I have a 1998 Vauxhall Vectra 1998cc Turbo Diesel with DTL engine. The engine management system is giving an EGR error code.
The engine feels flat and initially the warning light comes on when stationary (at lights) and then stays on continuously after 15-30 minutes.
My local garage has looked at the car and has changed the EGR valve, MAF sensor, checked the vaccum control to the EGR valve and still the fault remains.
Does anyone have any idea of what to try next?
Cheers
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You may have problem with the vacuum pump producing low output or a leak in the vacuum lines to the turbo wastegate control.Both EGR and wastegate depend on efficient vacuum supply to operate.It has been known for vacuum pumps to fail on these engines due to low oil level.More checking and testing needed I'm afraid.
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Thanks for the suggestion but the EGR valve is holding vacuum and operating correctly - so I am assuming that the vacuum pump must be okay.
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Daft question - have they replaced all the vacuum hoses ?
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On the end of the inlet manifold is a little vac operated motor which switches between the long and short inlet tracts. If the diaphragm fails it will bleed off the vacuum sufficiently to impair the operation of the EGR and wastegate. Check also the little rubber elbows on the switches (2 by the battery, 1 by the turbo as will give same effect.
Andrew
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Simplicate and add lightness!!
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It sounds very similar to my tale of woe with the same model which in the end turned out to be the CAT which was partially blocked.
All the same symptons as you describe and everything tried before they finally took it off and found the problem.
Some very good people worked on diagnosing the problem before it was found.
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Thanks for jogging my memory Alvin!
Last week I was called in to look at the same model with exactly the same symptoms, low power, EM light coming on, EGR fault code. I checked all of the vacuum pipes and actuators. The AMM had been replaced and I concluded the exhaust must be partially blocked.I loosened off the three nuts holding the downpipe on to the manifold and took it for a spin- result! Engine pulled strongly and you could hear the turbo whistle up nicely.
Not the easiest of jobs to loosen as the securing nuts are awkward to access without a lift and one of them sheared so replacement in my case will incur removing the manifold/turbo.
Dont know why I didnt think of this yesterday when posting!!!
Andrew
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Simplicate and add lightness!!
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You did well to find it Andrew. Mine started with my friend up the road an ex Vauxhall mechanic who had to admit defeat even though he bought the proper Vauxhall reader to check it.
Local independent excellent man had it for a day and did everything you mentioned. He couldn?t understand why his reader only showed 64% to the wastegate and suspected a solenoid sensor ? to the wastegate was the cause but said he was only guessing. He only charged me £35.00 as he said how can I charge you when I don?t know the answer. Although just as I was leaving he asked me to rev it while he put his hand over the exhaust. ?Seems OK he said but I have known exhausts to be blocked.
Only wish we had gone further down this road.
Main Vauxhall dealer next who had it on the Tuesday. Rang me and said they thought it had to be the Turbo and should they replace it. I said yes of course reminding them what the independent had said. They said that yes they had the same reading but had checked the solenoid sensor and it was within Vauxhall parameters.
Rang them on the Wednesday and the manager said they were in the process of putting my old Turbo back on as the new one made no difference.
Thursday rang again and they said that at this moment your car is on its way to their sister main dealer 20 miles away as they just couldn?t figure out what the problem was.
Friday the Manager rang me and I could visualise the tears of relief as he said the other main dealer had solved it. They had disconnected the exhaust as yourself did and ran it. It had immediately revved freely.
The bill should have been nearly £1100 he said but they were dropping it to £811.00 on the instructions of the Head man who said it would be unfair to charge for all the non-productive hours spent on it.
The difference in performance was amazing as I just hadn?t noticed the gradual drop off in power.
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The car Andrew mentions is my company car...I called him in because he was well recommended by this site....with good reason.
He has indeed apparently finally got to the bottom of the problem that defeated the local Main Agent and my local independant garage who have replaced various bits at great expense without curing the problem over the last two years.
I am waiting for the replacement cat to be fitted by him but the car is already running much better.
And he's a jolly nice bloke as well as good mechanic - .
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