MC TDCI Engine Malfunction - P269F

[manchu]

My mrs had engine malfunction warning come up on our late 2012 MC Mondeo today. Forscan shows:

Code: P269F - Exhaust Aftertreatment Glow Plug Circuit Open

Additional Fault System: Actuator Stuck Open.

I cleared the code and took it for a 10min drive. Fault didn't occur again.

I've found this which says to replace fuel vaporiser system. Sounds expensive!.

http://www.talkford.com/community/to...vice-bulletin/

I bought the car a year ago at 72kkm. It's now got 90kkm and gets decent runs weekly so wasn't expecting DPF system issues.

any tips?

Is this a problem I should get looked at soon, or OK to just wait and see?

[Top_Ghia]

I'm pretty sure it's the injector in the exhaust for the dpf. I wouldn't say it's common but I've replaced a couple over the years. Failing to rectify it could possibly lead to a dpf failure. That would be expensive.

[GTLEGEND]

Check yellow 20Amp F6 Fuse (location in owners manual if not sure). If blown, you will need to replace the vaporiser as it can short out from overheating.

One possible cause..

[manchu]

Originally Posted by GTLEGEND

Check yellow 20Amp F6 Fuse

cheers
F6 is fine.

[rondeo]

More info here:

http://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&p=12563

[manchu]

Update: I drove the car to work today and dropped down a gear or 2 on the freeway for ~20km to force a DPF regen.

After a few minutes I noticed the regen start on forscan. EGT went up to ~630degC and I watched the DPF soot load steadily decrease from 75% to 25%. It seemed to bottom out at 25% and EGT returned to ~200degC.

Since the regen worked OK today I guess there's the issue with vaporiser/glow plug was a once off. Or at least not something I'll stress about until P269F happens again.

On a side note, the DPF regen process seems a bit flawed. Mid way though the regen I slowed a little and almost as soon as the RPM dropped the regen stopped. I dropped down another gear and it started again. My point is that the regen seems to only work at much higher RPM than the car is likely to be in if driving in Auto. So the process requires driver intervention but the driver has no idea if regen is needed or if it happening (unless monitoring through OBD). That's my simple take on it anyway, but surely there's more going on.

Originally Posted by rondeo

More info here:

http://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&p=12563

cheers. that's the same TSB as the link in my OP, but with the full repair instruction.

[rondeo]

DPF regens on mine continue when idling at a standstill.

The microprocessor will only start a regen if conditions are right anyway, so not sure trying to force a regen such a good idea. I've never tried it though . . .

An LED wired to the vaporizer relay would give some satisfaction to the slightly obsessive I reckon.
That's relay 4 in the engine compartment fuse box by the way.

[manchu]

Originally Posted by rondeo

DPF regens on mine continue when idling at a standstill.

I expected it to work like that so was surprised when it stopped and restarted, especially as it was just slowing from 100 to 80 on the freeway.

Originally Posted by rondeo

The microprocessor will only start a regen if conditions are right anyway, so not sure trying to force a regen such a good idea.

Yeah it's not something I'd normally worry about but wanted to force it to see if P269F re-occurred.

The owners manual suggests forcing like this so I can't see it being a bad idea, other than the bit of extra fuel you use.

[rondeo]

Hmm . . . I hadn't seen that in the manual (page 122).

I don't see the sense of it. If the soot loading happens to be too low to require regen and the driver has no indication when it might be required.

Seems silly to require randomly revving up in the hope of a regeneration

Regen takes about 6 minutes at 100km/h on mine (6th gear 1800-2000 rpm). Usual trip is about 20 minutes.

[manchu]

Originally Posted by rondeo

Seems silly to require randomly revving up in the hope of a regeneration

Yep. Real silly, but that seems to be the design.

I swear my car is running better after the regen. I clocked the fuel consumption on a 15km steady, flat constant 100km/hr stretch on the way home and got 4.2l/100km, which I think Is ~ 20% better than I've seen in similar conditions. It's hard to conclude anything after one short test so will keep an eye on it. Feels more responsive too, but I don't drive it often so maybe in my head.

I'd like to get an idea of what normal DPF soot loading range is. Mine was at 75% which seems high to me. Not sure why it seemingly bottomed out at 25% either. Maybe it's normal?

[rondeo]

DPF soot loading goes from 80% to 25% on mine.

Armchair mechanic says minimum loading may depend on car's km,
160000 in my case.

So what happens if the car has just done a regen without the driver knowing (as is usual) and he decides to follow page 122 instructions?

Not only that, page 122 recommends the driver NOT TURN THE ENGINE OFF, now that's interesting to say the least.

Ford apparently did their best to make regens 'transparent to the driver', so according to the manual, don't switch the engine off: 'it could assist with the regeneration process'. So . . .

I

[manchu]

Originally Posted by rondeo

DPF soot loading goes from 80% to 25% on mine.
Armchair mechanic says minimum loading may depend on car's km,
160000 in my case.

Cheers. sounds like mine being 25-75 is about right. somewhere in here it mentions up to 100% is normal, so 75 doesn't seem so bad now.

http://www.talkford.com/community/to...roblems-p244c/

Originally Posted by rondeo

So what happens if the car has just done a regen without the driver knowing (as is usual) and he decides to follow page 122 instructions?

Not only that, page 122 recommends the driver NOT TURN THE ENGINE OFF, now that's interesting to say the least.

Yeah, as I said, it's a bit flawed. Considering a DPF replacement is big $$ it's crap they make it so hard to know what's going on and wether your driving is reducing the life of the DPF.

I don't think there's any risk trying to nudge a regen if it's just done one. It'll either do a short one or refuse.

I think also says not to run the car stationary over dry grass in case regen is in process. But again, not easy to know.

[whitelion65]

What scantool are you guys using?
I agree that some indication of regen. would be useful. Mine always seems to start as I back her into the garage, making the fume situation ten-fold worse than normal. No doubt it happens more often, but that's when I notice it.

[rondeo]

OBD adapters go from $15 to $150, I have the $150 bluetooth which does HSCAN and MSCAN, but plastic mods to the lid of the diagnostic link connector are required if you want it on all the time. The idea is to read the codes on the spot while the engine is still running, sometimes they are erased.

The best software for phones is Forscan. My opinion.

[whitelion65]

So you didn't find their apps useful??
What mods have you done to the OBD port lid? I'm guessing it could be relatively easily removed.

[manchu]

Mine is a $20 fella. ELM327?? wifi rather that Bluetooth because I'm using with an iPhone.

[mutanti]

I have the Bluetooth version. ELM327. Works ok on my Android

[rondeo]

Originally Posted by whitelion65

So you didn't find their apps useful??
What mods have you done to the OBD port lid? I'm guessing it could be relatively easily removed.

Forscan works for me.

I had to grind off a bit of plastic on the inside of the lid to close it on OBDLink MX adapter. That adapter has auto power off so no problems with car battery.

[mutanti]

Issue with Mine.. [IMG][/IMG]

My Fuel vaporiser Location _ Price of a Spot..
[IMG][/IMG]

[rondeo]

That's a neat photo of the vaporizer. What's the software?
Funny how the engine itself is so reliable it's not given much attention compared to the pollution control systems.

[mutanti]

I have tried a few
Torque lit and scan master are the only ones that seem to work...
[IMG][/IMG]

[rondeo]

Nice comet.

[mutanti]

Originally Posted by rondeo

Nice comet.

Thanks
Comet McNaught a few years back

[rondeo]

Originally Posted by mutanti

Thanks
Comet McNaught a few years back

I remember it. I saw it and had a bad experience with my neighbour who wanted to know what we were doing outside so late . . .

[NZ XR6]

Originally Posted by rondeo

DPF soot loading goes from 80% to 25% on mine.

Armchair mechanic says minimum loading may depend on car's km,
160000 in my case.


I

This will be the pressure drop across the DPF. There will be some difference even if the filter is clean, so 20% is probably fine.

The Peugeot DPF incorporates a catalyst to improve regen.

I've been using my MB for city driving since mid last year. I was nervous about this at first, but haven't noticed a regen for months. When I can, I do accelerate quite hard as it's the best way to drive a diesel, so maybe this helps keep the DPF clean?

I'd like to have more idea what's going on, but the DPF seems fine, so I'll just keep driving it the same.


Sent from somewhere using Tapatalk

[manchu]

Update: I 've seen 3 DPF regens over ~400km driven last week. Fault P269F hasn't come up again so seems to have been a once off.

The frequency of regens is higher than I expected but I've since read that 100-200km is normal, so guess it's in the range of being OK.

One weird thing I did notice once was a very rapid increase in DPF Soot Load at. When cruising at 100kmh the DPF Soot load went from 39% to 56% over ~6 seconds. Could be a sign of a DPF that's on the way out?

[rondeo]

DIY:

Measure the resistance of the element, (near 1.1 ohms), check fuse 6 and relay 4. Use a vacuum tester to see if there's a blockage in the vaporizer.

If all is good, check sensor hoses, replace or test the sensor (common problem I hear from Ford man but how to check it?).

?If no DIY and reluctant to see Dr Ford, don't worry unless fuel consumption and/or performance is noticed.

Probably not the DPF.

At least we have something to obsess about, since the engine is bulletproof?

Your regen interval seems high at that speed?

Cheers, armchair mechanic . . .

[manchu]

Originally Posted by rondeo

DIY:

Measure the resistance of the element, (near 1.1 ohms), check fuse 6 and relay 4. Use a vacuum tester to see if there's a blockage in the vaporizer.

If all is good, check sensor hoses, replace or test the sensor (common problem I hear from Ford man but how to check it?).

?If no DIY and reluctant to see Dr Ford, don't worry unless fuel consumption and/or performance is noticed.

Probably not the DPF.

At least we have something to obsess about, since the engine is bulletproof?

Your regen interval seems high at that speed?

Cheers, armchair mechanic . . .

cheers.

Too DIY for me and I think the regen system is doing what it should so i'll stop obsessing, give the mrs her car back and wait for another warning. I need to stop driving while distracted by forscan or I'll have an accident!.

On a side note I did see the regen continue just fine when idling in stop/start traffic. Not sure why it stopped prematurely that first time.

Not all the driving last week was cruising at 100, so maybe regen frequency is OK. My daily commute includes ~20km at 100 and 15km of light/medium traffic.

[rondeo]

Re phone distraction, I use a Belkin holder which has a round adhesive base permanently stuck near the edge of the centre console and a removeable bracket with suction cup for the phone. A bit expensive but the only thing that hasn't randomly fallen off.

At speedo height it's just another gauge. Usually drive with the holder removed from the base, not using Forscan except when curious about something.

[manchu]

Originally Posted by rondeo

Re phone distraction, I use a ...

After a few attempts I found a suction mount that actually stays on the window and holds the phone well. It's mounted so the phone is as close as possible to A pillar, about the same height as top of steering wheel.