Wighty's E320cdi limp mode , turbo problem ?

[Wighty]

Hi Folks , just had a pleasant drive in good weather for 200 miles back from Sheffield and the Peak District . Only problem was that the car was in limp mode , a situation which has shattered my long held belief that a shiny car is a healthy car .
The problem started on the drive up , the car suddenly dropped to maximum revs of something like 1500-2000 . A quick turn off and re- start did sort it for a few minuites but it was then back in limp mode (this happened 6 weeks and 1000 miles ago , when the turn off and restart worked with no reoccurrences ) .
Reading the codes with icarsoft MB2 , showed the following code
P0244 Turbocharger/supercharger waste gate solenoid A Range/performance .
The only other dtc is an existing one I can't delete which is 2510-000 .
Probably nothing to do with this but 4 weeks ago I cleaned the exhaust back pressure sensor with spray cleaner , replaced the MAP sensor and sprayed a can of Wynns turbo cleaner through the turbo . Replaced the cars Lambda/oxygen sensor . I did all this because of the "glitch" 6 weeks ago . The car drove 2-300 miles since this with no issues .
Any areas I can look into more myself with this fault ? I was thinking the turbo actuator to look for any broken/overheated connections . There is some actuator arm movement when the engine is revved in limp mode , but I don't know if this is normal full range movement ?
The exhaust tips look a lot blacker and the mpg has dropped to late 30's for the motorway journey .

 

[Wighty]

Did a bit of tinkering , took out the back pressure sensor on the turbo as that's the last thing I touched , cleaned it with maf spray and put it back .
Did a bit of research on the p0244 code on the forum search facility and found a post by Botus about fuse F44 in the engine bay being responsible for the waste gate and shout off motor . I didn't have any spares so I swapped some around (15a ones) .
Took the car out for 15mins , drove it in sport mode and couldn't get the car back in limp mode . Only a short run so I'm not resting too much on this . I'll try a longer run tomorrow . Checked the fault codes again and the turbo related solenoid one has disappeared .
There are some other front Sam codes now presenting so I'm wondering if a 15amp fuse was faulty with a hairline crack ? I'll buy some fuses from Halfords tomorrow and swap the 4 x 15amp fuses I moved around with new ones .
I'll delete the codes then and see what comes back again after .
I may well put a 4.7ohm resistor in the swirl flap motor as well (or wait on this until I've resolved the other issues ?)

 

[Botus]

I'd try the resistor mod on the swirl flap motor.... that's the one that normally takes out that fuse... but in the link inside the turbo actuator are also known to go... quite easy to strip and look inside for continuity on each of the links

 

[Wighty]

I'd try the resistor mod on the swirl flap motor.... that's the one that normally takes out that fuse... but in the link inside the turbo actuator are also known to go... quite easy to strip and look inside for continuity on each of the links

Cheers Botus , that's my new plan for tomorrow after changing my fuses . I'll fit the resistor mod then see if the car remains code free .
I've been reading up on actuator refurb and it seems quite straight forward .

 

[onefortheroad]

what readings are you getting from the exhaust back pressure sensor. ?

 

[Larkone]

I think 2510-000 is related to a turbo positioner fault

I would take the turbo actuator off, open up and clean and lube the gears inside - they live in a hot environment so lube dries out and the electric motor bushes shed carbon over everything. Easy job, takes about 30 mins. Tip for the actuator arm circlip is to tie a piece of fishing to it so you don't have to take the engine out when you drop it. This will help - https://mbworld.org/forums/diesel-forum/667235-turbo-actuator-again.html

I did a thread on this with a recommendation on a good lube here:
http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/index.php?threads/om642-turbo-actuator.170922/#post-1652372

2000 miles on and mine is working perfectly after doing this, the best it has ever run - 140K on the clock.

While you are there check the connections from the main circuit board as these are known to fail as well.
https://mbworld.org/forums/attachme...re-regulator-positioner-signals-fault-bc1.jpg

 

[Wighty]

what readings are you getting from the exhaust back pressure sensor. ?

Not got that far yet , I'll see if I can fathom that out later with my icarsoft .

 

[onefortheroad]

Not got that far yet , I'll see if I can fathom that out later with my icarsoft .

its in the adaptive engine section iirc . or words to that effect.

when mine jammed or broke , it showed 4450 mbar . it should read somewhere around 950 to 1050 mbar.

 

[Wighty]

I think 2510-000 is related to a turbo positioner fault

I would take the turbo actuator off, open up and clean and lube the gears inside - they live in a hot environment so lube dries out and the electric motor bushes shed carbon over everything. Easy job, takes about 30 mins. Tip for the actuator arm circlip is to tie a piece of fishing to it so you don't have to take the engine out when you drop it. This will help - https://mbworld.org/forums/diesel-forum/667235-turbo-actuator-again.html

I did a thread on this with a recommendation on a good lube here:
http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/index.php?threads/om642-turbo-actuator.170922/#post-1652372

2000 miles on and mine is working perfectly after doing this, the best it has ever run - 140K on the clock.

While you are there check the connections from the main circuit board as these are known to fail as well.
https://mbworld.org/forums/attachme...re-regulator-positioner-signals-fault-bc1.jpg

Very interesting reading thanks . Looks like removing the actuator is going to feature in my upcoming work .

 

[Wighty]

Got the actuator off , here are some pics . Not sure what I should be looking for , but it is all very clean , the worm gear and the wheel look in good condition . The electrical contacts all look unburnt and intact .

 

[Wighty]

Just been watching some YouTube stuff about worn wormgear mechanisms , I checked this on mine , when I move the wheel backwards and forwards there is some movement that makes the wormgear move backwards and forwards , maybe 1-2 mm . Does anyone know if there should be no movement at all in a healthy actuator ?
I've moved the arm that's connected to the turbo and it moves freely , so I'm thinking that's ok .
Not sure on my next move , do you think as the actuator is off the car , refurb it anyway ? It's done 89k and nearly 10 years .
I've put the 4.7k resistor in the inlet port shut off motor . When I turned the car off last night there were no codes so I'm guessing that the swirl flaps were all behaving , which allows the resistor modification to go in .

 

[Larkone]

Just been watching some YouTube stuff about worn wormgear mechanisms , I checked this on mine , when I move the wheel backwards and forwards there is some movement that makes the wormgear move backwards and forwards , maybe 1-2 mm . Does anyone know if there should be no movement at all in a healthy actuator ?
I've moved the arm that's connected to the turbo and it moves freely , so I'm thinking that's ok .
Not sure on my next move , do you think as the actuator is off the car , refurb it anyway ? It's done 89k and nearly 10 years .
I've put the 4.7k resistor in the inlet port shut off motor . When I turned the car off last night there were no codes so I'm guessing that the swirl flaps were all behaving , which allows the resistor modification to go in .

Mine had a bit of play as well which I would assume helps with thermal expansion so the gears don't jam. I would put the absolute merest amount of grease of the worm drive and re-assemble, then see what happens. Now that you know how easy it is to swap I would wait until you know you still have a problem before getting it refurbed.

 

[Wighty]

Mine had a bit of play as well which I would assume helps with thermal expansion so the gears don't jam. I would put the absolute merest amount of grease of the worm drive and re-assemble, then see what happens. Now that you know how easy it is to swap I would wait until you know you still have a problem before getting it refurbed.

Did you clean yours out first with electrical cleaner spray or similar ?

 

[Botus]

View attachment 45979 .

check all the links around the circuit board that look like fuse wire.... is both ends on everyone connected.... if we pretend the designed to fail think is a myth... they vibrate loose and can be soldered back on or replaced with apaper clip....


they "vibrate" loose on ABS modules as well …. if you look on certain ABS modules one has special slime on the link wire designed to help it oxidise / corrode (but its not a designed in failure just a mishap in the manufacturing stage on just one link on every one that they made )

 

[Wighty]

check all the links around the circuit board that look like fuse wire.... is both ends on everyone connected.... if we pretend the designed to fail think is a myth... they vibrate loose and can be soldered back on or replaced with apaper clip....


they "vibrate" loose on ABS modules as well …. if you look on certain ABS modules one has special slime on the link wire designed to help it oxidise / corrode (but its not a designed in failure just a mishap in the manufacturing stage on just one link on every one that they made )

Thanks Botus , yep they all appear fixed and unbroken even with a magnifying glass . I may take the unit and ask my local turbo reconditioners if they can plug it in and test and ask if the wormgear tolerance is acceptable before I refit it .
I fitted the 4.7k resistor earlier so that's all in place just waiting on the actuator being refitted

 

[Wighty]

I'm thinking of just putting the actuator back on with a tiny bit of high temp grease on the wheel/worm and seeing how the car performs after deleting any fault codes . Any thoughts ?

 

[Larkone]

Did you clean yours out first with electrical cleaner spray or similar ?

I used a little IPA to clean the gears and get rid of carbon dust. A little high temp grease and you are good to go.

 

[Wighty]

I used a little IPA to clean the gears and get rid of carbon dust. A little high temp grease and you are good to go.

That's good to know thanks . I found a place in Romford online called London Turbos , where I can buy a refurb kit for £45 , or a reconned actuator for £96 . All good prices and it's only half hours drive so I can easily pick one up , I am reluctant to buy the whole actuator yet because I haven't had a definitive fault code yet that confirms a faulty actuator .
I had hoped that taking the actuator apart would have highlighted a definite fault or wear , but it didn't .

 

[Larkone]

^Let us know how you get on.

 

[Wighty]

what readings are you getting from the exhaust back pressure sensor. ?

In the space between the drive and the couch , it was either 1015 or 1090 and increased when I revved the engine .