First, I know very little about what im doing so responses designed for this would be appreciated! 

My car ford galaxy 1.8 tdci 2006 has been intermittently struggling to start. It might be fine for a few days then it turns over but its like the last catch just won't go. Try it again half hour later and its fine. Drives beautifully no issues at all. Glow plugs have been changed recently and tested since and fine. I took it in that garage and theyve said it started fine for them no issues. I'm at a loss with what to do as on the odd random day it just doesn't go. So ive had a look myself under the bonnet (I can do the common jobs oil/water/fuses tests etc)

Anyway I found a pipe that is just sitting there. It looks very wrong to not be connected to something. It may have nothing to do with the issue but either way I thought its worth a try in sorting it. Ive had a look in the Internet and I 'think' im looking at a solenoid for the egr?? I can see example diagrams online but I can't see on my car where this pipe should be connected. Please see pictures. Can anyone help with the exact place to connect? And is there any chance this not being connected could be causing the starting issues?

Hi,

That's very strange.  Your car seems to be missing the vacuum actuator for that pipe to connect to.

If you look at the one on this ad, you can see the round metal actuator at the back left with this right angle pipe connected to it.

https://ebay.us/m/LtP8te

For now I'd recommend blocking the end of that pipe with a large screw.  (Large enough not to get sucked into the pipe!)

Oh wow! Yes I can see that, thank you!

Ive had the egr valve replaced in late 2021 and this year the big pipe (technical term!) on the left that joins just behind the actuator. The pipe im holding appeared to have been strategically laid and squished between the wires so now im wondering if something hasn't been done correctly. 

I will dig through old photos of under the bonnet and see if it was ever there, and take your advice with the large screw. Thank you, much appreciated!

Any idea if this might cause ongoing problems with the car generally or with start up?

12 hours ago, Rowbee said:

Oh wow! Yes I can see that, thank you!

Ive had the egr valve replaced in late 2021 and this year the big pipe (technical term!) on the left that joins just behind the actuator. The pipe im holding appeared to have been strategically laid and squished between the wires so now im wondering if something hasn't been done correctly. 

I will dig through old photos of under the bonnet and see if it was ever there, and take your advice with the large screw. Thank you, much appreciated!

Any idea if this might cause ongoing problems with the car generally or with start up?

Ah, that makes sense.  The manifold on the later 1.8 TDCI did not have this actuator.  So your manifold has been replaced with the newer type.

That means there is nothing for this pipe to connect to now.  I don't think this is the cause of your start-up issues.  Vacuum leaks don't affect diesels in the same way as petrols.  But I would still block the end of the pipe just for peace of mind.

That actuator is for a throttle valve.  Basically it closes off some outside air, meaning the engine is forced to suck more EGR gas through the EGR valve instead.  I don't know why they removed it from later models but they must have decided it either wasn't having enough impact on the emissions or it wasn't reliable enough to continue using.

If it eventually starts, and the blocking of the pipe doesn't fix it,  I'd be then looking for an air leak in the fuel system.
On a version of this engine there was a plastic box (fuel heater) in the line which had a tiny crack making it difficult to start.
If there's any transparent fuel pipe (or even add a section) then bubbles are a strong indicator of a leak.
Boring question, when was the fuel filter last changed (Yawn!)

Thank you both for your responses very helpful!

Ive had a full service on the car every year for the past 10, last one in July, but ive just had a look at the service schedule and for some reason theyve put N/A next to the fuel filter this time and last time. Is this worth me looking in to?

Car has started just fine since last non start Thursday. Its so frustrating because Im really not getting anything else wrong with it, other than the dread every morning that it might be the day it doesn't go again. 

11 hours ago, Rowbee said:

Thank you both for your responses very helpful!

Ive had a full service on the car every year for the past 10, last one in July, but ive just had a look at the service schedule and for some reason theyve put N/A next to the fuel filter this time and last time. Is this worth me looking in to?

Car has started just fine since last non start Thursday. Its so frustrating because Im really not getting anything else wrong with it, other than the dread every morning that it might be the day it doesn't go again. 

Honestly it sounds more like the battery is starting to fail.  That's the sort of symptom I'd expect as the weather gets colder.

But the fuel filter is well overdue if it's never been replaced in 10 years, so yes I would get that done first.

An update on this situation and a request for any further advice as I don't know what else to do with this.

Firstly battery replaced and seemed to be charging fine. Tested with multimeter by RAC.

Car still not starting. RAC tested fuel pressure - no issues. 

Few other tests, concluded to split egr valve and lock (off/on) can't remember! Car starts perfectly no issues. So RAC diagnosed egr valve. No codes reading at this point and zero issues driving, was driving beautifully just couldn't get it to start intermittently.

Took car to garage showed RAC report and they changed egr valve. When I picked the car up I had a look under the bonnet and could see they had only done part of what I thought was the egr valve so I question this and they said all the rest was working fine it only needed the one part doing. The part they replaced had taken the RAC about 5 minutes to unscrew. I asked about that pipe I mentioned and they said, that was normal as it wasnt the type of egr valve that needed the pipe connecting. £360 down.

OK, took it away two days later it didn't start again. Called the RAC, had to prove the 'job' was done as it was so soon. Came out, split the egr valve again. Car starts just fine again and drives beautifully.

So super anxious called the garage again. Had a very difficult conversation and they said that it might be the whole thing that needed doing. They agreed they would do it for the price they said would have been the price in the first place so another £235 on top of the £360. I was a little suprised at this because I had had the whole thing apparently replaced by the same garage four years ago for £360 total. Now im questioning if it was fully replaced then. 

Anyway, fine get on with it, I need the car. I checked under the bonnet after and they have replaced the whole thing but with a part that does need that pipe plugging in to it. Its completely different to what was in there before. At this point im thinking maybe they didn't actually do the job properly four years ago..anyway just happy to get my car back in time for xmas.

On my way home the battery light comes on, this has never come on before. Checked the battery with multimeter both off ans running, i know this isn't a definitive test but reading fine 12.4 off and 14.2 running. And then I take the car for about a 40 minute drive and the battery light and engine management light come on. Car is sorted of sluggish, wont accelerate past 55mph in 4th gear.  Prior to the garage doing the egr valve I had no codes RAC checked, and absolutely no issues with the drive. Only issue had been on start. 

Have put a home code reader and getting code P0299 turbercharger/supercharger/underboost 

So I guess im back to the garage. But im now so worried about them doing anymore on the car. 

Any advice? Can this code be egr valve linked? Just want to try and have a tiny but of knowledge so I don't end up paying for something else. I feel like ive put my trust and £600 into the garage and my car is by far worse off. Ive put a put some photos below. 

The one with the arrow shows the first egr valve change after the RAC had split and locked it again. And the egr valve used in the first change.

The second picture shows the whole new part. You can see the difference from the pictures I first posted.

 

Showing 1 code

Sorry to hear you're still getting problems with this.

The sensor bolted to the top of the engine is the MAP sensor.  It's this that measures boost pressure via that tiny plastic pipe.  I would be checking that the pipe is not loose or split at all.  And that the plug is clean and tight.  (As so much work has been done in that area).

 

Also check the clamp on that large rubber elbow on the left is tight. 

If the MAP sensor is fine and the boost pipe is fine then it does look like the new EGR might be stuck open.  That type of code reader can't show Ford specific codes, so there might be some extra ones hidden.  The majority of garages don't have scanners that can read these codes either unfortunately.

Thank you so much for your quick reply. I will have a look at these and check its all been connected correctly, isn't damaged.

Car went back to the garage. 

I got a call from them saying its all sorted, easy fix, turbo sensor has been replaced and now driving fine. Battery light was on because a wire had corroded a little and they'd soldered that for me. Brilliant ready for Christmas.

I drove it out of the garage and it immediately started bunny hoping at acceleration between 20-30mph. Seemed ok at other speeds but I didn't get it over 40mph as i drove it straight back into the garage. When id took it in for the egr there had been no issues at all with the drive, just intermittently wouldn't start. Now back in to the garage forth time in 3 weeks (of which they'd had it for 3-4 days at a time) with issues that weren't there before the egr valve change. I sat and waited for them to have a look, and the guy comes out and says he needs to strip the whole car back he thinks its the turbo!! I asked if he had even looked at the egr valve and what had been done there as the issues weren't there before, there was some grunting and not much said. I explained they had the car more than me in the last 3 weeks and that there were no issues at all with driving when I bought it in the very first time, he said things can just go (which i do understand can happen but it just seemed very coincidental to me.) 

This was day before xmas eve and they told me they couldn't look at it now until new year.

Im totally flummoxed and feel like ive got no option but to run with whatever the garage is doing, but im so confused why theyre jumping to certain conclusions without checking their work so far given that none of the driving issues were there before the work was done.

They still have my car, and having no mechanical knowledge feels like I have very few options and the car is old and not really worth continuing to spend out on. 

Is there anything you can suggest I ask the garage to look at regarding the egr valve that might cause the bunny hopping, is this something that a new but faulty valve or badly fitted valve might cause?

Hi,

Sadly it's very difficult to suggest anything without being able to check the current fault codes.  Garages often don't take kindly to 'suggestions' either.

As these use an electronic EGR valve, they may need the software to be reset so the ECU learns the valve position correctly.  I can't remember seeing anyone need to do it on this engine though, only the 1.6 TDCI.

If you had the car at home we would recommend using Forscan to check for Ford specific fault codes as well as checking for the option to reset the EGR values.  I wouldn't expect the garage to have Forscan though.

I think you are stuck having to go along with the garage for now, but replacing the turbo will be an expensive job and one which I'm really not convinced is required.  Hopefully they can do some more cheap testing.  If they insist on replacing the turbo then I think I'd take the car home, saying you'll have to consider your options due to the cost of such a large job.  You can then either get Forscan and follow the above suggestions, or try to sell or part ex for another car, if you've got the finances to do that.

Thank you, really appreciate your response and advice. I will wait for an update from the garage, and go from there. 

15 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

You can then either get Forscan

To me, this is THE way to go as otherwise you are in the hands of the garage "thinking" (without real evidence) that its's the turbo or the rear wiper or  whatever.
Forscan (free software) plus the correct lead or Bluetooth app for your phone - perhaps better if you only want to read codes  ($11) + adapter may be around £30 in total. Likely 1/2 hr of garage labour?
The adapter/lead can be used with any car (with generic or other software) but Forscan is THE source of specific Ford info and can monitor and record live data which is the next step after codes - really worth learning and there are loads of tutorials on You Tube.
Ask if you want the details.