Calling all diesel mechanics....HELP!!!

pulliptears

As a mere girl who knows little of modern engines I'll tell you what OH told me....

We have a PT Cruiser 2.2 CRD (Diesel Mercedes Benz engine). The engine light is on and error code P0403 displays which shows as the EGR system.
We have tried Wynn's EGR cleaner this afternoon but there is no change. Seems to be an intermittent problem at present but happening more regular. Probably by coincidence it seems to have occured after filling up. The first time it stayed on for a few days then went off. We filled up again and it reappeared within 20 miles.
Car is 2004 and done 100k miles

The next step is unfortunately going to be Chrysler themselves, an expense I don't really cherish....

Any ideas?

Quinny_2

I ain't no diesel fitter, but I have owned diesel cars for more than 15 years, and from your symptoms, I would say at 100k, the egr valve has had it and needs replacing.

However, because it's registered a fault, the fault code will want removing once the new part is installed, and you'll need either an auto electrician with a code reader/remover, or you could go to Chrysler and be charged the earth. The choice is yours, but I know where I'd be going.

pulliptears

Quinny wrote: »

I ain't no diesel fitter, but I have owned diesel cars for more than 15 years, and from your symptoms, I would say at 100k, the egr valve has had it and needs replacing.

However, because it's registered a fault, the fault code will want removing once the new part is installed, and you'll need either an auto electrician with a code reader/remover, or you could go to Chrysler and be charged the earth. The choice is yours, but I know where I'd be going.

I think thats what we are leaning towards now to be honest. Problem we will have is that we are in South Wales after next week which is a fair drive from here, and while the light is on we have no turbo :mad:

Whether they can fix it before we go remains to be seen, but Im concerned if they cant are we causing any damage driving the car?

Quinny_2

The egr valve you can do yourself. Try and avoid the dealers as the cost will inevitably be more. Seek out an independent for the part, or an owners club, then ask your friends or neighbours for a good auto electrician they can recommend that can remove the fault once fitted.

Quinny_2

http://www.ukcruisers.net/suppliers.html

johnnyroper

i would fetch the egr valve off and give it a good clean with carb cleaner before going to the dealer in my experience using the stuff like wynns cannot clean it out properly when in situ.

as for the fault code even if it is logged in ecu if the fault is not actually live then the light will not come on the stored fault in memory should not cause a problem.on modern ecu's if the fault is repaired then after 40-60 fault free ignition switch on/off's it will clear the fault code in memory itself.

pulliptears

Well, just nipped over to Tesco and the light has gone off again. Blind faith and optimism is hoping that the valve cleaner has soaked in and worked. Will just have to see what happens now I guess. As an aside the central locking is now playing up! Argh!!! We had considered trading in, but we've had the car from new and its been looked after so don't really want to get rid. Just seems like as soon as we hit the 100k she decided to throw a wobbly!

Quinny, the PT Diesel is a weird engine, shoehorned into the bay to the extent there is no room for the battery (Its under the passenger seat). What would be a fairly easy job to replace on most cars tends to be a monster task on the PT. We've studied the valve and the screws and it looks like its a heck of a job

johnny, the code only displays when you turn the key 3 times, so it can stay for us. Not too bothered by that lol

Thanks for the advice guys!

Quinny_2

How have you managed to get some cleaner on it then if you can't get to it? Have you just sprayed it into the butterfly valve? If so, then that won't clean it. You need to remove it, soak it in carb cleaner, then use a toothbrush to get the crud off.

I know on Astras for example, cleaning the egr valve only gives you a temporary solution to the inevitable changing of the valve.

pulliptears

Quinny wrote: »

How have you managed to get some cleaner on it then if you can't get to it?

I know on Astras for example, cleaning the egr valve only gives you a temporary solution to the inevitable changing of the valve.

It recommended on a forum squirting the cleaner up through an intake pipe, we can reach that, its just the screws to remove it altogether that are pretty inaccessible.

A temporary solution will do for now as long as it gets us through a holiday lol. Then I guess we will face the inevitable. Half the problem is that you cant buy a Haynes for the diesel. They all deal with the Petrol model which is completely different. It makes working on it yourself quite a chore

I knew we should have had something 'normal' lol

Quinny_2

Rather than take it to the dealers, what about seeking out a local diesel specialist if you don't want to replace the egr valve yourself?

Get a costing from both of them, then decide.

Quinny_2

http://www.gwdale.co.uk/

Don't know if they're any good though.