Peugeot Mystery

[agardener]

Any helpful suggestions please with an intermittent problem. The engine management warning light comes on and goes off intermittently on my pug 2001 306 2.0 HDi. No pattern or predictability. When it's on the engine goes into 'limp home' mode otherwise no other detectable effect. Assuming a fuel problem based on a dio PO22 message, so far the engine fuel pump filter has been cleaned out and the fuel pressure regulator replaced without solving the problem. I guess wear in the pump is suspect but that's an expensive replacement. Any other ideas?

[=rizla=]

Where are you getting the fuel problem from?, according to google http://www.car-ii-codes.com/p0022-peugeot.html P0022 refers to Camshaft Position A Timing Over-Retarded Bank 2

[agardener]

Sorry rizla, my mistake, must be the booze or I'm just losing my marbles. Message was actually PO230.

[=rizla=]

Could it be the electrical 'lifter' pump in the tank (if it has one), you say you've cleaned the fuel pump filter, i'd change the main fuel filter as well, and inspect the inside of the old filter for any metal fillings etc that coul dindicate a failing pump.

Whilst no truling it out i would have thought a failed main fuel pump would be more permenant and not inntermittant.

Could you try to 'nail down' when it occurs, and see if you can reproduce it on demand. Ie high load/low load, high/low gears, cornering, braking etc etc.

Also if you turn the engine off then back on again straight away does the mil light/limp home mode disapear?

[agardener]

Thanks for that rizla.
This problem has existed for several weeks, on and off. During that time we have not been able to identify any pattern or cause and effect, and believe me we have tried!
When the light has lit and the engine gone into limp mode, turning it off and restarting (sometimes immediately, sometimes after several minutes) has also sometimes ended the limp mode but not always and the light usually stays lit.
I take your point about the tank pump, it would be worth checking, although checking the filter on the engine pump revealed very little, not enough to suggest that was the obvious answer. I have had a tank pump fail on another 306 2.0 HDi I had, but that was a complete failure that stopped the engine dead.
One other idea might be a fault in the EMU, we have yet to have that checked.

[Psybbo]

We were told something to do with the engine management system. It happened to us the week we were trading it in but the garage wasn't worried about it. It happened to son's Peugeot too, worryingly on the motorway. Now we both have Hondas

[=rizla=]

I'm guessing you are using a 'home type' obd2 reader?, these dont show all codes, just the generic ones, i had a ford tdci that shut off at 3k rpm without fail, under load/no load etc, but would restart straight away. My obd2 reader couldnt find a fault, a mechanics snap on obd2 reader couldnt either, so i went to a more specialist guy who had £000's worth of electronic diagnostic kit and instantly they had the fault code (crank shaft position sensor).

So far as not being able to reproduce on demand, i would have thought that would point to an electrical type issue more than mechanical.

[TWR]

Has the car just been serviced? If so, by who? has the derv filter been checked for air getting in, Eg/ the rubber seal? I had a problem a while back with a 405 Derv, it turned out to be the Electric FUEL CUT OFF SWITCH on the pump body.

[agardener]

Thanks for all your answers.
You're right about the reader rizla so I might consider a specialist though I can't afford to be spending lots of dosh on an old car.
Thanks also Psybbo and TWR, I've now got a nice little list of ideas we can pursue so at least we are not now facing the blank wall.
Cheers

[=rizla=]

FYI

The specialist (wasnt car specific, just diagnostic) cost me £70 and a cup of tea, they spend longer drinking the tea than doing the diagnostic!!, but at £15 for the replacement sensor and 1hr of my time to fit it was £70 well spent.

As TWR says could well be air getting in, also look for fuel leaks, however small , the tdci we had used to go into limp home mode with a fuel type ecu code but only at higher revs/high load in 6th, we traded it in but my best guess was one of the injectors was failing (it was damp), one of the numerous 'common' faults on those cars.