P38A Limp Home Mode?

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Bix

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Yeovil
Howdy, driving the ol' bus and as I came to pull onto a roundabout I suddenly found I had no power, and no ability to rev above about 2-2.5krmp or get above 20mph.
I can only presume it is a boost related issue, but I'd have thought I'd get a EML if the turbo stopped building boost. Had a quick eyeball and can't see signs of damage boost pipes, or similar but the engine was too hot to poke around with.

Would I be right in thinking boost leak hotside would be the most likely issue? Or could I get a turbo failure that doesn't result in EML?
 
So I have done a lot of googling, checked and prodded a lot of things (Landy Zone comes up a lot, who knew?). Found an old post by Wammers who suggested unplug MAF to see if it changes performance... hey, guess who's MAF is shot?

Unplugged it, went round the block, and didn't realise how poor the performance had dropped with my old bus. But a new MAF looks to be almost 400 notes. Which is big dollars. Gotta see if there are any repair options now, because **** that!
 
So I have done a lot of googling, checked and prodded a lot of things (Landy Zone comes up a lot, who knew?). Found an old post by Wammers who suggested unplug MAF to see if it changes performance... hey, guess who's MAF is shot?

Unplugged it, went round the block, and didn't realise how poor the performance had dropped with my old bus. But a new MAF looks to be almost 400 notes. Which is big dollars. Gotta see if there are any repair options now, because **** that!
For some reason I thought yours was pre MAF,can you not pinch the one off the Bosses?
 
For some reason I thought yours was pre MAF,can you not pinch the one off the Bosses?
Mine is a transition vehicle. So came with Amber lights, and the door looms are pre update (found that the hard way, anyone need a late model drivers door loom?). But has the plastic intake, egr, and 4 wheel TC. Hers is V8 unfortunately.
 
Howdy, driving the ol' bus and as I came to pull onto a roundabout I suddenly found I had no power, and no ability to rev above about 2-2.5krmp or get above 20mph.
I can only presume it is a boost related issue, but I'd have thought I'd get a EML if the turbo stopped building boost. Had a quick eyeball and can't see signs of damage boost pipes, or similar but the engine was too hot to poke around with.

Would I be right in thinking boost leak hotside would be the most likely issue? Or could I get a turbo failure that doesn't result in EML?
My MAF went causing same fault. The great wammers explained how it all worked
Right then, on EGR equipped cars IAT is a low preset in the ECU. ECU relies on MAF for running air temp readings. Normally if you have EGR fitted but disconnect the vac pipe to EGR valve car will run normally without issue. However EGR only runs at a steady fairly lightly loaded road speeds. It does not work at idle or on acceleration or when the engine is under load. If the MAF has gone duff and is feeding crap to the ECU the ECU may think EGR is operating and prevent high load fuelling. The ECU will only allow fuel to be injected that can be cleanly burned by what it thinks is the oxygenated air present in the cylinder. If the MAF is telling the ECU the airflow has dropped as it does when EGR is active, then that will cause your problems. If you run the car with MAF disconnected in your case the preset will be used for IAT. This may slightly change fuel usage as the fine metering adjustment extrapolated from IAT/ fuel temp and engine temp will not be as fine. Fitting good MAF is best option.

I ran about 6mnths without MAF coupled until I got hold of a good working original second hand one . Tried one of the £50 chinese jobbies that was crap.
 
My MAF went causing same fault. The great wammers explained how it all worked
Right then, on EGR equipped cars IAT is a low preset in the ECU. ECU relies on MAF for running air temp readings. Normally if you have EGR fitted but disconnect the vac pipe to EGR valve car will run normally without issue. However EGR only runs at a steady fairly lightly loaded road speeds. It does not work at idle or on acceleration or when the engine is under load. If the MAF has gone duff and is feeding crap to the ECU the ECU may think EGR is operating and prevent high load fuelling. The ECU will only allow fuel to be injected that can be cleanly burned by what it thinks is the oxygenated air present in the cylinder. If the MAF is telling the ECU the airflow has dropped as it does when EGR is active, then that will cause your problems. If you run the car with MAF disconnected in your case the preset will be used for IAT. This may slightly change fuel usage as the fine metering adjustment extrapolated from IAT/ fuel temp and engine temp will not be as fine. Fitting good MAF is best option.

I ran about 6mnths without MAF coupled until I got hold of a good working original second hand one . Tried one of the £50 chinese jobbies that was crap.
I found your post from forever ago where I got the idea to unplug the MAF. Worked a treat. A second hand original unit is ordered, comes with the airbox too, which is handy as mine is held shut with zip ties.
 
I found your post from forever ago where I got the idea to unplug the MAF. Worked a treat. A second hand original unit is ordered, comes with the airbox too, which is handy as mine is held shut with zip ties.
Glad to be of service. Great tp see you are sorted Well done:):)
 
I don't have a diseasel but I do have a MAF on the V8. I thought that MAF's could be cleaned with brake cleaner and they could also be tested for their values at specific RPM with a Nanocom or similar.
I know I checked mine on my previous Rangie and could see the values change as the RPM altered. People don't reckon the cheap non OEM one's but I tried one and it worked OK. But I cleaned the original up and put that back.
 
I don't have a diseasel but I do have a MAF on the V8. I thought that MAF's could be cleaned with brake cleaner and they could also be tested for their values at specific RPM with a Nanocom or similar.
I know I checked mine on my previous Rangie and could see the values change as the RPM altered. People don't reckon the cheap non OEM one's but I tried one and it worked OK. But I cleaned the original up and put that back.
You cannot see the MAF values on the diesel.
 
So I have done a lot of googling, checked and prodded a lot of things (Landy Zone comes up a lot, who knew?). Found an old post by Wammers who suggested unplug MAF to see if it changes performance... hey, guess who's MAF is shot?

Unplugged it, went round the block, and didn't realise how poor the performance had dropped with my old bus. But a new MAF looks to be almost 400 notes. Which is big dollars. Gotta see if there are any repair options now, because **** that!
I know Otto is petrol but his MAF was cruddy.

I took the filter screen off, plugged the 4 outlets on the sensor section with cotton wool, then stood it ith the plugged end lowest in a small dish. Poured isopropyl alcohol into the MAF sensor intake point until it was brimmed (about 10ccs I think) and left it to soak / drain down.
Took the cotton wool out, let it dry over night (overkill, but no risks) put it all back together and much improved behaviour.

Low cost and worth trying - much less than £400!
 
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I had it the other day!
Engine not particularly hot, no power from pulling away??
Left it running and pulled the maf plug..
No different, reconnected and drove it, no different.
Unplugged the map sensor plug, no different, plugged it back in. No difference..
I did feel that once it passed the 2.200rpm mark it would surge into action... It did suggest to me that maybe!!!!! The fuel pump is sticking and after 230.000mls is no responding to the pedal as it should sometimes... But, it has been fine for a year or two until the other day???? I did consider a sticking turbo waste gate???
 
I had it the other day!
Engine not particularly hot, no power from pulling away??
Left it running and pulled the maf plug..
No different, reconnected and drove it, no different.
Unplugged the map sensor plug, no different, plugged it back in. No difference..
I did feel that once it passed the 2.200rpm mark it would surge into action... It did suggest to me that maybe!!!!! The fuel pump is sticking and after 230.000mls is no responding to the pedal as it should sometimes... But, it has been fine for a year or two until the other day???? I did consider a sticking turbo waste gate???
In over twelve years, mine has done that twice, never for more than a minute or two, the problem was never there long enough to diagnose. Very embarrassing pulling away from the lights:eek: I wonder about the throttle potentiometer on yours which might have been under water?
 
In over twelve years, mine has done that twice, never for more than a minute or two, the problem was never there long enough to diagnose. Very embarrassing pulling away from the lights:eek: I wonder about the throttle potentiometer on yours which might have been under water?
She's done on and off over the last three years.. Never relates to any circumstances... And as you say never long enough to get a grip of the issues!!
 
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