:

Difficult to start when hot - clogged / dirty air filter

Difficult to start when cold - preheater problem (glow plugs & wiring)

- dying battery

Other possibilities are an air lock in the fuel system.

Start with getting the battery checked and go from there.

When were filters last replaced?

Battery and filters are ok.

I might spray some Easy Strart into air intake to get it going so as to get to a garage.

Cheers

Any fault codes?

Does the car crank over properly without coughing and spluttering?

Is it the original battery?

If so change it or at least top the water and charge it.

The battery test said ok and mine had had an easy life, but fitting a new one meant that it started on the dot every time and the power steering didn't dim the lights.

othe option is to check the fuel filter and make sure there are no slight air leaks in the fuel lines.

Ty to stay away from easy start its ok to get out of a jam but engines become addicted to it apparently "it's like crack for engines" according to the mech that looks after our vans.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Cheers Guys,

No fault codes showing.It is the original battery but it seems ok.

Fuel filter probably needs changing now.

Ty to stay away from easy start its ok to get out of a jam but engines become addicted to it apparently "it's like crack for engines" according to the mech that looks after our vans.

I know that's often said about Easy Start, and perhaps some engines are more eaily damaged by it than others, but I'm not convinced.

To cut a long story short, in 2002 my stepfather bought a Cavalier 1.7TD cheap from a neighbour to use as runabout, mainly for commuting to work. The only fault with the car was that the previous owner had managed to snap off two of the glowplugs in the head, meaning that it would only start smoothly from cold with a quick squirt of Easy Start. As it was a cheap car intended to be kept only for a short time he didn't consider the cost and trouble of taking the head off and getting the broken glowplugs removed to be worthwhile, so just kept using Easy Start every morning........Fast forward to 2011 when he retired, Cavalier TD still going strong with 250k on the clock by now, still with two broken glowplugs, still being started every morning & evening from cold with Easy Start. In that 9 year period I reckon that engine must have had well over 4000 starts with Easy Start, but even at 250k still returned 60+ MPG, used almost no oil, and was no harder to start than it had been back in 2002. Hence my scepticism that Easy Start ruins engines.

I've also been told previously by mechanics that engines become "addicted" to easy start. It's not that the engine gets ruined and will not run, more that if used regularly the engine will not start without a squirt of easy start. Like it's been said, once or twice in order to get out of sticky situation maybe, but no more than that.

As for the old Cavalier TD - the fact that it is still running with 250k on the clock is no surprise - I would suggest that even if it had new & fully functioning glow plugs then it would have difficulty starting without easy start now.

We use Easy Start and we don't get many claims for engine damage ,but it can cause lockups and exsesive diesel knock if over used,

I'm of the opinion that an engine can't get addicted, but that the underlyng fault hasn't been repaired,

You cauld try this

http://www.nulon.com.au/products/Aerosols/Start_Ya_******_Instant_Engine_Starter/#.UJbLzmduaUM

I've also been told previously by mechanics that engines become "addicted" to easy start. It's not that the engine gets ruined and will not run, more that if used regularly the engine will not start without a squirt of easy start. Like it's been said, once or twice in order to get out of sticky situation maybe, but no more than that.

As for the old Cavalier TD - the fact that it is still running with 250k on the clock is no surprise - I would suggest that even if it had new & fully functioning glow plugs then it would have difficulty starting without easy start now.

A possible explanation I've heard in the past of how an engine could become 'addicted' to Easy Start is that the Easy Start increases wear of the cylinder bores over time. So the more Easy Start is used, the more the cylinder walls wear, so the compression of the engine falls, which makes it harder to start, so it needs more Easy Start to start, which causes more wear, and so on and so on........a vicious circle.

I'm not disputing it might be possible, but in the case of our old Cav it certainly doesn't seem to have caused any noticeable loss of compression or addiction at all. Although its been off the road for some time we store it in a barn and still use it occasionally on the family smallholding for moving hay bales etc around. In warm weather it will still start from cold with no Easy Start at all, just as it did 10 years/150k ago.

Years ago, my brother broke off a spark in his old Midget and used "liquid metal" to effectively coldweld the head back on then took it VERY easy with a socket to withdraw the whole spark out. Saved a lot of money!

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_176487_langId_-1_categoryId_255230

My money is on the battery.

CCA is a lot less than warm capacity and when you've got electric steering, all the systems and you're trying to turn over a big lump of diesel engine from cold.

Mine seemed fine and passed all the tests, but was certainly gone as cold starting was getting harder and lights were dimming as soon as you put on much steering. New battery and all problems went away.

Edited 6 November, 201213 yr by cheezemonkhai