Hi all,
I really hope you can help me, I've been having a long running problem with my 1.4HDi 16V for the past few months now and nobdoy seems to have any clue what is wrong with it:
Symptoms:
I get this problem very intermittently and seemingly randomly about 2-3 times per week:
Driving along as normal, there is a very distinct and severe loss of power (undoubtedly no fuel being injected). The car stutters badly for 1-2 secs and then resumes as normal. Sometimes it happens again within a few minutes, other times it can go for days with no re-occurance of the problem.
When this happens it will often cancel cruise (when set on the motorway), and the car occasionally stalls when coming up to junctions and the clutch is depressed.
The car does it under both light and heavy acceleration, hot or cold engine.
Whatever the problem is, it is having a bizarre effect on other systems. Last week it did the usual stutter but instead of recovering as normal, it lost all turbo boost, the power steering didn't work and the rev counter needle disappeared!!! I managed to drive it home and out of interest, when i got there I turned the ignition off and back on again and everything was back to normal!!! No fault code stored.
Yesterday, I had the same brief cut in power which lasted a second or so but then the oil pressure warning light came on and the car drove as normal. A quick pull over to the side of the road to turn ignition on and off and all is well again.
No ECU lights are lit on the dash and Citroen say they cannot find any codes stored. They (randomly it seems) changed the throttle pot assy on the pedal but this has made no difference.
I'm now at my wits end with the thing - Citroen obviously have no idea what's wrong and it's so intermittent anyway they can never actually witness the problem when they test drive it.
If anybody could shed any light on this it would be most appreciated?
Edited by Pugugly on 09/03/2008 at 16:33
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ph
Those symptoms have all the hallmarks of a main power distribution fault. The exact cause will only be traceable by careful legwork; but it could be anything from a poor connexion on a battery terminal outwards.
Corroded fuse links/fuses; faulty fusebox; loose earth; wire break; ignition switch; power-feed relays - all sorts. Only a focussed and through check of the whole distribution circuitry up to the point that the affected items diverge will find it - not a job for some snotty-nosed kid who can just about fit a brake disc.
If the dealers haven't got an in-house auto-electrician; then consider taking it to LSUK or a Bosch auto-electric franchise.
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Yeh, I think I agree - it does sound like something horribly difficult to diagnose like that.
I was going to try changing the AFM, the EGR valve and the cam and crank position sensors just out of hope really (and the fact that i know they go wrong quite a bit on the HDi). But it's a bit of a long shot to be honest, I would have expected a fault code if any of them had gone iffy?
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ph
The trademark of a power feed fault is that it doesn't leave a code unless there are parallel feeds to allow the contemporaneous recognition and storing of such a code.
It's a bit like a sudden loss of consciousness - you don't recall what happened during the blackout.
The self-diagnosis systems on these are detailed and sophisticated; a fault with any of the items that you mention would be instantly noticed. [And they don't often go wrong anyway.]
The first place that experience would lead me is the engine-bay 8-way Maxi fusebox, just beneath fusebox 1 - as the end two [7+8] are prime candidates. A loose feed terminal connexion on these distribution boxes is not unknown.
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Many thanks, I'm an electronics engineer by background so I completely understand where you are coming from. I will inspect the areas that you suggest and will get back with my findings.
Thanks again for all your help.
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Hi all, it's been a while since I was last on here so i wanted to let you know what the problem was with my car cutting out and hesitating randomly. The answer was...
The EGR valve.
I can only imagine it was sticking open allowing too much gas to recirc. Blocked it off with a bung and problem instantly went away. I need to get around to changing (or cleaning) the valve at some point but I don't see this as a critical component and the car runs just fine with it bunged.
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ph
Thanks for coming back with the outcome; I still can't see how an EGR valve could cause all those disparate effects without leaving a code - but a result is a result, so nice going.
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Yeh I agree, but it is absolutely confirmed. Remove the bung and it just dies at seemingly random moments for a split second then springs back into life. Then you can go another few mins or a full day before it happens again. Been bunged for the last 2 months now and not a problem.
Never had an ECU light on and main dealer was clueless. One for the records I think.
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Pink fluffy dice!! The problem is back - over a year since last reported. Exactly same symptoms. Recirc valve is still disconnected. Thought it must just be a connection around that area that i was distubing but been back around them all - disconnected and reconnected several times, sprayed contact cleaner everywhere. Just the same. Tried a new AFM - just the same. No codes stroed, no light on the dash.
It went beserk yesterday - massive hesistation then lots of smoke out the back. Rev counter not working and lost power steering. Pulled over, turned ignition off and back on again.. all cured for another 3 days.
Driving me mad.
{please take a moment to read the no swearing policy}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 19/08/2009 at 19:30
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Nightmare. Mine had a similar problem which was traced to a 'faulty vacuum valve' at the rear of the engine. Thats all I can say. good luck sir!
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Do you found solution? my engine do the same thing!
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To check if it is a major power failure you could connect a meter to the cigar lighter so you can see it while you are driving and look at it when the fault occurs.
I also was an electronics engineer for 50 years but I only just thought of that!
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