The new news 24 thread

[SiC]

Fuel pressure rail too low 😭

Might be terminal

[SiC]

Just rolled over to 210k too!

I think this might be the end of it. 

RIP Little Soldier. 

[SiC]

Doesn't look good. Actual Vs demand dropping significantly between the three error codes logged. 

[SiC]

Fuel rail clearly not building up pressure when cranking.

Next steps would be to do a leak off test on the injectors but I'm not sure if I want to get that involved with this. To add insult to injury, the Moggie is pretty much ready to go for a drive now but the A4 fat arse is blocking it in. 

[artdjones]

1 hour ago, grogee said:

Interesting they check the dampers. Do you know how it's done, is it some sort of machine?

They put each pair of wheels on two floor plates, which are oscillated up and down, and measure the deflection allowed by each individual shock. Any imbalance above 30% fails.

[Split_Pin]

Sorry to see this man.

 

[taxi paul]

Xmas present for me. The man who has everything apparently.  Who didn't love kes and quadrophenia.  

[supermellowman]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

Fuel rail clearly not building up pressure when cranking…

 

High Pressure Fuel Pump possibly? Worth a Google and Youtube search. Expensive but probably diy-able for someone with your know-how, I’d have thought.
 

…that’s if the car is a keeper of course. It has served you well.

[worldofceri]

My brother just posted this picture on FB (without context) of his ex- @BorniteIdentity Clio.

It’s looking well and gets daily use.

[SiC]

18 minutes ago, supermellowman said:

High Pressure Fuel Pump possibly? Worth a Google and Youtube search. Expensive but probably diy-able for someone with your know-how, I’d have thought.
 

…that’s if the car is a keeper of course. It has served you well.

Almost certainly yeah. It's going to be either that or the injectors really. Fuel pressure regulator unlikely as that was changed 70k ago. Also would have expected those 3 freeze frame codes to show it not dieing off like that. 

Should pull the filter and cut it open really. 

I guess could also be an injector leaking but I haven't noticed a lot of regens recently. Leak off test will confirm or deny that likely. 

If HPFP then probably should have injectors as well if it's disintegrating internally. 

Car take back say £675. In my mind that's the budget to fix. So if it sharts itself again soon after, at least I can get a recent expenditure covered.

It's just when do you call it quits? At least this is a major enough sharting that it's a fairly easy decision. But then given I don't have much to loose, I could DIY it. 

Either way I think Mrs SiC will be getting a new car. Then if I get the A4 working, I'll sell the Fabia and use the A4 as the runaround. 

Will phone my garage tomorrow to discuss potential options with them and what they'd be prepared to do too. 

[supermellowman]

@SiCHope the diagnosis is straightforward and the prognosis not too painful (sadly, there is bound to be some pain though). Really hope it isn’t terminal from a cost perspective.

I’ve a lot of time for these - my 2008 B8 Avant is currently at 156k and has been a good servant. Would’ve been closer to 200k but for Lockdown and life in general getting in the way in the past couple of years. I’m 8 years in with it and don’t know what I’d get to replace it when the time comes.

[richardmorris]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

Fuel pressure rail too low 😭

Might be terminal

Faulty sensor or pump? 

[stuboy]

Got called out to a crew who couldn't get key to turn in the ignition, and so steering lock stuck on etc etc, and they parked outside a care home, well on way down I thought who driving it, and realised she drives the same make of vehicle as the ambulances, and off course she trying to start it, she was very embarrassed. 

[Split_Pin]

I know that the HPFP on my 75 is nearly a grand new to replace but the accepted fix is to buy a 2nd hand one for £50 and rebuild it using a kit from ebay. I believe its quite a meticulous job but worth it for the saving of around £6-700 quid. I have all the gubbins in the wings should the need arise.

Can you do something similar with the Audi (if it is indeed the pump)

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Sorry to see this man.

Thanks. Its bloody annoying especially at this time of year right when we need it. But at £4.5k 4.5 years ago and ~60k, we feel like we've got our moneys worth!

 

1 hour ago, supermellowman said:

@SiCHope the diagnosis is straightforward and the prognosis not too painful (sadly, there is bound to be some pain though). Really hope it isn’t terminal from a cost perspective.

I’ve a lot of time for these - my 2008 B8 Avant is currently at 156k and has been a good servant. Would’ve been closer to 200k but for Lockdown and life in general getting in the way in the past couple of years. I’m 8 years in with it and don’t know what I’d get to replace it when the time comes.

Yeah I'm pretty convinced its the fuel pump or injectors. 

Nothing is really inspiring, especially for what everything goes for. To get another B8 that is around 2015 vintage and 100k+, we're looking at ~8k-12k. Not only that, most are lower spec than what we have!

Tbh we are both tempted by a Civic Mk9 hatch. Honda Civic is my go to vehicle in these scenarios. Will feel bit of a downgrade when sat in it though.

 

57 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Faulty sensor or pump? 

I'd go more with the pump. If it was reading over its more likely to be the sensor. Given its reading low, I'd expect the demand from the pump to increase and thus over fueling rather than under. You can see it in the video where the pump eventually builds up enough and then coughs as it drops back down again. Admittedly a sensor is a cheap and easy part to change.

 

32 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I know that the HPFP on my 75 is nearly a grand new to replace but the accepted fix is to buy a 2nd hand one for £50 and rebuild it using a kit from ebay. I believe its quite a meticulous job but worth it for the saving of around £6-700 quid. I have all the gubbins in the wings should the need arise.

Can you do something similar with the Audi (if it is indeed the pump)

That's pretty much the next plan is to contact my local garage and see what they say. Second hand HPFP aren't £50 unfortunately - more £200-400. There is a HPFP and 4 injectors going on eBay for £400 at the moment. No idea on labour time, but say ~4hrs (iirc cambelt change time) then £200 at £50. All in would be £600. For that sort of money it'd be worth a punt.

Thing is, as you probably well understand, Mrs SiC isn't keen on a car that has blotted its copybook like this. So either way she will want something to replace it. But for £600, I'd sell the Fabia and use the A4 as a run-around instead. Replacing her car will allow us to get something that is Bristol Clean Air Zone compliant too.

We knew this day was coming and we knew it was effectively on borrowed time given the mileage. I'm most surprised how it went from flashing coil warning light but no messages on the screen (unusual for German and VAG!) to zilch in literally 2 minutes of driving and no untoward noises. You can see it in that freeze frame data where at 1630 the code first triggered (and Mrs SiC contacted me) with a low pressure, to 2 minutes later the pressure dropping even more significantly (when Mrs SiC re-contacted me to say its died). 

[Split_Pin]

Let your Mrs have a Prince engined Bini and she will re-evaluate her standards of what 'reliable' is. Nothing fazes my Mrs car-wise now!

Seriously though, there's nothing worse than your heart skipping a beat when your Mrs calls you when she's out and you wonder if she's stranded in the middle of a busy roundabout (speaking from actual experience) or its just to ask if we already have enough bread in. So her wanting a new car is understandable.

[ruffgeezer]

@SiC there is a really informative video about VAG tdis with the p0087 fault you described.

Definitely worth a look. 

 

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, taxi paul said:

Who didn't love kes

Hands off cocks! On socks.

(Sry literary ref)

[SiC]

39 minutes ago, ruffgeezer said:

@SiC there is a really informative video about VAG tdis with the p0087 fault you described.

Definitely worth a look. 

 

Interesting video, thanks. I knew a lot of it already but good to have a reminder with everything in one place and also a few numbers to test against.

I've just been out to run the pick up tank pump and the aux pump with VCDS. I can hear both running and running smooth which is a good sign they're working. Of course doesn't tell me if they're producing enough pressure though. But fuel should be getting up there at least.

I think the next step will be to take off the fuel metering valve and inspect for any metal particles. That'll be the smoking gun if it is the pump. Unfortunately he also mentions that is a common fault diagnosis!

Also want to do a leak test on the injectors. Interesting that you can also do it with a vacuum pump too. Might dig that out and give that a go too.

[SiC]

17 hours ago, SiC said:

Just rolled over to 210k too!

I think this might be the end of it. 

RIP Little Soldier. 

Took the fuel metering valve out of the High Pressure Fuel Pump.

 

Verdict?

 

No hot water at home this morning either as the boiler threw up an error code. Reset it and it's working again but it's never done it before. 🤦 

Because it's a cheap shit boiler that the last owner fitted and a unusual but old hot water water system, any failures will need a new boiler and hot water tank. 15 radiators worth of valves will need changing as they are leaking to various degrees.

When it rains, it pours. 

[Split_Pin]

Oh.

Well I suppose you could at least be glad you were able to diagnose it yourself rather than spent £££'s for a garage to have no clue.

With boilers I'd maybe look elsewhere in the system first for anything that might cause a fault with the boiler. Is there a filling loop? I need to keep an eye on that with mine as like yours my radiator valves mostly leak and the pressure needs to be kept topped up.

[louiepj]

Farewell Polo you served my son well. Bought for £750 two years ago to learn and pass in, serviced twice, the exhaust and discs & pads replaced on the front it was all going so well too until the dreaded valve guide problem started and the final nail in its coffin was the clutch failure 50 miles from home and AA recovery home.

The sh*t exhaust was his choice because yoof but was cheaper from China then a ebay pattern one.

[N19]

I never let an opportunity for a bit of naff tinsel pass me by...

[beko1987]

Does anyone have a link to some actually_genuine or at least know_alright and fucking Bright headlight bulbs? (h4 i think, for the xsara) 

Picked my mum up from the hospital, drove to theirs, took my stepdad to mk hospital then picked him up 3 hours later then back home and fuck me I couldn't see anything, even with my glasses! 

Stepdad said his eyes felt fine after his glaucoma surgery/drops but everything looked a bit darker but did I have my headlights on? 😂 Doubt he saw much worse than I did tbh. Horrible shitty misty wet night though... Got to keep the wipers on or before you know it the windscreens covered in shite but then they drag etc... 

New headlights, fresh wipers (as they've had 2 years of having to scrape near sandpaper off the windscreen in the summer with wfh and are cunted) and if I take the bumper off and do it right I'll stick fucking new sidelight bulbs, dipped bulbs and indicators in there and never have to touch it again*and maybe see at night once more... 

Saying that I probably won't drive the bastard now for months 😂 poor thing gets woken up from a slumber and thrashed down shitty crappy roads for 100 or so miles then back to slumber far too often nowadays. At least when it did 250 miles a week it kept warm. 

No black smoke though even in the dark when getting past an utter twat on the a41 sharpish so that's a win

[LightBulbFun]

16 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Does anyone have a link to some actually_genuine or at least know_alright and fucking Bright headlight bulbs? (h4 i think, for the xsara) 

problem is all H4 bulbs will have the same lumen output as its defined as part of the H4 lamp specification 

for example if you look at the lumen output of a set of Osram night breakers vs their standard range you will see its actually the same!

https://www.osram.com/ecat/NIGHT BREAKER SILVER-Halogen headlight lamps-Car lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_3043414/ZMP_4057696/

https://www.osram.com/ecat/-Halogen headlight lamps-Car lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_1057023/ZMP_61180/

 

but if your only going off road *ahem* you can get some 80W/100W lamps of the H4 form factor 

https://www.osram.com/ecat/SUPER BRIGHT PREMIUM - SUPER BRIGHT-Halogen headlight lamps-Car lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_1090070/ZMP_1066359/

just be careful they dont melt something!

[Zelandeth]

3 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

problem is all H4 bulbs will have the same lumen output as its defined as part of the H4 lamp specification 

for example if you look at the lumen output of a set of Osram night breakers vs their standard range you will see its actually the same!

https://www.osram.com/ecat/NIGHT BREAKER SILVER-Halogen headlight lamps-Car lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_3043414/ZMP_4057696/

https://www.osram.com/ecat/-Halogen headlight lamps-Car lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_1057023/ZMP_61180/

 

but if your only going off road *ahem* you can get some 80W/100W lamps of the H4 form factor 

https://www.osram.com/ecat/SUPER BRIGHT PREMIUM - SUPER BRIGHT-Halogen headlight lamps-Car lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_1090070/ZMP_1066359/

just be careful they dont melt something!

While that's true in theory, there is a vast difference between a decent H4 from a reputable source Vs the cheapest of the cheap that Halfords have bought on and stuck their own badge on.  Especially where lumen depreciation is concerned.

Folks also tend to forget that they do lose intensity over time, so just sticking a fresh set of lamps in can make a *huge* difference.

[barefoot]

7 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

problem is all H4 bulbs will have the same lumen output as its defined as part of the H4 lamp specification 

for example if you look at the lumen output of a set of Osram night breakers vs their standard range you will see its actually the same!

https://www.osram.com/ecat/NIGHT BREAKER SILVER-Halogen headlight lamps-Car lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_3043414/ZMP_4057696/

https://www.osram.com/ecat/-Halogen headlight lamps-Car lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_1057023/ZMP_61180/

 

but if your only going off road *ahem* you can get some 80W/100W lamps of the H4 form factor 

https://www.osram.com/ecat/SUPER BRIGHT PREMIUM - SUPER BRIGHT-Halogen headlight lamps-Car lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_1090070/ZMP_1066359/

just be careful they dont melt something!

Where's the link to buy the fucking things?

[beko1987]

The headlight assemblies are worth a fucking fortune so I'm not putting higher wattage bulbs in. But the post about them going shitter over time is probably it as well as their the ones that came with the car, @Talbotdid you ever make yourself bleed and change a headlight in it?

 

It's just finding a set that aren't Bosch* etc... Cheap and cheerful is fine if their decent, but it is payday today and I've not bought the car a gift yet... 

 

That's a lie actually, already bought the wiper blades

[beko1987]

Etc! I'm not plumping for the £12.99 ones, doing a whole bumper off job then finding out their a shitty clone or old crappy stock from a decade ago... 

Who knows I might even undo the 2 more bolts and have the wing off and more agressivly sort the rust out 🤔 maybe finally time to buy that cordless ferrex grinder as I have a need for another ferrex battery... 

Fuck me this headlight changing business gets expensive 😂

[LightBulbFun]

19 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

While that's true in theory, there is a vast difference between a decent H4 from a reputable source Vs the cheapest of the cheap that Halfords have bought on and stuck their own badge on.  Especially where lumen depreciation is concerned.

Folks also tend to forget that they do lose intensity over time, so just sticking a fresh set of lamps in can make a *huge* difference.

of course yeah if you get something cheap and nasty then theres no guarantee  it actually conforms to the spec! especially given the somewhat precise optical nature of a headlamp even if the filament itself is up to spec, if its not properly mounted in the bulb, then that wont do you much good etc!

13 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

The headlight assemblies are worth a fucking fortune so I'm not putting higher wattage bulbs in. But the post about them going shitter over time is probably it as well as their the ones that came with the car, @Talbotdid you ever make yourself bleed and change a headlight in it?

 

It's just finding a set that aren't Bosch* etc... Cheap and cheerful is fine if their decent, but it is payday today and I've not bought the car a gift yet... 

 

That's a lie actually, already bought the wiper blades

 

 

9 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Etc! I'm not plumping for the £12.99 ones, doing a whole bumper off job then finding out their a shitty clone or old crappy stock from a decade ago... 

Who knows I might even undo the 2 more bolts and have the wing off and more agressivly sort the rust out 🤔 maybe finally time to buy that cordless ferrex grinder as I have a need for another ferrex battery... 

Fuck me this headlight changing business gets expensive 😂

you can get a pair of standard ones for about £10!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ORIGINAL-halogen-headlamp-64193-folding-carton/dp/B000VDBZM8

I think what they are doing with the night breaker ones is, driving the filaments harder to achieve a higher colour temperature which most people will perceive as brighter since not as "yellow" as a standard bulb, and are probably "binned" to sit at the upper end of the allowed range in the H4 standard

of course this comes at the expense of lamp life, would be interesting to get some to directly take some measurements of tho! (anyone got a spare Ullbricht sphere? LOL)