Turbo Solenoid Valve For Citroen C4 1.6Hdi - P0238

[arak81]

Hi guys,

 

I am having some fault code which is P0238 related with turbo solenoid valve. I have decided to change it. so few days ago I bought one USED but working order from ebay and the Part no engraved on it is 96.607.758.80. Since i have it replaced i am having engine light on with associate fault code P0238 more than the solenoid valve i had originally. The Solenoid valve i had originally is 96.525.701.80. And i checked the part diagram using my VIN number and found the Solenoid Valve part number is 96.529.975.80.

I bought this car second hand.. so i don't have any idea whether the original keeper changed the solenoid valve or not.

 

So my question is should i have to stick with the part number or it doesn't matter.

[paul.h]

I do not know about the part numbers but maybe the connecting pipe is not in good condition and has a split or hole in it. You could try the old solenoid to see if it goes back to the previous frequency of the fault.

[coastline taxis]

It makes quite a difference as it relates to the boost pressure for the turbo. If it open to early/late it will put the engine light on

[arak81]

I bought a Brand new Solenoid Valve today bought by using citroen part diagram number and it also gave me engine light on with same fault code and I didn't even go to motorway. so it was worse too..I am asking the mechanic to put the original one back..then I will see if it gives me fault code less often or not.

[arak81]

I've changed back the original solenoid valve..but still same...but previously it was not like that....paul.h, do u have any idea what could be the wrong!

I have cleaned up EGR valve evebthough it was already clean..I have changed new Solenoid valve but it worsen the problem..sooo upsetting..I shouldn't have touched the solenoid..but previously another mechanic toke it off and put it back on and problem wasn't this much..but now the engine light cones on within 5minutes of driving.

[paul.h]

I would check all the hoses connecting the various sensors for any splits/holes, particularly where they connect to the sensors. If there are any, this could reduce the vacuum in the system and possibly give the fault. First check the one to the solenoid valve since this has been disturbed a few times now.

 

Internet searches suggest trying to fix P0238 is not easy.

[arak81]

I am fade up now..problem one after another. ..i have just sorted clutch kit and flywheel...now fault code  p1351 and p0238. .p0238 was very intermittent problem before. now within five minutes of driving or if i press accelerator to hard engine light on straight away. mechanic said he checked the cable and hoses and they seem all right and he suggested TURBO CLEANING.. what else it could be! Gosh....I feel like i bite the bullet to take it to citroen main dealer.. but those people are butcher...Last time they quoted me £400 to fix tailgate wiring loom which i had done just for £30.

could anyone suggest me what else I can do..

[arak81]

Can it be software updating issue? how much it might cost me to update citroen software?

[coastline taxis]

start with a vacum gauge and see what pressure you have  also do as paul says and check rubber pipes and wires 1st.

[arak81]

Todays outcome of the mission to garages:

 

Garage no 1: visually checked everything and used their diagnostic tool to do diagnostic which brought the same code as i had P0238 and they came to the decision that Solenoid Valve is faulty.. i told them I have changed couple of them but nothing changed...he then said buy from the main dealer. sometimes car's ecu doesn't recognise after market electric part.

 

Garage no 2: The guy also put the car on the ramp and visually inspected underneath and didn't find any wrong. As i explained him that the fault code became worse since the last mechanic put the new solenoid valve. then he disconnected the electric cable from the solenoid and started the car..there was no engine light..REMEMBER SOLENOID VALVE WAS NOT CONNECTED. Well, then he said problem is not with solenoid valve...and not with any hose or cable as the car runs with no power loss. So its wiring problem and he has no expertise skills for this electrical job.

 

Garage no 3: Man put his computer and i have seen it was Lexia diagnostic program...he checked everything..the air intake flow..solenoid valve's pressure etc and he said that everything is  working fine including turbo. But i noticed, Injector was not responding for the diagnostic  he tried few times to get the test result for injector but it came with question mark next to injector. he didn't tell me anything about injector though. but finally he said  wiring is the problem as lexia saying.....something about short of circui.. i can't recall. he asked me to leave the car tomorrow morning with him and he will be able to test wiring one by one . finger crossed this man will sort this problem out and by the way, he said he was a peugeot man.

[arak81]

Finally garage 3 has sorted this problem (fault code P0238) out. :) I left the car with him to check the wiring. he said there was a short of wiring and it was touching something which throws the fault code to the dash. he drove quite a while. i drove and tried many ways to bring the fault code back, but it didn't come back. finger crossed its sorted. Now i have to go to motorway for a long journey to see if its really gone or not. but so far i am very happy.. this man is genius.. I have just wasted money to buy Solenoid valve. :(

[paul.h]

Fingers crossed the problem is now fixed and you do not have any more whilst you keep the car.

[arak81]

Fault code P1351 is still exist though. i mean all the fault codes were erased but this one is keep coming back although engine light is not on. I hope this one is not related with P0238 and it will not bring it back.

[paul.h]

Unless you are having starting problems, I would be tempted to ignore the P1351 fault and you have already done the obvious thing of replacing the glow plugs.

[arak81]

Fingers crossed the problem is now fixed and you do not have any more whilst you keep the car.

Aah God...I thought problem was fixed (P0238), but alas its  not. Still i get this fault code but less frequent. ...I think its somehow related with injector as i know one of my injector is not working and its out of the slot. i will not bother with it anymore as performance wise there is no problem with it.

[paul.h]

Like you, I think I would also be tempted to live with the fault code unless it got worse. In this topic it seemed to be fixed by cleaning the egr valve but you have already done this http://www.citroenpicasso.org.uk/picasso/index.php/topic/22082-fault-codes-p0238-and-p1351-16-hdi/page-2

[arak81]

Oh God! fault code p0238 doesn't want to leave me. since a week this code is keep coming back. Just to refresh the memory guys, this fault code used to pop up whenever i used to go motorway. stays few starting (minimum 5 stating) then go off. there was no loss of power or nothing.

I am just wondering why the hell it is coming..one of the guy said when DPF gets stuck this code pops up..but according to the fault code list p0238 is not related with DPF blocking...DPF blocking fault code should be different..I changed solenoid valve, turbo booster sensor, cleaned egr valve even though it was clean already. still this code pops up occasionally. I wish if i knew what causing this fault code to pops up i would love my car and do some upgrading. but alas, no one knows.  

[arak81]

Hi Paul,

 

I have got someone to check my car with Laxia..he checked air flow and everything and they all were correct. then when he checked Particle filter he said dpf is getting blocked and it needs cleaning..other thing is my pat fluid was empty one year ago.. i topped up with 1ltr...but on the list it says i still have 3000ml in the tank. could you have a look paul.h the attached picture and see what should i do.

Edited January 16, 2017 by arak81

[paul.h]

The PAT (eolys) fluid should last about 25k miles for a litre so you probably do not need to worry about it running out yet. The amount it shows in the tank is not an actual level measurement but a calculation on the number of diesel refills and should reduce each time you fill up.

 

- possibly the magnets in the filler cap or the switch that senses it are not there/working to tell the ecu you have filled the tank up with diesel. If so this would not tell the car to inject the fluid in to the diesel tank which would gradually let the DPF block up - I would think the Lexia would be able to tell you if this is working - or maybe you could remove the filler cap and start the engine and see if you get a message to say the filler is open - our C5 gives a message but I am not sure about the C4.

- the DPF could be blocked up due to many short trips so that the DPF does not get a chance to regenerate.

- It could be the fluid injector is not working - I think it is possible to test this with the Lexia.

 

Looking at the values on the Lexia:

- the coolant temperature at 79°C is low, should be about 90°C unless the engine has not had time to warm up

- the particle filter inlet / outlet pressure difference is 0 mbar - this suggests the dpf is not blocked, maybe it needs to be checked with a higher rpm or possibly the sensor/piping/connections are not right

[Rookie2]

Hi arak81

I dont know what sort of driving is the norm for you, but these engines do not like slow start stop town driving. It may do you a bit of good to get out onto a motorway in 3rd gear at high revs for a few miles and get that dpf hot, it does it the world of good and you will notice the difference afterwards. If you can get onto Lexia you can force a regeneration but your engine has to be in tip top condition before doing it that way as the computer takes over control of your engine and it is, at times, quite frightening how hard and for how long the computer high revs the engine. Takes a bit of courage but well worth it.

[arak81]

The PAT (eolys) fluid should last about 25k miles for a litre so you probably do not need to worry about it running out yet. The amount it shows in the tank is not an actual level measurement but a calculation on the number of diesel refills and should reduce each time you fill up.

 

- possibly the magnets in the filler cap or the switch that senses it are not there/working to tell the ecu you have filled the tank up with diesel. If so this would not tell the car to inject the fluid in to the diesel tank which would gradually let the DPF block up - I would think the Lexia would be able to tell you if this is working - or maybe you could remove the filler cap and start the engine and see if you get a message to say the filler is open - our C5 gives a message but I am not sure about the C4.

- the DPF could be blocked up due to many short trips so that the DPF does not get a chance to regenerate.

- It could be the fluid injector is not working - I think it is possible to test this with the Lexia.

 

Looking at the values on the Lexia:

- the coolant temperature at 79°C is low, should be about 90°C unless the engine has not had time to warm up

- the particle filter inlet / outlet pressure difference is 0 mbar - this suggests the dpf is not blocked, maybe it needs to be checked with a higher rpm or possibly the sensor/piping/connections are not right

I had a fault code relating filer cap about 11months ago and filler cap has been replaced, since then no filler cap fault code appears...so assume it is working ok..but still i will manage to test it if i can buy a laxia 3 ( i saw them for £48 on ebay)

i had fault code of PAT fluid being empty 14 months ago...we topped up with 1 litre only and literally the tank was empty. since then i have already driven 11k.

in the laxia reading shows fluid additive remaining 3000ml which is really absurd and no way even close to near.

I drove a frozen car for 5mintes to take it to the guy today to run the diagnostic, hence the coolant temp was 79 degrees

Particle filter shoot load 81%.. does it not mean that 81% is blocked?

 

To Rookie2

 

Thanks for cheap in. Normally i drive around the city but once in every week i take my car for motorway drive..and i follow this rule to drive high speed in low gear as much as i can to get the shoot out. Irony is, i used to get this fault code pops up only when i used to drive in motorway. the guy i bought the car from last year, he seemed drive it for 2miles round trip every day for his job and before him this car was used for delivery purpose. so i think those people locked the DPF somewhat...

well, can i regenerate the car myself with PP2000 Lexia? I can get it for under £50 from ebay.

[paul.h]

I think the regeneration runs the engine at about 4000 rpm for about 20 minutes, so at the limit of its revs, hence the need to make sure it is in good condition and oil level ok. I do not know if the Lexia can do it since I do not have one but I suspect it can.

 

Maybe a blocked dpf could give the P0238 fault code since it will cause a higher pressure than normal in the exhaust system as far as the dpf and maybe this also increases the manifold inlet pressure but this ought to be limited by the turbo controls.

 

If it said the PAT fluid was empty then the counter/level in the tank would have gone down to zero, so somehow it has been reset back up to full at 3000 ml.

 

I can not remember now, but when you replaced the dpf did you get a Citroen one or a pattern part, possibly a pattern part gives a higher pressure drop which shows as a high soot loading.

 

I cannot remember what make of PAT fluid you put in, perhaps you can remind us, just in case it is not as effective as Citroen's eolys fluid.

[Rookie2]

Hi Arak

 

yes, lexia will do regeneration, however, as I warned, it can be terrifying when you have never done one before, so much so that the exhaust on the vehicle glows bright red, so you also have to  make sure you do not do the regeneration on long grass or near anything combustible.

 

You dont by any chance have oil leaking past the trubo seals do you ?, I only ask because if that is the case then you will have trace oil in  the cat and certainly into the DPF. This will show up as a dpf blockage which will clear somewhat when you drive on the motorway at high speed but will quickly re occur when you go back to town driving. just a thought !

[arak81]

I topped up with PatFluid bought from eurocarparts shop (Product Code: 524770302). it wasn't cheap product though. 1ltr £35.49. I have just spoken to a citroen dealer and they said they will charge £313 to top up the fluid.

 

I don't think that there were any oil leakage. I will try to buy a laxia to do force regeneration and thanks for the advice Rookie2. I ordered a dpf cleaning fuel additive from ebay. I will try this first.

 

 

 

Just to add: I have spoken to Citroen Dealer about the cost of topping up eolys fluid now..and the price they gave me will cost me an arm and a leg.

Edited January 17, 2017 by arak81

[paul.h]

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/engine-oils-and-car-fluids/auxiliary-fluids/specialist-fluids/?524770302&0&cc5_871

 

eurocarparts do not say much about the PAT fluid, other than being universal but there is a bit more on Amazon so it appears to be ok to use https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Automotive/PAT-Fluid-1-Ltr-for-DPF-Exhausts/B008GRT2GW

 

Your Citroen dealer seems expensive for everything, maybe they do not want any work. I thought the eolys was about £100 for 3 litres so they seem to want about £200 labour for about an hour - it might pay to enquire from a dealer in a different town with a lower labour rate if you want to pay somebody to put more fluid in.