2.0 Tdci Hesitation Problems

[renton]

hi all first post as ive just registered and i need some help.

i have a 2004 54 plate cmax 2.0tdci zetec.

the car has 112000 miles on the clock and for the 2 years ive had it has been fine.... until it started hesitating which has then got worse up until now when it cut power whilst i was accelerating from some traffic lights!!!

when it cut the power i was pressing the pedal and nothing was happening , so i managed to pull over and turn the car off and left it a minute or so, restarted and it ran ok apart from the hesitation.

i continued my journey for the next 60 miles ok , when i pulled off the motorway the engine management light came on but the car didn't cut out or anything??

the light stayed on for a day or so and then went off, the hesitation is still there though.

i have a friend with a code reader and he scanned the car and it gace one fault code p242f ????

any ideas what this is??

i had the dpf fluid refilled last year so it cant be that??

mpg has dropped to from 54mpg to around 44 mpg.

i can hear the egr valve cycling when i turn the car off too??

help!!!!!!

cheers

steve

[mintalkin]

the code points towards the dpf valve stuck open or an accumliation of ash, do you know if the valve has recycled lately,was the valve exchanged on time with the service schudle? it could be time for a new one which aint cheap.

[renton]

hi thanks for the reply!!

do you mean the egr valve??

this was replaced before i got the car at around 75000 miles i believe.

i can hear the egr valve clicking under the bonnet when i turn the car off so does this mean its working??

cheers

steve

[mintalkin]

dpf - diesel partical filter

This is taken from ford

To reach the latest Stage IV emissions legislation, diesel vehicles require a system to clean the exhaust gases before they exit the exhaust system.

This is achieved by trapping or filtering the soot particulates produced during engine combustion. A diesel particulate filter is located in the exhaust system, downstream from the catalytic converter. The soot particulates coated with fuel additive, are stored in the diesel particulate filter until they reach a pre-defined level. At this point a process known as regeneration occurs.

Regeneration requires the exhaust gasses to be increased to approximately 500°C, much higher than typically obtained during general driving. The powertrain control module (PCM) uses control of the fuel and air systems to achieve this.

Regeneration is initiated at between 300-1000 km (186-621 miles) or earlier if the engine management system dictates.

The distance is dependent on the soot accumulation, which varies with the differing drive styles.

The remaining ash particles (which is a result of the regeneration of the soot particles and fuel additive) cannot be burnt and are collected in the diesel particulate filter. The diesel particulate filter is serviced every 120,000 km (74,000 miles) or earlier depending on vehicle drive cycles

The PCM will choose the optimum time to regenerate. Under normal operating conditions the regeneration process occurs when the PCM calculates that the diesel particulate filter requires regeneration and that a number of predetermined vehicle conditions are met (i.e. coolant temp, vehicle speed & load).

The PCM will then initiate the regeneration process by the following:

closing the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)

increase the engine load

regulation of the intake temperature and pressure through the intake air shutoff throttle

additional fuel injections (post main fuel injection)

All these changes to engine behavior will increase the exhaust gas temperature. The increase in temperature will allow the soot particles and fuel additive in the diesel particulate filter to burn

[renton]

ok thanks for the info!!

at a guess i need a new dpf then .

is it just a straightforward swap or do other things need to be done at the same time which only a dealer can do??

cheers

steve

[mintalkin]

i would talk to the dealer first as the valves are not cheap to replace,it could be something connected with the valve (wiring,programming,recycling ect) and not just the valve itself,without the correct testing its hard to say.

[renton]

i would talk to the dealer first as the valves are not cheap to replace,it could be something connected with the valve (wiring,programming,recycling ect) and not just the valve itself,without the correct testing its hard to say.

thanks fo rthe reply.

i think we are getting confused here.

are you talking about the egr valve which is on the back of the engine?? if so i believe that is working fine as i can here it clicking and whining when i switch the engine off which its meant to do according to ford.

the fault code im talking about relates to a dpf filter which is located in the exhaust im led to believe , the emssions fluid is pumped into this and the gases are burnt off.

the code is saying the dpf filter is blocked.