Will Not Start - Engine Turning Over OK - 1.9DCI

[dav1dholden]

Hello all, I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on my Megane problem to save me taking it to the Renault Dealers for repair.

I picked up an '03 Megane II 1.9 DCI 120 last week from a private sale (if only I'd payed the extra £2K the dealerships wanted!). The car started perfectly on two occasions viewing the car prior to purchase. However, got it home and now it wont start!!!

When the Keycard is inserted and the Start button pressed, the start motor turns over okay, but the engine just wont spring to life. I have tried and tried until the battery went flat (now charged again!).

Prior to the engine turning over, there are no service lights and the immobalisor LED is out.

I can hear what I think is the Low Pressure fuel pump, a low humming near the drivers pedals which comes on after the start button is pressed and before the engine turns over. So hopefully fuel is getting to the injectors, although I have not done anything else to check that fuel is there.

The Glow Plug indicator comes on for a few seconds prior to starting, so I assume these are also okay. The car was cold when I previsouly observed it starting.

On several occassions following an attempt to start, the Service light is illuminated and I get the message "Tyre Pressure Sensor Fault". This disappears if I remove the key fob and try again. However, this is only occassional and nothing has changed wrt tyres/wheels since it was working. I have read on other posts that random failures are sometimes generated following failed starts, so I am not too worried about this one. In any case, I would not expect this fault to stop the engine from springing to life. If there was an interlock linked to this I would have expected it to prevent the starter motor from engaging (is this sensible thinking?).

I bought an OBDII reader hoping this would solve all my problems. No such luck - No faults present (I'm fairly sure the reader was working as I could see some sensor information in real-time). This probable ties up with the service light being out before attempting to start the car.

I have read on this forum that the TDC sensors can be a bit tempremental, but I'm not sure whether it would cause these symptoms nor how to check them.

There was 1/4 tank of fuel in the car when I parked it, and I topped it up with another two jerry cans just in case it was a faulty fuel indicator.

Not sure if the following is relevant...
- Car has not been used for about 2 months before i purchased it. However, the prev' owner said he had started it occassionally. Could this cause water in the fuel/injectors? How is this diagnosed?
- My drive is on a slope so the car is now parked on an incline (nose up). This inlcine is not severe (<15deg) and has never been a problem on any other cars I have owned.
- Prev owner took the car to a renault dealer a few weeks prior because it wouldn't start. They said it was the battery and replaced it. Might be true because he had not used it for a few months. But also might be linked to the problem I am now having.

Apologies for the long-winded explaination. Really want to get this fixed myself, as I've heard how costly the dealers can be. Also, can't wait to get it going again because it was fantastic to drive when I picked it up.

Thanks in advance of any response I get.

Dave.

[cactusbob]

Possibly some air in the fuel pipe? Have a root around the engine bay and you should find a fuel priming pump

[pw981]

the fuel priming pump - is near the coolant top up bottle. rear the plastic covering around that area, and the primer pump will be seen! other than that, the only thing I can think of is the TDC sensor.

[AlexB]

There is no low-pressure pump in your car. The fuel is sucked in directly by the high pressure pump. Check the clear pipe supplying fuel to the pump. It should be filled with fuel and not air.

The "official" procedure of diagnosis is described in the documents pointed at in my message in the Links section.

[dav1dholden]

Thanks very much all for your prompt responses, I'll have a look for this priming pump and give that a go....will let you know the outcome.

[dav1dholden]

I take my hat off to Cactusbob, pw981, AlexB. I've just squeezed the life out of the priming pump and the car started first time. When I pumped it I could see the air being pushed out of the clear pipe from the pump.

You've saved me a small (or possibly large knowing my local Rnt dealer) fortune, thank you very much

He He, I can use my new car at last !!!

[Deano16v]

happy days! nice one matey

[cactusbob]

Nice one matey. I had a similar problem in a diesel Escort I used to own. I had a small hole in one of the fuel pipes that let air in (fuel evaporate) overnight, would cut out on me exactly a mile after driving.

Keep an eye on it, hopefully it's just cos it had been sitting around for a bit.

[AlexB]

There was a similar story with somebody else. The clear pipe was rubbing against something and eventually developed a microscopic hole. As it operates under negative pressure it sucked in air, which caused intermittent problems. I examined mine after that -- it was also rubbing, so I protected it with a bandage.

[Megan1.9]

Thanks so much!

Having read other threads with similar problems to mine I removed the fusebox, cleaned and dried it, put it back and still nothing. All this 2 weeks after my local Renault dealership made me part with £50 to say they couldn't find any problems!

I rang an independent Renault dealership (Riverside) who wanted £60 to look at it and I would have to tow it there myself. I've just found this thread and 3 pumps of the primer and the car starts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, so happy to hear it fire into life!

Thanks ever so much! Can get the car back up for sale and get something less troublesome!

[phil 1.6 16v megane]

can any one help me?

i have a renault megane 1.6 16v coupe sport not sure of the year the electrics seem to work but the car will not even try to turn over when i turn the key.

any ideas any one?

[tomalamix]

it happens all the times or it starts sometimes?

[car18ben@aol.com]

some1 please help me i have the same problem mine is a 03 1400 petrol it just cut out on me when i was about to pull off. the recovery man said it had no petrol in it and the fuel gage was faulty but it has half a tank in it. had some1 look at it for me and said everything seems fine but cant work out why it wont start. i dont have the money to go to renault and they wont give me no answers over the phone. and as im a girl i dont no much about cars.

[AlexB]

If it is blue, then have the TDC sensor checked or just replaced. They cause cutting out and not starting after that.

some1 please help me i have the same problem mine is a 03 1400 petrol it just cut out on me when i was about to pull off. the recovery man said it had no petrol in it and the fuel gage was faulty but it has half a tank in it. had some1 look at it for me and said everything seems fine but cant work out why it wont start. i dont have the money to go to renault and they wont give me no answers over the phone. and as im a girl i dont no much about cars.

[car18ben@aol.com]

my bf had taken it off and said they looked OK, he rubbed it with a cloth and it still done nothing.