Failed vacuum hose?

[Bren]

Our vectra has on several occasions illuminated the spanner light and suffered an alarming loss of power. Always above 60 mph and when accelerating in top.

 

If you pull over, switch off and leave for a few minutes car is back to normal.

 

As it is not an EML light no fault codes are stored - could it be a failed vacuum hose?

 

Obviously if I have a collapsed hose with no visible faults then it may be something more sinister - turbo not working correctly?

 

Opinions?

[Bren]

Forgot to add it did it again tonight - on the steep bit of the A55 near St Asaph when I was going uphill. Not pleasant as the kids were with me - I felt like Dennis Weaver in duel.I ended up in the slow lane at 40 mph in 4th.

 

Want to get it sorted now before it comes unstuck.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Don't think it will be a hose- the light signifies an electrical fault.  Have you tried for any codes?  I'm sure the spanner light and engine management light can both come on independently, for different things.

[SiC]

What are you reading the codes with?

[Bren]

I was led to believe the spnner does not always signify a failure - it evebln says in the handbook it may come on occasionally!

[pshome]

had he very same symptoms on Mrs. pshome Zafira. Showering the accelererator pedal pot in WD 40 cured it.

[Rusty_Rocket]

The spanner does/ can mean a fault.  I had a 2005 Corsa that illuminated the spanner light only; I read the codes and it said fault with engine management light circuit !!!  (which functioned perfectly...)

I recommend OP-COM if you don't already have it.

[Bren]

I have had a garage check but could find no faults - but they may have not used the OP COM.

[Kiltox]

Needs a proper fault code reader on it - opcom, tech2 or Delphi ds150 will do it

[wuvvum]

When my old DTI Vectra FTP'd (turned out to be a dodgy crank sensor in the end), the AA contractor's code reader couldn't find any faults.  Seems the more generalised code readers sometimes struggle to communicate with diesels.

[Dave_Q]

What engine? 1.9cdti?

 

If so i think the turbo is vacuum actuated, leaks can cause over boost which would make it limp for safety.

 

As vac hose is so cheap I would get a couple of metres and replace it all anyway.

[Lacquer Peel]

V6 CDTI time bomb I believe.

[Bren]

A very kind member of vectra c forum came and connected opcom to the car. The following codes were stored -

PO301 Cyl 1 misfire present

PO235 Boost pressure control circuit negative deviation

P1900 Diesel particulate filter overloaded

 

All have been erased abd have not appeared with the engine running - however the proof will be once the car goes for a run.

 

Another anomaly was acvording to the data battery voltage was 6.9 V at tickover - I will check with my meter tomorrow.

[SiC]

Sounds like a error on the op-com live value. At 6.9v all the systems will be throwing warnings and I'd be surprised if the engine was even able to run.

 

Boost pressure control error sounds like a split/pinhole/perished vac pipe from the bottom control valve to the turbo. Or from vac pump to boost control valve.

 

Get some silicone pipe length from eBay and replace the lot. Cheers enough to buy and (usually) easy to do. While you're on eBay, get an op-com too.

[Guest Hooli]

Negative boost is a good trick, is your turbo running backwards?

[Bren]

Negative boost is a good trick, is your turbo running backwards?

Yes - it has made in Italy stamped on it

[bigfella2]

Going by the middle fault code, I would wager that the vnt mech of the turbo is full of carbon and can't operate correctly putting it in limp home mode. That's if it has a vnt mechanism though.

[Guest Hooli]

Yes - it has made in Italy stamped on it

 

Makes sense it happens halfway along the trip too.

[bigfella2]

Thinking about it a bit more, the third code is indicating that the dpf is full of carbon too, same as the turbo. I reckon the car has done plenty of short journeys and not much on motorway, or has been driven like miss daisy, I,e not taken to red line to burn carbon off.

[Bren]

To be fair the car has seen plenty of motorway action since we bought it - it has regen'd a few times and I put dpf cleaner through it.If it is'nt pissing down I will look tomorrow.

[bigfella2]

I could be wrong as it's a modern derv so could be a multitude things that it could be. If you have any dpf cleaner left I would try that as it may burn carbon off in turbo if that's the problem.

[Bren]

Bit of an update

No split hoses - no chafed wires.

Sprayed some Egr cleaner in and took car for a blast.

At 3000 rpm in 4th gear spanner light came on.

I think the turbo is at fault.

Not sure what to do now - I could spray snake oil through it but I would imagine only a replacement turbo will cure it completely.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Do you think the VNT part of the turbo is sticking?  There are quite a few fixes for this problem out there, it's common on Alfas, VAG, all of them really.  I've heard people filling the housing with Mr Muscle! with good results..

Do a good search, it doesn't automatically mean complete turbo replacement.

 

For example- http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/un-sticking-your-tdi-vnt-turbo-vanes.107121/

[Bren]

Yes I will give it a whirl.

[Bren]

 

I willhabe to remove the exhaust side of the turbo and put the cleaner in from there as I cannot see any other way of doing it - putting it in the inlet side seems pointless.

[Noel Tidybeard]

i know one of the guys on the primevil forum spent alot of time on his turbot

the vnt gets sooted up and what can help is if you can get pliers on the control rod and try moving it in/out you can break the soot up enough for the vnt vanes to operate

 

the car may be putting light on when going into limp mode so the turbot doesn't overspeed whilst in low pressure mode- this is what kills alot of vnt turbos

 

why do they soot up? cos people think they need to be driven like miss daisy all the time

[SiC]

Some installations seems to be worse than others. Golf Mk5 seem especially prone to sooting up, no matter how they've been driven. Yet the 1.9ctdi in the Vectra/Saab doesn't seem to have the problem of turbos sooting up - just the EGRs!

[Pillock]

I'd still be concerned about the DPF error code, that needs sorting. If it's clogged, you'll get loads of back pressure at high revs

[Guest Hooli]

I'd still be concerned about the DPF error code, that needs sorting. If it's clogged, you'll get loads of back pressure at high revs

 

That could be stalling the turbo & causing the other issues.

 

 

Years ago I bent the exhaust of a Disco around the back axle when failing a hill climb. It'd boost for a couple of seconds & then bog right down as the gasses couldn't get out. Might be a less extreme version of the same thing?

[bigfella2]

I don't know know how you will get on using Mr muscle with the dpf, I don't know if it will damage it or not. Your quite lucky that the lever for the vnt is so easy to get to, if you disconnect the vacuum hose off the actuator then try and move the vnt but don't force it, then atleast you'll know if that's your problem or not.