Limp mode?

Defender 2.4 TDCI 2008 100,000 miles. Driving home yesterday and after about 5 miles suffered a sudden loss of power but continued to drive and sounded OK. Struggling to go up the slightest incline without changing down to 3rd. Had a google last night and I guess it went into limp mode which I understand suggests the engine management system detected a malfunction somewhere?.

This morning I went for a short drive and full power is restored. I am driving 15 miles this morning and am wondering whether the problem will return - will report later.

I am also wondering whether as the vehicle is OK this morning this eliminates any faults of a permanent nature.

You will have realised by now engineering is not my area of expertees and in due course the vehicle will be delivered to someone who hopefully knows what they are doing but I am interested in what may be wrong and if it is simple enough fix I could have a look at it myself.

Thanks

Mike

Could be an over boost because the waste gate is sticking. When you turned of the engine the ECU resets and as long as the waste gate does not stick again all will be ok.
If it repeats search freeing the waste gate this subject is covered widely.
Tim

Would getting a 'Hawkeye' help ?

Thanks for replies. No problem at all today. If it happens again I will have a look at the waste gate. No idea what a Hawkeye is?

Mike

No point in looking at the waste gate. It hasn't got one. The turbo has a variable vane system.

Sorry not waste gate but actuator incorrect naming of the control.
Checkout part No 752406 6NW 009 206.
This control's the VV system on the 2.4 engine. It can have either mechanical or electrical faults causing the turbo to over boost causing a limp home mode untill the ECU is reset by switching off. the ingnition and restarting the engine

Sometime last year I posted some info on the turbo and potential faults, worth a read. Its in a thread titled Turbo Overboost Code, in the Engines section of the forum. In the TDCi sub forum. About halfway down the first page. HTH.

mike56 said:

Thanks for replies. -. No idea what a Hawkeye is?
Mike

Click to expand...

A 'Hawkeye' is an ODBII reader (On Board Diagnostics). You plug it into your ODB port (looks like a scart plug) and it tells you (on the Hawkeye) what is wrong (faults), what was wrong (latched/memorised faults) and allows you to clear them. When your car went into 'limp' mode the fault (that triggered the limp) will be stored in your cars memory and using Hawkeye you can see what it was .....
There are other makes NANOCOM for example ...

Thanks for additional replies/advice.

Mentioned this to a pal of mine and he suggested the turbo might be full of crap and I should go and buy some turbo cleaner and then drive the vehicle at 100mph to clean the turbo.

Reasonable suggestion?

Mike

mike56 said:

Thanks for additional replies/advice.

Mentioned this to a pal of mine and he suggested the turbo might be full of crap and I should go and buy some turbo cleaner and then drive the vehicle at 100mph to clean the turbo.

Reasonable suggestion?

Mike

Click to expand...

I have a big aversion to magic potions and snake oil. Do you really want to risk washing crap into your engine and drive it at 100mph?? At this stage you don't know if the turbo is at fault. miktdish suggestion to get a diagnostics tool plugged in is your starting point. Write down all the fault codes which appear and then clear them (some faults may have been logged months or years ago). Wait until a fault reoccurs and record the fault code, and follow a systematic investigation focused on the area identified. Faults can occur in the engine management system, in a faulty sensor, or (in my experience) the management system and sensors are doing their job and the fault may be physical.

Whilst I agree that overboost is a possible, and maybe probable cause of limp mode - I would really expect the MIL, AKA "money light" to come on at the same time - no MIL light and issues could be fuel related ( lack of - I.E. blocked filter etc * ) ... or quite a few other things ....

* or even low fuel !

Thus, best advice, IMO, if this repeats is diagnostics - there are many different ones to choose from, and my experience of Hawkeye would lead me in a different direction...

A search on here, or the web in general should advise you on the "best" for your vehicle...

mike56 said:

Mentioned this to a pal of mine and he suggested the turbo might be full of crap and I should go and buy some turbo cleaner and then drive the vehicle at 100mph to clean the turbo.
Reasonable suggestion?
Mike

Click to expand...

Sh*te idea spouted from the mouth of a complete tosser with no more of an idea than pi55ing in the wind.
If he's you pal i'd hate to think what someone who doesn't like you suggests.
Is he the sort of bloke that wears drainpipe jeans, brightly coloured socks and TShirts-n-Jackets with SUPERDRY written on them or is he more the pin stripe sweat pant and shiny football shirt type ?

miktdish said:

Sh*te idea spouted from the mouth of a complete tosser with no more of an idea than pi55ing in the wind.
If he's you pal i'd hate to think
what someone who doesn't like you suggests.
Is he the sort of bloke that wears drainpipe jeans, brightly coloured socks and TShirts-n-Jackets with SUPERDRY written on them or is he more the pin stripe sweat pant and shiny football shirt type ?

Click to expand...

Miktdish
Why don't you say it as it is instead of sitting on the fence. Go on chap say what you really think.
By the way I do agree the advice way poor with little change of succeeding in curing the issue more chance or inviting damage.
Tim

Thanks all for your replies, All pretty clear to me now. DO NOT clean the turbo with snake oil unless you are intent on knackering the engine. At the moment all is well, the fault has not re -occurred but if it does the way to go is to have the problem properly diagnosed.

Mike

Just to add my 2 penneth, had similar issue with my 2008 puma a while ago and changing the MAF sensor cured my problem!