[Engine] "Antipollution Faulty" - Engine stalling - EGR faulty?

[OliverMy]

Hello everyone.

I'm sorry.. this is a looong one... as I feel like the details that I will include, is important to give a thorough understanding of my issues.

So thank you in advance 

I got the following symptoms with my Berlingo on September 20 - maybe you can help me figure out how to react…

It’s a Citroën Berlingo B9 Multispace, 2008, 1.6 HDi (90 Hp), 220500 km.
Error codes: P0490, P1459, P0401

My friend borrowed the car on Sep 20.. she drove 1 km. and the engine stopped and the display on the dash told the message “Antipollution Faulty”.


She turned the key and started the car again, drove about 10 meters and then the same thing happened. Then drove again for 10 meters.. same thing.. 5 more meters same thing.. 0 meters - same thing - and then I wouldn’t even turn on the engine. She called me.. I arrived after 15 mins.. she turned on the car and drove for maybe 400 meters.. engine shutdown.. turned it on after 2 mins.. drove 100 meters engine shutdown.. engine start - 30 meters shutdown.. 10 meters shutdown.. you get the picture. Luckily we were now 100 meters from my home, so we were able to push the car to the parking lot.

4 days later I drove the car to the local workshop 1 km, with no issues/symptoms. They took it out for a 30 min drive (at 60 km/h max) and got no messages on the dash. They also connected a data machine and pulled out the following codes P0490, P1459, P0401.

After this I drove back home.. 1 km.. no problems.. I was a little confused If I should use the car as I used to or not. 3 days after, on October 2, I decided to go on a blueberry harvest trip. The car was going with no problems until 3-4 km. Then the same procedure happened as it did with my friend in the beginning...
the following video shows the last time I tried before my friend Nikolai came to rescue and towed me back home.

https://youtube.com/shorts/mVutrnsy_Qs?feature=share

The car haven’t been out driving since then. The local workshop told me that they will not take it in for a repair. The closest workshop is 20 mins away (80 km/h) through literally the worlds longest car tunnel, the Lærdal Tunnel (it’s 25 km!) and the risk of stalling in the middle of the tunnel isn’t quite appealing.

And at the moment I’m really stubborn about sorting out this problem myself…

So this is where I’ve gotten to by now…

As I can read from the failure codes, it seems like I got an issue with the EGR valve or the air suction system.

I’ve searched the internet for numerous articles and youtube videos on EGR valves and the failure codes, but I just can’t figure out what to do next…

I’ve checked the air filter and it looks alright.

I’ve have pulled the upper part of the EGR-valve off...





These pictures show how rust have formed inside the upper electronic part..

   

   


The “lower part” is attached to the intercooler with a band clamp that it seems I need a special tool to remove(?). Also it seems quite difficult to even get to the EGR and get it out - has any of you performed this or believe that it’s possible without removing the engine block?

In this video I'm trying to show how the valve is moving.. this is after I cleaned it a bit. The pictures below show how it was looking just after pulling it apart.

https://youtu.be/TBv_nXTLk-M


   

   

   


Or could it be something with the MAF-sensor? It’s clean and not clogged, but could it be something electrical? How can I test this?
What about the DPF? Could it be clogged? The length of my trips in the last 30-40 days before first breakdown, has not been satisfying for a diesel engine (oops)… mostly 1 km trips at around 40 km/h and a few 15-20 mins trips around 60-70 km/h. I didn’t see any black smoke from the exhaust though.
How can I tell if my DPF is performing correctly?
The turbo seems alright as well - at the least the propeller-thing is not noteworthy loose and there’s no oil or carbon slag etc..

Hmm..

I feel like removing and changing the EGR valve with a new one, but as I’ve got several error codes (P0490, P1459, P0401) I’m not sure if the EGR is the real problem and worth the trouble to change??

Could it narrow in something, If I blank off the EGR and go for a drive for 30-60 mins and see if any symptoms show? If there’s then no problems with the engine and no symptoms showing - what could be the problem then?

It’s really busting out my brains this one!

I hope that this is not too confusing to you - having ADHD I'm not that good at structuring posts like this.

Anyway.. thank you for reading this far



I’ve got some more pictures of the EGR, clamp, turbo.. will upload those in the next post..

[OliverMy]

EGR valve details
   


Band clamp connecting EGR and intercooler
   


Turbo propeller
   


EGR connecting pins
   


EGR upper part before cleaning
   

[saskak]

I really read your story with real interest. Just before the pandemic we had a short holiday in Norway (Tromso) and it was spectacular, but these tunnels...man... they are something else. I would not want to be stuck in one of these.

Now, the EGR, in general it should not give you a stalled engine or shut down. Nevertheless, this EGR valve is not looking good. The shaft (pin) where you tried to move it should be freely moving, yours is rather stuck. If I were you I would try to remove the clamp with a screwdriver, but it is difficult. The one end is curved like an eagle toenail, cannot describe it better (better be viewed here: https://youtu.be/GdsexBbxW44?t=556). I tried to do it with a screwdriver but it did not work. If you really praise it from the side opposite the front of the engine might work. Like lever it on the clamp itself. I bet it will be coked inside and that is why the pin at the top is not moving at all. There is a special clic-r type pliers that can undo these (e.g. Draper 89791), I only have an amazon (UK) link, sorry: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000PJ8GX4
If you can take it out replace it with this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MEG7NQF

If you cannot order the tool, at the end of the day you can spray carb cleaner or EGR cleaner on top, where the pin is and hope that it will leak down in the main chamber and disolve some carbon (maybe). I cannot help with the DPF, mine does not have one and I have not spent much time checking it out. If it is completely blocked I suspect it will cut out. You could try cleaning the DPF (if it has one).

Apart from removing it, cleaning it and trying it out, there might be some fuel related problems with the shutting down or maybe the DPF is completely blocked.

Let us know how you get on with the EGR and the rest. All the best of luck.

[kingy1912]

We had similar issues on a 60 plate but it don’t cut out as often as your and did a lot more stuttering before it did cut out. When we read the codes there was MAF sensor and EGR value codes. I checked the MAF and it was dirty so replaced it as the electrics were rusty. Once we replace it a lot of the stuttering stopped and very little issues with starting but still depollution warning on the screen. Eventually I just got the garage to strip the EGR and the electrics as well as the mechanical end were looking very very unwell.

Eventually it was decided to replace it and while it wasn’t cheap it completely
Solve all our issues. Not sure about yours having a DPF but my 2010 model does not have one only a cat.