- Joined
- Sep 16, 2004
- Messages
- 1,145
- Location
- Leven, Fife / Northampton
- Car
- 2006 320 CDI Avantgarde . 1997 312d Sprinter
Hi,
I came back home to Northampton on Sunday from Scotland. At about the 300 mile mark ( of 400 miles ) the EML came on ( Engine Management Light ) the car would not accelerate very well and the rev limit was 3000...... it was in limp home mode. The normal 47+ mpg had also deteriorated to the low 40's, which had earlier think something was not quite right. Fortunately, 2000 revs on the big six is 70 ish, so no problem in nursing it home for the last 100 miles.
Also very fortunately, I had brought home the Icarsoft diagnostic and later in the afternoon I plugged it in and pulled out a couple of codes, that, inferred there was a problem with the EGR Valve. As much else as I did on Sunday was to look on You tube for guidance in getting the valve off and cleaned.
Monday, I pulled off the engine covers, located the valve, and after warming up the engine, managed to get it out without too much difficulty. I cleaned up that which I thought was the culprit, but no one seemed to have mentioned to pry off the plastic cover ( use 4 terminal screwdrivers to lift up the clips) and this revealed the mess of caked on soot in the actuating arm and cam. The top of the plastic cover was also caked inside with packed soot. The car is now at 254000 miles, I had never serviced this and I see no mention in any of the paperwork I have, that this has ever been taken off, so no wonder it was well sooted up.
The next photo shows everything cleaned out and the valve springing back as it comes off of the cam, as it should do. I put everything back together started it up and the EML was out and it revved up freely. Has not done that for a long time.
I noted on the EGR Valve that there is a tiny hole that goes into the plastic cover, enough room to prod a plastic tube you would find on a can of spray, just to check for any soot build up in there.
Perhaps if you have a high miler and the EGR Valve has never been touched, then i t might be an idea to spend an hour to clean it out.
I have not run the car yet on any journey, but assume my handy work has cured the fault. The best news is ------it was my time only, so no cost, and once again the Icarsoft diagnostic saves another £50 plus Vat.
Not only but also ... when I got back home there was a severe rattling noise from the o/s rear. I had this problem on the old 300TD, ....cause was exhaust shield broken away, and when I managed to have a look underneath, a previous bodge with some P40 had broken and the shield was rattling. My temporary cure now, as was then for the 300TD, is using one of the dogs tennis balls, that he finds in the bushes near the tennis courts in the park. (He has a remarkable ability to sniff these out when they are quite buried in the bushes. In he goes, disappears and re appears with a ball in his mouth, as pleased as punch. So you get a photo of the ball wedging the exhaust shield off of the silencer, perhaps I ought patent this idea !. I will in time of course create a proper repair.
Having yet again dropped a socket down into the depths of the undertray, and really did not want to start removing it all, I strapped a Magnetic Pickup Tool to the end of a piece of Aluminium rod at 90 degrees and managed to fish out the hidden socket using a twist and turn action. Another + result.
Steve
I came back home to Northampton on Sunday from Scotland. At about the 300 mile mark ( of 400 miles ) the EML came on ( Engine Management Light ) the car would not accelerate very well and the rev limit was 3000...... it was in limp home mode. The normal 47+ mpg had also deteriorated to the low 40's, which had earlier think something was not quite right. Fortunately, 2000 revs on the big six is 70 ish, so no problem in nursing it home for the last 100 miles.
Also very fortunately, I had brought home the Icarsoft diagnostic and later in the afternoon I plugged it in and pulled out a couple of codes, that, inferred there was a problem with the EGR Valve. As much else as I did on Sunday was to look on You tube for guidance in getting the valve off and cleaned.
Monday, I pulled off the engine covers, located the valve, and after warming up the engine, managed to get it out without too much difficulty. I cleaned up that which I thought was the culprit, but no one seemed to have mentioned to pry off the plastic cover ( use 4 terminal screwdrivers to lift up the clips) and this revealed the mess of caked on soot in the actuating arm and cam. The top of the plastic cover was also caked inside with packed soot. The car is now at 254000 miles, I had never serviced this and I see no mention in any of the paperwork I have, that this has ever been taken off, so no wonder it was well sooted up.
The next photo shows everything cleaned out and the valve springing back as it comes off of the cam, as it should do. I put everything back together started it up and the EML was out and it revved up freely. Has not done that for a long time.
I noted on the EGR Valve that there is a tiny hole that goes into the plastic cover, enough room to prod a plastic tube you would find on a can of spray, just to check for any soot build up in there.
Perhaps if you have a high miler and the EGR Valve has never been touched, then i t might be an idea to spend an hour to clean it out.
I have not run the car yet on any journey, but assume my handy work has cured the fault. The best news is ------it was my time only, so no cost, and once again the Icarsoft diagnostic saves another £50 plus Vat.
Not only but also ... when I got back home there was a severe rattling noise from the o/s rear. I had this problem on the old 300TD, ....cause was exhaust shield broken away, and when I managed to have a look underneath, a previous bodge with some P40 had broken and the shield was rattling. My temporary cure now, as was then for the 300TD, is using one of the dogs tennis balls, that he finds in the bushes near the tennis courts in the park. (He has a remarkable ability to sniff these out when they are quite buried in the bushes. In he goes, disappears and re appears with a ball in his mouth, as pleased as punch. So you get a photo of the ball wedging the exhaust shield off of the silencer, perhaps I ought patent this idea !. I will in time of course create a proper repair.
Having yet again dropped a socket down into the depths of the undertray, and really did not want to start removing it all, I strapped a Magnetic Pickup Tool to the end of a piece of Aluminium rod at 90 degrees and managed to fish out the hidden socket using a twist and turn action. Another + result.
Steve
