1.4HDi clattety clacking and the engine misfires.

OK, back to work on this engine.

Two things I'm considering doing today. Firstly, with the engine off, place some absorbant paper/cloth adjacent to all 4 injectors loosen the hp injector pipes and crank the engine several times to purge any air that may be in the high pressure common rain. Unlikely but it's worth a shot.

Secondly, I understand from many technicians that the high pressure fuel pump doesn't need to be timed to the engine. So I ask why the pump lock off facility?

When changing a timing belt the crankshaft, camshaft and fuel pump need locking pins inserted. However if one were to change the fuel pump, the new pump would need to be set with the lock off hole lined up so a lock pin can be inserted. Fit a new belt and it's suggested to rotate the crank six times clockwise and check all lock pins line up.

So each time the crank has turned twice , the camshaft has turned once but the puel pump does not line up. A further two crank turns and the fuel pump still does not line up. It's only after the next two crank turns that the pump lines up again. So each two turns of the crankshaft puts the alignment hole in the pump pulley either at top position, 120 degree or 240 degree position. How does that effect sensor signals to the ECU?

Now I'm wondering if I were to loosen the timing belt and rotate the pump pulley 360 degrees or 720 degrees, effectively altering the positions of the pump location hole each two turns of the crankshaft, would that have any effect on the cause of this engine issue?

Any thoughts please!

AllanA wrote: ↑Sat Sep 10, 2022 11:56 am Secondly, I understand from many technicians that the high pressure fuel pump doesn't need to be timed to the engine. So I ask why the pump lock off facility?


Any thoughts please!

You don't need to lock off the fuel pump as it is not timed to the engine. You can lock it off if you want to stop it running backwards while it is being removed or other work done near it.

I didn't bother locking the fuel pump in place when doing the cam belt.


There is no fuel pump position sensor on a common rail engine.

OK thanks for that Arfur. Saves me some time stripping out the timing covers etc again!!

Just air purging at the injectors today then :)

As suggested further up the page and your access to the injectors, do a leak off test while you are there.

Coughing and spluttering could be an injector faulty.

I also noticed that when priming the fuel system there was air in the system so replaced the fuel filter and the fuel lines which came as a fuel line harness.

Did you prime the filer before fitting it?

Do you get the firm squeeze on the priming pump after fitting the filter?

Yes, filter primed and good firm resistance in the priming bulb. No air showing in the clear low pressure line.

Happy to report that this issue is now resolved!

I checked and checked and checked again and the only thing that kept flagging up in my mind was that there must be a problem with the new reluctor ring I'd fitted.

So splashing the cash I ordered a new genuine one from Citroen. It arrived yesterday and today I fitted it and reassembled all components. Key in and engine immediately started, nice smoth idle and clean through the rev range.

So the after market reluctor ring was faulty in that it was sending incorrect signals to the ecu.

I bought the after market reluctor ring from an online auto parts seller. It is a Metzger brand, apparently of German origin.

So, a word of warning to anybody with a similar issue requiring a new reluctor ring, buy a genuine OEM part for this critical engine timing job.

Happy to report that following my complaint to the seller, I have now received a full refund for the reluctor ring.

Also realised in my post above I made an error. The reluctor ring brand was Maxgear and not Metzger