Car broken down - petrol line/battery?

richy

My car broke wouldnt start today when I came out of the supermarket. It was cranking alright but just wouldnt start. A couple of times over the last few weeks the car would conk out when driving it. It might take 2/3 goes to start it again but it always did.

Another time the fuel light had just come on and it conked out. Got it going again but it was chugging. Luckily petrol station was only a 100m away and I got the car there and filled up and it was fine.

I think, but am not positive, that all the events mentioned seems to happen when the petrol is low. So I though the fuel gauge might be broken or overestimating how much petrol is left.

Anyway, went to the car today and filled up with a gerrycan. Was cranking it maybe 4/5 times but it wouldnt start. Then I tried it again and the battery died as I was doing it and couldnt crank again.

Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong with it? Could it be that it didnt start because of lack of fuel and it would take a lot of attempts to start it before the fuel would get taken into the engine or whatever? Gonna try jump the battery tomorrow and see can I get it working, just looking for some opinions.

My sister was planning on giving me her car and using mine towards a new car on a scrappage deal. Its all agreed to. We are just waiting for the logbook to come back and be in her name. Now the car isnt working I am afraid it will be something major and I wont be able to scrap it.

Any suggestions?

pa990

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richy wrote: »

Any suggestions?

Never let the petrol needle drop below 1/4,

Not great to be running the tank dry.

Jack the Stripper

Judging from when I drive into stations and see what last person has put in which is average €10 a lot are running well below 1/4 all the time.

richy

pa990 wrote: »

.

Never let the petrol needle drop below 1/4,

Not great to be running the tank dry.

I know it isnt but I am a broke college student!

OldMrBrennan83

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BorneTobyWilde

Sounds like the fuel pump acting up.

Stoolbend

What car is it?

Most cars have a common list of faults that would cause it to not start.

Jack the Stripper

How does one know their faults data base is it?

punisher5112

Is it a Micra?

richy

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Sounds like the fuel pump acting up.

Stoolbend wrote: »

What car is it?

Most cars have a common list of faults that would cause it to not start.

Thanks for the replies. I should have said what car it is. peugeot 206 -03.

I have had a problem with the fuel pump a year or two ago. It kept coming loose. Mechanic duct taped it or something simple afaik and it happened again another time and he done something more permenant. This was the thing located underneath the seat cover behind the drivers seat.

Never even thought of it. Thanks for that. Will play around with it tomorrow and see can I get the top tightened or whatever he did before. Any other suggestions?

If it was from dirt being sucked into the fuel line or something else to do with fuel equipment, could it be a big job? I really only need it to work for a week :-) or even enough to get it to the garage!!

pa990

Patww79 wrote: »

That's balls really. Any car with no issues can run fine under a quarter of a tank.

But repeatedly running low/dry puts unnecessary wear on the pump.
Misfiring fubars the cat.

And the OP has encountered this problem when running very low on fuel.

To find the fault, it's a process of elimination.

The first and easiest thing to do, is to make sure that the bloody car has fuel.

If your computer doesn't start.... the first thing to check is power.

So if doing the most basic and common sense thing first.. I must have a lot more balls than you.

richy

pa990 wrote: »

But repeatedly running low/dry puts unnecessary wear on the pump.
Misfiring fubars the cat.

And the OP has encountered this problem when running very low on fuel.

To find the fault, it's a process of elimination.

The first and easiest thing to do, is to make sure that the bloody car has fuel.

If your computer doesn't start.... the first thing to check is power.

So if doing the most basic and common sense thing first.. I must have a lot more balls than you.

Car defo has fuel now. Put in five litres from a gerry can. Could it be a blown fuse that's causing the pump not to work? Went and had a look at the fuel pump under the back seat bit couldn't see anything weird. Lid was on securely which was the issue before. Have a list of fuses here. Is there ones I should check?

ALso would a scrap yard sell a fuel pump? cheaper than online? Minimum 100 for pump alone online.

http://www.autogenius.info/peugeot-206-fuse-box-diagram/

pa990

richy wrote: »

Car defo has fuel now. Put in five litres from a gerry can. Could it be a blown fuse that's causing the pump not to work? Went and had a look at the fuel pump under the back seat bit couldn't see anything weird. Lid was on securely which was the issue before. Have a list of fuses here. Is there ones I should check?

ALso would a scrap yard sell a fuel pump? cheaper than online? Minimum 100 for pump alone online.

http://www.autogenius.info/peugeot-206-fuse-box-diagram/

5L is nothing.

Stop running the car on fumes.



Keep it above 1/4 , and see if the problem recoccurs.

It's a process of elimination, and powet/fuel is the first step

punisher5112

If its dry 5 litres won't get it going.

richy

pa990 wrote: »

5L is nothing.

Stop running the car on fumes.



Keep it above 1/4 , and see if the problem recoccurs.

It's a process of elimination, and powet/fuel is the []first step[/b]

I am literally getting rid of this car next week in a scrappage deal so only need it to run to the garage so they will take it as a working car.

punisher5112 wrote: »

If its dry 5 litres won't get it going.

If i put in another 5 litres will that do? The can was only 5l capacity

punisher5112

richy wrote: »

I am literally getting rid of this car next week in a scrappage deal so only need it to run to the garage so they will take it as a working car.



If i put in another 5 litres will that do? The can was only 5l capacity

Might do but defo 5 isn't enough if lines are dry.

Pump peddle also to try get fuel in.

richy

Ok thanks will try that. Anyway to tell if the fuel pump is gone and thats its not just empty of fuel?

Is there a limit on how many times I should try crank it before giving up? Dont wanna do more damage than is already then.

Just to note aswell that as the battery is dead I will be attempting all this while it is hooked up to another cars battery.

richy

No joy with it. When it was hooked up to the other cars battery it was cranking..I took off the seat over the fuel pump and I could hear a motor noise alright. Does this mean that the fuel pump is okay And there's another problem.

WHen cranking the car, if I let out the clutch a bit while in gear it was starting to jerk forward like it would if you start the car in gear without the clutch pushed in

pa990

If the car is being scrapped next week... what are you worried about?

Just turn up with some petrol in the tank

OldMrBrennan83

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pa990

Patww79 wrote: »

Can't be used for scrappage unless it's brought in running.

No car will run without fuel

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

richy

Ya. Needs to be running. Won't start.

punisher5112

Check plugs and is there a filter in engine bay.

Make sure to give the car a few minutes on leads before trying to start.

Also turn on/off ignition a good few times without turning to start.

Do it slowly as in turn on leave for 5 to 10 seconds and repeat by turning off and repeat above.

Check your fuses if you feel there may be an issue with one.

richy

punisher5112 wrote: »

Check plugs and is there a filter in engine bay.

Make sure to give the car a few minutes on leads before trying to start.

Also turn on/off ignition a good few times without turning to start.

Do it slowly as in turn on leave for 5 to 10 seconds and repeat by turning off and repeat above.

Check your fuses if you feel there may be an issue with one.

Thanks again for the reply. Battery is defo okay. Not sure what id be looking for in terms of the fuses. My insurance has breakdown cover so Im gonna get it towed to the garage and leave them deal with. Already got it towed twice in the last 3/4 months (once because a stone was stuck in the wheel- thought something had snapped lol and the other time was because it overheated as the cooling fan broke) on my insurance, hope they will do it a third time.

mikeecho

Was there any outcome to this?

biko

richy wrote: »

I know it isnt but I am a broke college student!

So pretend that half the tank is the same as an empty tank.
It will cost the same to keep car just over half full as it will cost to keep it just over empty.
All you need is to fuel it up to 75% once

Muckie

Neighbour had a similar issue a few years back with a 00 Micra.

Gave the spark plugs a clean, put them back in and it started.

Good luck.