THP power loss

[monkeynuts]

DS3 picked up this evening. Managed a chat with their technician too who comes across as a friendly and knowledgeable guy.

Thankfully, he was able to "induce" the fault by starting the car from cold, letting it idle a minute or two, then revving it a couple of times. The car would then idle really poorly and there would be next to no performance. Apparently the bloke had trouble driving it 50 yards into the service bay to connect it up to the diagnostics computer.

Car didn't kick up any faults!!! But he downloaded the data, sent it to Citroen who asked him to start the car again and record further readings straight from start up the next day. On seeing the data, the higher pressure fuel pump, normally running between 45-50 bar, was actually only running at 8 bar! (The DS3 contains a low pressure 5 bar pump in the fuel tank itself and a high pressure fuel pump 45-50 bar up front). High pressure pump replaced. Reportedly drives fine now. Drove it 25 miles home tonight and seems ok other than the icy conditions and my heavy right foot resulted in lots of ESP!

Will monitor and see whether all is indeed well.

told you so ..........................I should be a Citroen teccie

[ffcphone]

told you so ..........................I should be a Citroen teccie

Indeed mate. I even mentioned your experience to the technician at my local garage in an attempt to see if it helped. He told me on Friday "you were right" although I pointed out I was just recounting your experiences.

DS3 seems OK so far. No detectable idling issues at cold in last three days. My concern now is whether the misfiring will have damaged plugs, cat, etc leading to premature wear but won't be picked up until car out of warranty in 12 months time and I'll be footing the bill.

[monkeynuts]

Indeed mate. I even mentioned your experience to the technician at my local garage in an attempt to see if it helped. He told me on Friday "you were right" although I pointed out I was just recounting your experiences.

DS3 seems OK so far. No detectable idling issues at cold in last three days. My concern now is whether the misfiring will have damaged plugs, cat, etc leading to premature wear but won't be picked up until car out of warranty in 12 months time and I'll be footing the bill.

Bit of a laugh all these same faults

[Clarky]

Update on mine went in on thursday...Timing chain being replaced due to it being out of tolerance !!!....Not replacing my fuel pump yet due to Citroen not authorising it !!!.

[gar074]

They still can't decide (or won't come clean on) whether it's the timing chain or the tensioner that's the root cause of the problem.

I'd really like to know whether other THP-engined cars (Mini? RCZ?) use the same chain & tensioner, or whether it's just down to Citroen's penny-pinching and the use of sub-standard components.

[monkeynuts]

Update on mine went in on thursday...Timing chain being replaced due to it being out of tolerance !!!....Not replacing my fuel pump yet due to Citroen not authorising it !!!.

Thats the bit that makes me laugh .............they bloody know which parts are flakey ..............just cahnge them all at once to stop all this* fuckin* dicking around

[monkeynuts]

They still can't decide (or won't come clean on) whether it's the timing chain or the tensioner that's the root cause of the problem.

I'd really like to know whether other THP-engined cars (Mini? RCZ?) use the same chain & tensioner, or whether it's just down to Citroen's penny-pinching and the use of sub-standard components.

I was told its the tensioner or the paper clip they used as the Ten****

[gar074]

That's what I was told too.

[Clarky]

I was told its the tensioner or the paper clip they used as the Ten****

Don't tell me that lol...There only changing the timing chain & not the hydraulic tensioner....looks like im in it for the duration of another year of misery !!!.

[Nomgle]

They still can't decide (or won't come clean on) whether it's the timing chain or the tensioner that's the root cause of the problem.

I'd really like to know whether other THP-engined cars (Mini? RCZ?) use the same chain & tensioner, or whether it's just down to Citroen's penny-pinching and the use of sub-standard components.

The Prince engines are all built at PSA's factory in France - but I'm not sure if the plant produces finished engines, or whether the ancilliaries are added later.
It's possible that BMW use a different tensioner unit - they certainly use a different electric water pump (witness the worldwide recall of the turbocharged Mini to replace said pump.)

[ffcphone]

I suspect Citroen are hoping as many THP models will see out the three year warranty period as possible before issues are discovered and thus keeping repairs under warranty claims down. Whilst changing timing chains, pulley and tensioner, engine coolant temperature sensor and high pressure fuel pump certainly seems to have helped a couple of us on here, I suspect the total repair bill is quite hefty for all that and where possible, doing it a stage at a time will keep costs low and will help Citroen gauge what the real issue is.

But from a customer point of view, it's certainly frustrating.

I went in armed with information from sources such as this forum and politely explained what other users' experiences were. It always pays to be friendly.

[monkeynuts]

Don't tell me that lol...There only changing the timing chain & not the hydraulic tensioner....looks like im in it for the duration of another year of misery !!!.

That a load of bollox from the dealer when mine was done they did a proper job .............chain .....tensioner .....top cam pulleys .......bottom pulley about 15 items in all ............................what a bunch of cheapskates

[monkeynuts]

I went in armed with information from sources such as this forum and politely explained what other users' experiences were. It always pays to be friendly.

Correct method of attack ............................be mellow

[ffcphone]

That a load of bollox from the dealer when mine was done they did a proper job .............chain .....tensioner .....top cam pulleys .......bottom pulley about 15 items in all ............................what a bunch of cheapskates

Ditto mine too

[mgmzungu]

Friday night, it was -5 outside. I started driving home and noticed a total loss of power. It just feels completely flat and takes an age to get to any sort of speed and even then i can't get any higher than 65mph. I had seen something on here before about it happening so left it until the morning to determine if it was the same. Unfortunately it seems it might be. Exactly in the same way Gar mentioned in the first post. Over the course of the weekend it came and went, with it being gone more often that not. I already had it booked in for some bodywork this week so they are looking at it at the moment. Gutted just doesn't cut it. I'll post what they come back with and see what you all think.