Car in Limp Home Mode - error codes?

[RBH]

I've made that mod, found on this forum (thanks), red LED connected to heated driver mirror. Very usefull, I don't miss any auto regen now. On mine, when regenarating, the idle is around 1200RPM, instant fuel consumption around 3,5l/100 (I'm in France) plus cooling fan on plus sometimes strong heat smell . It made me afraid the first time I had to deal with that.
I hardly use the car but it makes an auto regen may be once a month. Never seen it on motorway (?)

I did this mod years ago and it's extremely worthwhile.

But then I took the plunge, gutted the DPF and blanked of the EGR.
Then remapped them off the the car.
I don't need to worry any more.

[Jetcolour]

LED fitted mod definitely worth it. My previous car was a 2.0CDTI Astra. No warning lights on dash for regens. Had to have it reset/forced regen a couple of times before fitting. After fitting, never missed it wanting to regen and didn't block up again.

[Hogweed]

Well, looks like I’ve screwed myself royally by going to the main dealer. The insurance company seems OK about paying the claim, but will only pay labour up to £40 an hour – but the Vauxhall agent wants £140 an hour! I mean, I knew they’d be dearer than a garage, but naively had no idea it would be obscene.
Anyway, here’s the result of their diagnostics:

1. P0402 and P0404 stored in engine – requires EGR valve and gasket first. Also requires software update on engine after repair. Advise customer on possible further issues due to carbon etc.
2. Oil life 40%. Requires service after DPF regeneration due to oil dilution. Minor service.
3. Requires inlet manifold with gaskets due to coolant leak.
4. Requires DPF reset, learn and regeneration first due to carbon issues.

Costs:

1. Parts £255; labour £490; total + VAT £894
2. Parts £91; labour £280; total + VAT £446
3. Parts £366; labour £350; total + VAT £860

Total £2200

They also wanted to charge me for a timing belt, though it was done last year, about 12000 miles ago. Seems they didn’t know how to read a service book.

Obviously I’m not going to pay for all this, as I’m neither rich nor insane… but not sure what to do next. I suppose I could take it to my friendly neighbourhood garage, pay HIM to check it over again, hopefully agree with what they’ve found, and get him to do the work…

Any helpful comments very welcome

[Formalhaut]

Hi.
You didn't previously mention it was loosing coolant. Does it? If not, you'd better forget part 3.
Did it go again into limp mode?
£446 for a blemish oil change sounds veeeery expensive to me. Change it by yourself and spare at least more than £400.
May be you could first buy a good EGR and DPF cleaner to be put in the tank and follow the cleaning procedure. It helps.
Is your scanning tool able to clear the codes? If yes, clear them and try again a bit later after cleaning.
And if you are to spend money, find a good code reader able to command a forced DPF regeneration.
For the regen warning LED, tutorial is here: https://insignia-drivers.uk/forum/in...all#post362397.

[Hogweed]

Hi.
You didn't previously mention it was loosing coolant. Does it? If not, you'd better forget part 3.
Did it go again into limp mode?
£446 for a blemish oil change sounds veeeery expensive to me. Change it by yourself and spare at least more than £400.
May be you could first buy a good EGR and DPF cleaner to be put in the tank and follow the cleaning procedure. It helps.
Is your scanning tool able to clear the codes? If yes, clear them and try again a bit later after cleaning.
And if you are to spend money, find a good code reader able to command a forced DPF regeneration.
For the regen warning LED, tutorial is here: https://insignia-drivers.uk/forum/in...all#post362397.

Thanks... no, I wasn't aware it was losing coolant. But why would I forget Part 3? Sorry, don't understand...

No, it hasn't "limped" since.

Yes, the main dealer's prices are obscene. But my extended warranty should pay most of it I think. I'm not going to do any work myself - don't really have the confidence any more

I read the Warning LED article with great interest, yes. Maybe I'll have a go, but fingers aren't as steady as they used to be, nor eyes as good with close up things...

[Formalhaut]

Thanks... no, I wasn't aware it was losing coolant. But why would I forget Part 3? Sorry, don't understand...

..

Because if there is no coolant loss, there's no leak and then no need to replace the inlet manifold, part 3. You spare £860.

[Hogweed]

Because if there is no coolant loss, there's no leak and then no need to replace the inlet manifold, part 3. You spare £860.

Ah right, sorry, I see what you mean. Thanks

[lizzard-t]

My question to you would be can you do simple levels checks if so check the oil level.from cold.
If the level is higher than max and it has a smell of diesel then it has not been regenerating .if the oil level is fine then discount the need for a forced regen and oil and filter change.
I would at the nearest minimum get someone to remove the EGR and clean it thoroughly.
Also remove and clean the MAF and MAP Sensors.
And give the throttle body a clean.
Remove the battery terminals for half an hour then re-connect.clear down the codes and start the car and allow to idle for 10 mins.
Then take for a bit of a spirited drive.
And see how it goes.
Putting additives into your tank will not clean a sooted up EGR .
As for the coolant leak.
If yours is a 170 BHP diesel then the inlet manifold is known for cracking around cylinder number 1 bolt hole.
So it maybe a leak that could be unnoticeable due to heat .
But a cheaper garage is required.

[Hogweed]

My question to you would be can you do simple levels checks if so check the oil level.from cold.
If the level is higher than max and it has a smell of diesel then it has not been regenerating .if the oil level is fine then discount the need for a forced regen and oil and filter change.
I would at the nearest minimum get someone to remove the EGR and clean it thoroughly.
Also remove and clean the MAF and MAP Sensors.
And give the throttle body a clean.
Remove the battery terminals for half an hour then re-connect.clear down the codes and start the car and allow to idle for 10 mins.
Then take for a bit of a spirited drive.
And see how it goes.
Putting additives into your tank will not clean a sooted up EGR .
As for the coolant leak.
If yours is a 170 BHP diesel then the inlet manifold is known for cracking around cylinder number 1 bolt hole.
So it maybe a leak that could be unnoticeable due to heat .
But a cheaper garage is required.

OK will check the oil tomorrow. Sadly my days of taking things apart and cleaning them etc are over, so it's a question of how best to use the garages. Everyone except the main dealer is booked up for a month.

I did disconnect the battery and thrash it - seems OK so far.

No point in my trying to check the codes - my little cheapo scanner gave a list of 10, but the main dealer's dedicated Vauxhall machine only found two, both pertaining to the EGR.

Mine's the 163 bhp diesel {edit - or is it 163PS...?} - not sure if that's the same as the 170??

I don't see any fluid dripping anywhere, and the header looks at about the kind of level I'd expect, so if there is a leak I'm thinking maybe a seep rather than a dribble... but you can't really see the manifold. Well, I can't anyway!

I COULD maybe take it to my normal garage - my extended warranty would cover most of his labour, which is £50 an hour rather than £140 for the main dealer! But I'd have to go through the process of getting him to work with the warranty company etc, and probably wait 3 weeks till he could do anything.

So not easy, really.

But thanks a lot for your advice

[Hogweed]

You didn't previously mention it was loosing coolant. Does it? If not, you'd better forget part 3.
Did it go again into limp mode?

I can't see a coolant leak, the header has got a lot in it - but I can't see the manifold at all, so can't be sure.

And if my engine is the kind Lizzard mentions above, and is known for cracking the manifold, the main dealer will doubtless know that too, and maybe saw a small leak at that point.

Too many unknowns for poor old me to get my head round!

[Hogweed]

If the level is higher than max and it has a smell of diesel then it has not been regenerating .if the oil level is fine then discount the need for a forced regen and oil and filter change.

Well I couldn't see the level clearly with my little torch, so will check properly tomorrow.

It definitely didn't smell of diesel though - just that usual oil smell!

PS as the motor has EGR fault codes stored, do you think the EGR sticking would be enough to put her into Limp Home Mode?

P0402 - EGR Excessive Flow
P0404 - EGR circuit range / performance

[lizzard-t]

Yes it would put it in limp mode.
That's why I say get someone to remove it and clean it thoroughly also the map maf and throttle body.its a diesel so carbon is going to build up.and it's advisable to clean these items as part of regular maintenance.
As long as the oil level is ok and no smell of diesel then ignore the oil dilution and oil and filter change.
Combined we have already saved you £1500 .

[G!zzard1533]

There was a recent thread with issue for EGR valve. If your warranty company will pay for it and your local guy is willing to work along side them (usually just booking the right hours for the job and few more bits of paperwork) I’d get him to remove and clean the EGR, then clear codes and go from there. If it comes back or if the EGR is too badly sooted up. Sometimes it’s easier to just replace - which is maybe what you warranty company will have him do to save potentially revisiting the job

[Hogweed]

There was a recent thread with issue for EGR valve. If your warranty company will pay for it and your local guy is willing to work along side them (usually just booking the right hours for the job and few more bits of paperwork) I’d get him to remove and clean the EGR, then clear codes and go from there. If it comes back or if the EGR is too badly sooted up. Sometimes it’s easier to just replace - which is maybe what you warranty company will have him do to save potentially revisiting the job

Thanks, Lizzard and Gizzard

I don't know if you could get a mechanic (even an ageing one like mine) to dismantle and clean things nowadays, though I can ask. I think, as the main dealer diag report says that the EGR needs to be replaced, they'll agree to it, so why not...

Only thing is now, my man is away on holiday, so first date I could book the motor in was Nov 6th... Still, that'll give me a couple of weeks to see how she goes - she's been fine since ger Sunday thrash...

[Hogweed]

I did this mod years ago and it's extremely worthwhile.

But then I took the plunge, gutted the DPF and blanked of the EGR.
Then remapped them off the the car.
I don't need to worry any more.

While I'm waiting for the car to go in to my local man (next Wed), I've been mulling over this sort of thing... we routinely blanked off the EGRs in the Rover 75s, but their ECUs didn't seem to know about that, so no remapping required there. But it might be worth considering in the future, if I could get somebody to do it for me...

Questions though:

1. If you remove the DPF, does the MOT not pick that up in the emissions test? We don't have it here in NI yet, but it's coming...
2. My car's supposed to "need" a software upgrade - would that overwrite the new map, or is that a completely different thing?

Thanks