Off Topic What's wrong with my van ? 😢

[Nicskb]

I need some advice. We had a new turbo fitted in our van about two months ago. It was working great up until yesterday. The same problems are accuring. A rough idle, doesn't have very good acceleration and check engine light. We are really upset. We have paid out a lot of money for a new turbo. I don't want to take it back to the same mechanics because it took him about three months to fit the turbo.

 

[Anthony489]

Hi and welcome.

Please read the "Welcome to the Ducato Section". Nobody can diagnose things properly unless you give the year, engine type etc.

The turbo does little or nothing to performance at idle, so there may be a fault elsewhere.

 

[Nicskb]

Hello thanks, It's a 2012 150 multijet engine

 

[ngowans]

Friend here just to add to this. We have a P0238 turbo pressure sensor low error on the ODB2.

We originally took it to a garage to be diagnosed for this same P0238 fault and he said it was the turbo, we waited 3 months for the work to be done and paid out £1400, when we got it back it naturally had a dead battery so we had to replace that. (It was nearly 10 years old anyway) then we tested it and all seemed well. We drove it on and off for a couple of months. Then yesterday we took it out to go camping and half way down the M1 the error came back. There was no power and it was feeling very sluggish, like the turbo wasn't doing anything at all. I assume it put itself into a safe mode to avoid damaging itself. It still drove and started without issue, but had difficulty getting over 50-60mph

 

[mikefitz406]

P0238 fault may not be the turbo itself or turbo pipework but associated sensor, actuator, or even wiring and connetor issues.
Find a mechanic/ garage you have confidence in to diagnose the problem.
The pressure converter mounted centrally high in the engine bay can cause problems. Its easy and inexpensive to replace.

Mike

 

[Nicskb]

Thanks

 

[Anthony489]

Hi again

The generic P0238 error code means that the ECU is being told that there is high boost pressure for more than a couple of seconds at a time when high boost is not being demanded. This could mean:

1.) The boost is genuinely too high due to a fault in the turbo (e.g. wastegate inoperative)
2.) The boost pressure sensor is faulty
3.) The boost pressure sensor connectors and wiring are faulty.

Fiat may have chosen a subtly different meaning for the P0238 code. Also, if you have a professional code reader you may be able to read additional code subdivisions e.g. P0238-XX where the 2 digit number XX indicates the fault in more detail. Overboost has the potential to cause engine damage, so your vehicle is likely to be set in reduced power or "limp home" mode until the fault is cleared.

It's possible that the original fault was not with the turbo, but with something else intermittent which has returned. Unfortunately this area of repair is pretty specialised and I cannot recommend DIY. However, there are some basic checks you can do which may save time. Check the wiring and connectors to the sensors on the turbo and engine, looking for anything loose, corroded or damp. Check the wiring looms for any signs of damage or chafing.

Unlike the lower powered models, the Ducato 150 HP uses a Variable Nozzle Turbo (VNT) aslo called a "Variable Geometry Turbo". This includes an actuator that mechanically changes the internal configuration, this actuator is in turn controlled by a variable vacuum. If the small diameter rubber vacuum hoses are faulty/split/dropped off then it will not work properly, so carefully check all of these hoses and bend them to look for splits and cracks especially near their ends. The variable vacuum is generated by a solenoid valve unit under electronic control from the ECU. This is a small unit with a multiway electrical connector plus several thin hoses. It's possible that this solenoid valve is faulty.

If you do decide to get a specialist to look at this, I recommend finding a workshop that has the service contract for Ducato ambulances, of which there are hundreds on the road. They will be dealing with these vans day in and day out, and this experience will often more than compensate for their higher labour rate by shortening the time taken to find a fault.

See this video for more about VNT Turbos:

Good Luck