# 2015 2.0 TD, dead in driveway.



## bleeintn (Sep 15, 2020)

Long time lurker, and I finally joined. Sadly, I wish for better reasons. 

Before last Tuesday (last week), my '15 CTD ran fine. Zero issues. Parked it. Drove my Wrangler the next couple of days, and when I went to start my Cruze, early Friday morning, it wouldn't start. Specifically, it'd spit and sputter for about five seconds, before dying. 

Current mileage 76,510, and the extended warranty/service plan ran out at 75k (ouch!). As this is going to have to paid completely out of pocket, I'm trying to pinpoint what the issue might be, as close as possible, before getting it towed to the dealer. 

Some things to consider:


I can hear the pump energize, when I turn the key to on.
I disconnected the fuel line and connected a pressure gauge. Am I right that there isn't published data on actual recommended fuel pressure? Gauge pegged (>200psi) when attempted to crank the car, and stayed on 30psi, when I released the key.
I also took the gauge off and turned the key to on. The pump IS definitely working, when it energizes/primes, but as the engine can't start, fuel only gushes out, for the moments the pump is energized. (fire extinguisher was at my side, throughout)
New fuel filter was replaced, April of last year. Had plenty of life left.
No SES light was on, when I parked it. Unfortunately, I don't have a reader to see if a code just happens to be stored in the memory.

Earlier today, I called and got an estimate for replacing the fuel pump ONLY, and it was ~$850 P+L, and I could add another $150 for inevitable filter replacement to go along with that. But, as the pump is definitely working (albeit, possibly not well enough), what would be the next logical choice? Fuel rail or (ugh) injector(s)? Or am I missing something else, entirely? 

Rock Auto has best price for AC Delco rail around $275 and $208 for each injector. 

I'm competent on my engine top end wrench turning abilities, and I've replaced a fuel rail on gas engines before. I'd imagine a diesel isn't much different? Same for injectors? 

(Point being, worst case scenario, dealer costs will likely be >$300/ea for injector + >$400 for rail + $100/hr labor, I'm guessing)

Anyway, any ideas on what may be causing the fuel delivery issues? 

Thank you, in advance, for any information you can provide.


----------



## Mack (Nov 8, 2016)

Since fuel seems to be getting there, how about air and spark? How do the spark plugs look? Coil pack? Battery terminal? 

Did something crawl into the air intake and build a nest while it was sitting? 

Hopefully it's actually something very simple.


----------



## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

your egr valve is probably plugged

stuck egr valve will not allow car to start









My EGR/Throttle Plate Experience


So, as I had mentioned in the couple of recent threads about cleaning the throttle plate and EGR valve, I wanted to check ours and clean if needed to combat some running/starting issues my wife has been encountering in the past months. I started at about 8PM, so it was pretty dark, but that...




www.cruzetalk.com













2014 Diesel Cruze Wont Start


My 2014 Cruze with 37K miles wont start all of a sudden. I've never had any problems with the car. Just yesterday I went out to start the car, it cranked and sounded like the timing was off and then shut off. Sometimes it just cranks and doesn't try to start at all. Car is completely stock...




www.cruzetalk.com










very common


----------



## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

Mack said:


> Since fuel seems to be getting there, how about air and spark? How do the spark plugs look? Coil pack? Battery terminal?
> 
> Did something crawl into the air intake and build a nest while it was sitting?
> 
> Hopefully it's actually something very simple.


No spark plugs our coils in a diesel.


----------



## bleeintn (Sep 15, 2020)

boraz said:


> your egr valve is probably plugged...
> 
> stuck egr valve will not allow car to start...
> 
> very common


Oh, let's hope that's the issue! I was gonna say "why not just buy a new one?"... but I just priced one. 

I'll try cleaning it, and give up update later today. Thanks!


----------



## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I'm gonna guess EGR stuck open as well - ours is getting a little rough on the idle on a cold start, and taking an occasional extra revolution to "catch" when starting, so I'd bet it's starting to get a touch sticky again.

It's something I consider maintenance at this point, and not all that often or difficult to do. Usually hit the throttle plate at the same time since it's right there.


----------



## bleeintn (Sep 15, 2020)

Welp, y'all just saved me a few hundred dollars! That's exactly what it was. Car has been idling fine for 20 minutes now. Getting ready to take it down the road. Before and after pics included ("Clean" pics were after going over once. Was gone over a second time.)

Genuine THANKS for steering me in that direction


----------



## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

bleeintn said:


> Welp, y'all just saved me a few hundred dollars! That's exactly what it was. Car has been idling fine for 20 minutes now. Getting ready to take it down the road. Before and after pics included ("Clean" pics were after going over once. Was gone over a second time.)
> 
> Genuine THANKS for steering me in that direction
> 
> ...


How hard was the removal?


----------



## bleeintn (Sep 15, 2020)

pandrad61 said:


> How hard was the removal?


Referencing the above video. Getting to it, was a small pain, but still not bad at all. Entire process, including cleaning, took approximately 30 minutes!


----------



## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

do yourself a favor and clean the throttle body as well, removal and cleaning is described in the links i posted

and set a reminder to redo the egr valve in say 40,000 miles to avoid this happening again


----------



## bleeintn (Sep 15, 2020)

boraz said:


> do yourself a favor and clean the throttle body as well, removal and cleaning is described in the links i posted
> 
> and set a reminder to redo the egr valve in say 40,000 miles to avoid this happening again



Will do! Thanks!


----------



## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

bleeintn said:


> Will do! Thanks!


im waitin for someone to tackle removing the whole intake manifold and cleaning it out, to see what crud is in there


----------



## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

boraz said:


> im waitin for someone to tackle removing the whole intake manifold and cleaning it out, to see what crud is in there


Christ, I have nightmares of what kind of mutant creature is going to come crawling out of that thing...


----------



## Jwb68c (Nov 10, 2019)

Mack said:


> Since fuel seems to be getting there, how about air and spark? How do the spark plugs look? Coil pack? Battery terminal?
> 
> Did something crawl into the air intake and build a nest while it was sitting?
> 
> Hopefully it's actually something very simple.


There probably won't be any spark plugs on his Diesel


----------



## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

MP81 said:


> Christ, I have nightmares of what kind of mutant creature is going to come crawling out of that thing...


Most soot is just mangled chains of carbon. But sometimes interesting things happen. The correct combination can create life....

You joke but it’s a non zero chance. Some people think it’s already happened and we just haven’t looked hard enough.


----------



## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I mean, technically we're (as in all life on this planet) all carbon-based...it already _did_ happen...a lot.


----------



## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

MP81 said:


> I mean, technically we're (as in all life on this planet) all carbon-based...it already _did_ happen...a lot.


Yes... But were a specific form. A very ubiquitous form down to even universally accepting which enatiomers are standard.

Ignoring someone snapping their fingers and making it all happen, it all came from one specific point. And there’s lots of theories on what that one point is, some better than others.

Of course I don’t believe in dice rolling. If something happens once it follows it will happen again. The question is what happen to these alternative forms of life? Did they just die out?


----------



## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

Snipesy said:


> Of course I don’t believe in dice rolling. If something happens once it follows it will happen again. The question is what happen to these alternative forms of life? Did they just die out?


The dinosaurs evolved to populate the planet. It appears some sort of cataclysmic event occurred, wiping out most life, and things started all over. In 8 billion years, that cycle can recur several times.

My take is that things like asteroid impacts are largely to blame for most of the kill-offs.

Doug

.


----------



## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

plano-doug said:


> The dinosaurs evolved to populate the planet. It appears some sort of cataclysmic event occurred, wiping out most life, and things started all over. In 8 billion years, that cycle can recur several times.
> 
> My take is that things like asteroid impacts are largely to blame for most of the kill-offs.
> 
> ...


but they also brought us mushrooms, and their effects on our brains brought us religion


----------



## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

boraz said:


> im waitin for someone to tackle removing the whole intake manifold and cleaning it out, to see what crud is in there


I've actually got an intake manifold gasket sitting on the shelf in case I ever get around to doing that. Had hoped it would be this summer, but with the backlogged list of repairs needed for getting our old Suburban ready to sell, I think I'm going to run out of good weather and have to wait until spring for the intake removal. I much prefer dealing with intake manifolds on a V8, where it's conveniently right on top, than on the back side placement of a 4 cylinder.


----------



## BDCCruze (Jul 12, 2017)

I'm not having any issues at 145k but I don't want to get stuck, I may just do my EGR (along with TB and MAP) for preventative maintenance.


----------



## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I certainly would - easy enough (though a touch difficult to access - mainly just **** in the way) to pull out and give a check over.


----------



## DmaxMaverick (Jun 29, 2014)

Just in case anyone reads this later.....

Modern Diesel and gas engines have a lot in common. The fuel system is NOT one of them. Gasser engine fuel systems may develop pressures in the tens of PSI, while HPCR (High Pressure Common Rail) Diesel fuel systems will be several THOUSANDS PSI (even during a start), and the reason the OP's "fuel pressure gage" pegged. Lucky it didn't just blow up or something really bad didn't happen. The Diesel HPCR fuel pressure is sufficient (2.5K to 25K+) to inject fuel through flesh or sever digits (such as from a pin-hole leak or loose fitting), at starting pressure, let alone idle+ speed, and it increases as speed and/or load increases. The gas engine fuel systems are mostly plastic, including the injector bodies and lines, while the Diesel systems are steel. There's a very good reason for that. Simply, if you don't know your way around a Diesel fuel system, learn it, or save it for someone who does.


----------



## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

revjpeterson said:


> I've actually got an intake manifold gasket sitting on the shelf in case I ever get around to doing that. Had hoped it would be this summer, but with the backlogged list of repairs needed for getting our old Suburban ready to sell, I think I'm going to run out of good weather and have to wait until spring for the intake removal. I much prefer dealing with intake manifolds on a V8, where it's conveniently right on top, than on the back side placement of a 4 cylinder.


Beat the turbo being in the back


----------



## DslGate (Jun 29, 2016)

Snipesy said:


> Most soot is just mangled chains of carbon. But sometimes interesting things happen. The correct combination can create life....
> 
> You joke but it’s a non zero chance. Some people think it’s already happened a*nd we just haven’t looked hard enough.*


 So, now that you've looked, what did you find? Carbon Gremlin??


----------



## BDRiskey (Feb 28, 2017)

What did you use to clean it?


----------



## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Brake Clean works well, so does Carb cleaner.


----------

