(T) Multijet - loss of power after cold start

My 2004 Multijet also has been cutting out just after setting off, usually after heavy rain. Usually after a minute it starts again, runs a little lumpy for a few minutes, then is fine again, but today it died and stayed dead for 20 minutes. I needed to be at a family meeting, so I drove 20km there, and 3 hours later 20km back before having chance to have a look at it, which I thought would have given time for any water to have evaporated. Apparently not, or there must have been a lot of water to begin with!
I thought I'd post a few pictures of my progress.

Pic 1:
Removed 3 screws from top of air filter housing

Pic 2:
Not a good start - thin strip of rubber at bottom of filter is wet (this is the 'out' side of the filter)

Pic 3:
Remove the 2 bolts on the MAF (pictured)

Pic 4:
More bad news - The view of the connection between the MAF and the air filter. I'm sure this bit should be dry...

Pic 5:
Remove the jubilee-type clip to disconnect the MAF

Pic 6:
Pipe on the other side of the MAF. Yes, it's wet in here too, and doesn't that bit go straight to the engine?

Pic 7:
The MAF itself - glistening nicely at the bottom where it's wet.

I think I'll have a trip to my local garage (really good, friendly small family business!) and see what he reckons as to solutions, but I'd also like to hear if any more knowledgeable people think that this would be responsible for the cutting out?

While I was busy, I had a look at the ECU connectors which some people have had bother with. When I (finally) got the connectors off, they were dry, but I thought I'd take a few step-by-step pictures to save other hopeless amateurs such as myself a few minutes.

I am trying to work out how the water is getting in, its unlikely it is sucking it in and the water would clog the filter rather than settle in the pipe.

do you think it might be condensation on the inside of the airbox as the engine heats and cools?

I wouldn't say it was condensation, due to it only being bad after rain - but I agree that it's unlikely to be sucking it in. My money's on one (or more) of the seals leaking.

I think it might be either the seal on the top of the air filter cover (it was wet on the rubber inside, but after the filter), or maybe the MAF-air filter housing connection.

Last week I had the turbo pressure sensor replaced, which involved the whole air filter housing being removed, and I wonder if one of the seals was incorrectly aligned when it was replaced, letting the water in?

Does anyone know what, if any, damage a bit of water in the engine would do? Or would it just make it a pain to start?

I'd imagine it would be the same to some extent as if you put petrol in a diesel car.

When mine was last in for the same problem they asked if I'd put petrol in the car by mistake. Which of course I hadn't. But if water is getting into the engine via the airbox, then I'm guessing that would have the same effect as petrol being put in by mistake. Although I'm about as techy as a goldfish, so I'm only guessing.

Mine starts perfectly, just dies a few minutes after.

Update on this problem (for my car).

Took it into Vospers at Truro, Cornwall last week to fit the modified airbox/gasket.

It was already fitted at the factory so didnt have to have it done, and the airbox was dry as a bone inside.

They disconnected and greased all connections, reconnected. Then found that the car was running on an old version of the ECU software, which they updated.

I have to say the software update seems to have cured the following problems

1. Car disappears in a cloud of blue exhaust smoke when started up.
2. Loss of power.
3. Bad mpg
4. Engine sounds like tractor when running
5. Poor accelleration
6. Steering goes.

As for the main fault of loss of power and crawling along at 5mph with the eventual loss of steering, so far this hasn't manifested itself again, although it's early days, the fault was intermittent and the car could go for weeks or even months before it happens again, touch wood so far so good on this one.

If it does happen again I'll repost here.

So I 'think' the new software update seems to have done the trick, it certainly runs and feels 100% better.

As for mpg, it is slightly better, but still only getting on average, 55mpg (7,400 miles), when some are getting 59mpg on far less mileage, hopefully this will improve on mine as the engine runs in more as some are a lot tighter than others for some reason and take longer to run in.

So with Panda's with the new airbox fitted and still experiencing the loss of power fault with no error codes, it could just be that the ECU software wants updating.

Hopefully this info might help some of you with newer MJs

just a quick message for trimdoner,cheers mate for the wd40 trick.my 56 multijet was going into get you home mode after driving a few hundred yards down the road then picking up gradually untill full power after a couple of mins then ok for a few days untill it done it again,all leads off and spayed first with cleaner then wd40 plus cleaner on maf sensor,not a problem since,,,,,,,,touch wood

'hairyjim'...your nearest dealer can fit a new redesigned filter and gasket to stop your problem.

I'm glad it's sorted your problem - mine's been more than a year now since any problems: planks of wood firmly attached to both arms to facilitate touching

[quote=pulhamdown;1671857] Oh well at least Arnold Clark Perth manage to maintain their “We can’t fix it” record . Just wait until they adopt their "couldn't care less" attitude... but heres the bill anyway!

Thanks for the info! I'll pop in to him next week and ask about it.
Since I took it apart I haven't had any more problems, but I suspect that's got more to do with it being dry than anything I might have done myself...

I'll post an update after I've been to see the garage.

[QUOTE=TJ07 Oh well at least Arnold Clark Perth manage to maintain their “We can’t fix it” record . Just wait until they adopt their "couldn't care less" attitude... but heres the bill anyway![/QUOTE]

Yes, Arnold Clark certainly take some beating! I bought a second hand Kia Sorento recently from an Arnold Clark branch in Dundee. I only bought it there because it was exactly the right colour/spec/condition. It had been MOT`d the day before I collected it, but one of the handbrake cables was completely seized. Also, they`d stamped the service book for the 40,000 mile service. This is a major service costing around £400 at a Kia dealer. When I asked the quickfit dept that had serviced the car, I was told they`d done the oil and filter. Quality Arnold!!