My Berlingo 2.0 hdi lost power driving home yesterday,was getting too slow to be safe on the road so got recovered.
I checked some obvious things like oil and coolant level,air filter for blockage but all looked good.
The temperature gauge was creeping up, 85 max, its never been so hot before.
It did feel a bit slow all weekend, like there was too much weight in it, but revved ok in neutral etc.
The last few miles it got worse and worse, had to use 3rd gear to get up a hill when Id normally be in 5th
No fault codes on the OBD2 scanner/torque app.

So what next? Do I check compression somehow?
Cant really afford to go to a garage, can probably fix it myself if its nothing major but no idea what it could be
Do I just buy another car?
any sites to check other than facebook and gumtree for something cheap locally?

Turbo most likely. Or brakes binding?

You’ll likely just be buying someone else’s problem that they want to be rid of. Take it to a garage first and get them to diagnose the problem, it may be a quick, simple fix.

Any other symptoms. Seems a bit early to just be getting rid.
The recovery firm didn’t do any diagnostics to try & get you underway?

Did you notice any extra sooty smoke out of the exhaust or any other symptoms? It could be something as simple as a split hose between the turbo & the engine.

Strange that no faults at all were being reported.

My Wife has similar symptoms to that, but in a petrol 308 & it turned out to be the catalytic converter disintegrating & blocking the exhaust.

I had similar symptoms in a VW TDI and it was the head gasket. It was leaking into the coolant, making the coolant and engine overheat and lose power. Coolant bubbled over so had to be topped up regularly. If you turn heat up inside the car, air from the vents was super red hot as well. Any of those symptoms?
Could also be a small hose like stumy suggests.

I’d get it to a specialist.

There aren’t really any cheap cars around at the moment!

No smoke noticed.
I think i know what its like to drive without the turbo, but this was different, and got worse and worse fairly quickly. Even without the turbo it should pull away and drive without too much drama, but this was worse, so just found a safe place to stop
Warning light came on with the coolant light, as it often does, so after checking a few times Ive come to ignore it
Brakes were not binding

sell it to someone at your work.

cant get to work now- and they all have much nicer cars

sell it to a senior manager at your work.

FTFY

Sounds a lot like when the turbo went on my last Golf. Had forgotten how bad diesels are without the aid of forced induction, didn’t get any warning lights with that as far as I remember. It would have the occasional ‘hiccup’ prior to its destruction where it’d lose/greatly reduce power for a second or so before getting back to normal.

Would probably depend on the location of your turbo as to how hard the DIY fix would be, it’s not something I’ve done on a car before.

As for the Golf, I sold it a few years back but it’s still local and I see it from time to time, they’ve not taken the stickers off the rear window either. Reckon it must be over 200k miles by now.

Turbo is extremely hard to get to, even feeling the pipes is nigh on impossible

I think i know what its like to drive without the turbo

In that actual car or a different one?

I’d be sceptical of your fault code reader. Most things boost related would throw up a code.

i’d buy a simple test for the coolant to see if the HG has gone. Also check the coolant level after its cooled, it might have dropped right off.

fuel filter is also worth a look, especially if the problem clears when its been idling a while

Head gasket for sure.

The list of parts is growing:
Head gasket
Turbo
Fuel filter
and a new code reader
There’s nothing wrong with the suggestions but I can’t help feeling that a trip to get a diagnosis and an estimate will be money well spent

If there’s no smoke I’d guess something is stopping the turbo from spooling up. An air leak downstream of it produces lots of smoke as the engine is still fueling for all that air under acceleration. So my guess is blocked exhaust downstream. Or head gasket, I’d have thought you’d get more smoke or steam though.

I’d be sceptical of your fault code reader. Most things boost related would throw up a code.

I’d 50/50 this, the 2.0HDi is not a sophisticated engine. It wouldn’t surprise me if it doesn’t know the incoming air pressure and whether the turbo is working.

The temperature gauge was creeping up, 85 max, its never been so hot before.

Unlike a lot of cars, the gauge is actually connected to the coolant and goes up and down. Whereas on a lot of cars it just has cold/normal/warning so wouldn’t read too much into it unless it’s significantly past the normal range.

fuel filter is also worth a look, especially if the problem clears when its been idling a while

They definitely light up the dash like a Christmas tree for that, I know from playing fuel light roulette on the M4 in mine.

The list of parts is growing:

It’s always the way with these threads. People are just guessing based on a vague set of symptoms compared to similar they’ve had, often on entirely different engines. It’s nice to be nice obviously, but without the benefit getting your hands on it and actually knowing about engines, it’s a bit futile really, (unless it’s a really common and well known design weakness).

Cant really afford to go to a garage, can probably fix it myself if its nothing major but no idea what it could be

You certainly cant afford to fix it yourself if you currenly have zero idea what it could be.

The temperature gauge was creeping up, 85 max, its never been so hot before

Your cars been broken for ages anyway if you think that it was over heating at 85 degrees.Should be running at over 80 degrees in normal use, its not efficient to be much colder than that. Can’t imagine the stat is rated fat anything beginning with a 7. Your heater would be useless too.

It’s always the way with these threads. People are just guessing based on a vague set of symptoms compared to similar they’ve had, often on entirely different engines. It’s nice to be nice obviously, but without the benefit getting your hands on it and actually knowing about engines, it’s a bit futile really, (unless it’s a really common and well known design weakness).

This – its pointless me wading in with any more things I think it could be as its jsut guess work.

Where are you? Do you have anyone in the family or friends who can take a look? Have you read the diagnostics?

Do I just buy another car?

You could, but it could be a boost leak that costs a 20 quid bit of plastic pipe to fix.

I just started her up, and it will rev,in neutral, but its very slow up to 2/3000rpm, then gets a bit quicker,like normal
The torque app will tell me boost pressure,and fuel rail pressure, but I havent checked those yet, and doesnt the turbo only kick in about 2000+rpm, and undr load? Can probably get some readings there.
No sign of bubbles in the coolant reservoir, nor in the fuel line/s. Coolant level is the same. Fuel filter not due for replacement

Had an issue like this on an Isuzu Trooper 3.0TD. It was the fuel filter.

Oh, and…

Cant really afford to go to a garage, can probably fix it myself if its nothing major but no idea what it could be
Do I just buy another car?

Paying a garage for an hour’s diagnosis will be a load cheaper than buying a new car, then you can make an informed choice to fix it yourself, have them do it or get shut of it.

Plenty simple issues this could be before you go for the big ticket items.

An old style turbo even off boost will still drive like total ass if there’s a boost leak but still I would be asking first when was the fuel filter last verified as changed ? (Not just the last time you paid a garage to do it)

It’s always the way with these threads. People are just guessing based on a vague set of symptoms compared to similar they’ve had, often on entirely different engines.

See also, computer problem threads.

Fault finding 101:
1) accurately describe the symptoms
2) perform diagnostic steps based on 1)
3) suggest a solution based on 2)

Many folk leap straight to 3) and it’s well-meaning but frustrating rather than helpful.

I changed the fuel filter myself,and checked it’s housing a few weeks back

Good point from trail rat. Dunno how easy the fuel filter is to get to but I had a Honda Accord Diesel a few (10) years back. The fuel filter was a proper pain in the arse to get to. It had a full main dealer service history when I bought it and should have had two fuel filters by then.

Did the servicing myself and based on the manufacture date stamp plus the state of it, the fuel filter had never been changed.

Having said that it did throw an engine management warning light up, so at least the car new something was wrong.

But I’m only guessing on your vehiclez as mentioned by a few people could be many things. Cars are silly expensive to buy now. So rather than spunking 10k on a new (to you) car, spend a couplr of hundred in a garage for them to diagnose the issue.

I’ve got the same engine in a Berlingo.
Have a look at the flexible turbo pipe – take the drivers side wheel off and have a nosey in – you’ll see it behind the engine-nice and easy to get to. It’s held on with two jubilee clips. Mine needed tightening.

My temp gauge moves fairly often depending on engine load – “high speed” motorway climbs will have it up around 85c ish.

Other than that there is the fuel pressure regulator that can bleed fuel pressure off when it shouldn’t but it’s accompanied with an EML and the engine runs on after shutting off.

Otherwise head gasket loosing compression into the cooling circuit but you would expect to see/feel the header tank building pressure.

I don’t think it’s a turbo pipe, but you can often hear hissing as you drive along or accelerate. This test is best done whilst driving along sedately on a side street to a wall with the windows down. Then start accelerating – the hissing is clearly audible reflecting off the wall.

The torque app will tell me boost pressure,and fuel rail pressure, but I havent checked those yet, and doesnt the turbo only kick in about 2000+rpm, and undr load? Can probably get some readings there.

correct. Its also worth noting a split pipe will still give you some pressure, just not as much as normal.

you won’t necessarily see bubbles under idling with a head gasket leak – often the leak is so tiny that it does nothing except under load. I wouldn’t however expect a minor HG leak to cause the loss of power yours has – normally it causes an explodey mess of coolant rather than a significant power drop.

Well, the car is very slow to drive now. I did get to 50mph, eventually, but Boost Pressure was 0.0psi continuously.
Fuel rail Pressure was between 3720psi-7000psi
MAF 6.3g/s at idle to 45 at 4000 rpm

R N P – iirc the turbo setup is a bit different in the berlingo, and I have really tried before to get at the pipes to no avail

First thing. Is the fuel filter housing spun up enough to stop it sucking in air? Cars generally don’t just fail, turbo or head gasket usually show up as little thibgs before causing the entire drive lime to conk out.
Not wanting to sound disparaging to your engineering skills but it might be ad simple ad 1/4 turn on the housing, if its a spin on jobby.
Otherwise, parts darts it is
Just too many things it might be

Dpf equipped model? Bunged up so wont allow exhaust out fast enough, so no boost and no power.
Can you disconnect the dpf and exhaust and go for a very loud drive? Be like a doodlebug

My Passat would go into limp mode when detecting under- or over-boost. It would not put the EML on until you’d been driving it for like half an hour like that. It did store a code though.

Oh, do you have a DPF? That might be blocking the smoke you’re making.

If you are registering 0.0psi then you have either a broken turbo; a broken actuator; the vacuum hose leading to the actuator has popped off or broken; a turbo pipe has ruptured completely or popped off; or maybe the valves that control the vacuum actuators are broken. If you can find the hose to the actuator you can put a syringe on it and try activating by sucking with the syringe.

turbo or head gasket usually show up as little thibgs before causing the entire drive lime to conk out

The turbo spindle snapped on my old car. I’d lent it to someone else, he was driving it and reported a bang then complete loss of power. Not the same symptoms as the OP of course but they can suddenly fail.

The fuel filter housing though – I did cause a problem once by not getting the seal seated right. I don’t remember exactly what happened but I am not sure it lost power – I think it maybe just leaked – but that could easily vary by engine.

Theres no DPF on this one
Im sure the fuel filter is fine

If it’s the same engine as the Expert there is a fuel primer bulb. Mine had a split in it and was sucking air giving the same symptoms. I patched it with a puncture patch with the intention of replacing it but the patch worked so well that I have left it.

I can see the clear fuel line and it had loads of bubbles in it. I didn’t realise at first that the air bubbles were not normal and spent a lot of time trying to fix it.

You could not see the split in the bulb as it was at the back but they disconnect easily. Not had the issue since

Turbo actuator. Is this a thing that turns a turbo on?
Or do mean wastegate actuator. The thing that stops you turbo overboosting by opening up the wastegate to allow hot exhaust gas to bypass the turbine.
Or do you mean VVT actuator. The lever that adjust the ar ratio of the hot side? Giving better spool up at low rpms and less back pressure at higher rpms?
Think you get overboost in all above if mechanical failure occurs.

With no dpf back to square 1 could be catalyst breaking down. Could be a dozen other things.
Should the maf value remain constant through the rev range though, i doubt it.

R N P – iirc the turbo setup is a bit different in the berlingo, and I have really tried before to get at the pipes to no avail

Pretty sure the 2.0hdi Berlingo set up in the Berlingo is the same as the set up in a 2.0hdi Berlingo …. Could be wrong.

Im sure the fuel filter is fine

Sure as in verifiably changed in the last 12 months ? ….. And even then I’d remove it for a look (which is free). even Brand new filters have collapsed causing fuel restrictions previously.

See also air filter.

Basic checks – air and fuel. They are free and need very minimal tooling on. That engine.

Pretty sure the 2.0hdi Berlingo set up in the Berlingo is the same as the set up in a 2.0hdi Berlingo …. Could be wrong.

🤣

@alric

Take the drivers wheel off, behind the strut is access to the flexible. It’s the first port of call.
Dropping the strut off to gain easier access to the turbo isn’t difficult either.

Turbo actuator. Is this a thing that turns a turbo on?
Or do mean wastegate actuator. The thing that stops you turbo overboosting by opening up the wastegate to allow hot exhaust gas to bypass the turbine.
Or do you mean VVT actuator. The lever that adjust the ar ratio of the hot side? Giving better spool up at low rpms and less back pressure at higher rpms?
Think you get overboost in all above if mechanical failure occurs.

Yes, you either have a wastegate or VNT vanes, both have an actuator that probably works in the same way. With VNT you can get over or underboost because if it gets gummed up the vacuum may not open it all the way or the spring may not close it all the way.

It sounds like it is in limp mode, but you say no EML?

its not in limp mode, limp mode doesnt rev over 2750rpm.
The EML has been on and off so many times now I’ve lost count

RNP I can try that tomorrow, but got a broken screw in my collarbone so a bit restricted physically.
Ill call the local garage then too.
iirc the berlingo 2.0hdi is different to other DW10 turbos in that its vacuum operated

The EGR valve definitely needs cleaning too