MAF Sensor or Turbo?

[XIIVVX]

Here is the story.

Mrs XIIVVX's venerable Citroen C3, just six years old and on its way to 170,000 has lost power. It's really flabby (Bear in mind hers is the 92bhp turbo diesel which ladles bucketfuls of torque onto that 92 neddies and doesn't hang around whilst delivering its legendary 62mpg.

Tame spannerman gets loads of error codes, changes MAF sensor, restores normal performance (he says) for a few minutes and then it goes flat again.

Nothing he can do to clear the codes and another MAF sensor doesn't even get a momentary improvement.

So we give up and go to a Citroen dealer who clears all the error codes takes it for a drive from which it returns with 'Permanent fault on turbo' code

He then downloads new software to the ECU and retests. Code PO238 'airflow at turbo too low'

"Requires new turbo to rectify this fault - that'll be £1529 please"

Spannerman's view is that ECU software was corrupt, fed too high voltage to the two new MAF sensors burning them out. "Don't replace the turbo, it won't fix the problem'

Comments?

 

[DradusContact]

How about:

+

I kid!

So if you cant replace the turbo, what does he suggest? You must be able to source a new turbo, nay, a new engine for less than that.

 

[Dal]

Now Citroen have reset the ECU, might another MAF be worth a try? Certainly got to be a cheaper option than a new turbo.

"Airflow too low" says to me it's either not sensing what's there, or there is a genuine restriction to the airflow? I know it sounds daft, but the filter is ok?

 

[XIIVVX]

The trouble is that to get another MAF sensor will add £120 odd quid to the costs with no guarantee of success. When you consider that a recon turbo can be had for under £300 you can see the problem.

I am assuming the filter is OK since the car was serviced by my mechanic at the same time and he is both good and thorough.

 

[DradusContact]

What did you do with the other maff sensors you had, the second one for example?

 

[XIIVVX]

MAF sensor 1 binned
MAF sensor 2 returned to factor
MAF sensor 3 fitted

 

[DradusContact]

How about trying another sensor now the ECU has been done, and if not that send it back.

Or my first, pictoral suggestion?

 

[yippeekiay]

When you drive it there isn't any 'wooshing' sound is there when you give the throttle some welly???.

My mates Mondeo was pig slow and was wooshing when under strain and after a good coat of looking at he found a very small split in a pipe from the intercooler (I think that's what he said). Anyway, a new pipe fitted for c£50 and car was good as new.

I'm probably a mile away but hope I'm not as it's a much cheaper diagnosis than the £1500 one...lol

 

[XIIVVX]

Dal / Dradus were right!

My mechanic, the one that looked after #296, arrived at the house on Friday just as Mrs XIIVVX and I were about to leave for the frozen North.

"I'm not going to be beaten. I've talked the factors into giving me another MAF sensor. Give me the keys and I'll do something over the weekend"

He fitted the sensor and the car is nearly back to normal. No charge.

His suggestion is that some ECU glitch was feeding incorrect voltage to the MAF and burnt them out. The dealers upgraded the software in the ECU and now the MAF is doing its job.

The future plan.

1) Write a nice letter to the MD of Duxford Citroen suggesting that the 'diagnostic' that concluded we needed to spend £1500 on a new turbo was pretty wide of the mark and would he care to refund the £69 he charged for it? Not a hope in hell I'd guess.. but equally has to be done.

2) Look seriously at 1.4 diesel Tigra and chop the C3 in before anything else goes wrong.

 

[Dal]

Glad you got it sorted Rob

So the original car had an ECU fault that they cleared when they re-flashed it? Surely there is some recompense due there..

It does make you wonder about main dealers sometimes doesn't it.

Like the time my "stop gap" mondeo wasn't revving. I took it to Ford in Royston and without taking it for a run the "Technician" said it was the Cat that needed replacement at about £280. Funny that it had only just had a new Cat fitted 2 months previous. Turned out to be a block in the exhaust. £80 fixed it.