Can someone please help me with this re-occurring fault code.

I have cleared the code three times in the last month,

Fabia 1.4 16V. 74kw/100HP (Petrol) 2006 model.

17550/P1142/004418 - Load Calculation Cross Check: Lower Limit Exceeded.

Possible Causes:-

Mass Air Flow Sensors (G70) faulty

Intake Air System faulty/leaking (false Air)

Throttle Pedal faulty

Throttle Body dirty/faulty

My local Skoda parts supplier states this model does not have a Mass Airflow Meter/Sensor.

Anyone!

Same here - anyone?

I cleaned the throttle body and adapted it, throttle pedal sensor seems to move smoothly - checked with VCDS. (only did this as I was cleaning up a chocked EGR port on the interface or adaptor plate which was causing an EGR system insufficient flow fault code - engine is BBY with 81K miles).

This car has "thrown" this fault code when the ambient temperature is near 0C for a few years now, always when the engine is fully heated up and always when the throttle is closed during gear changing (my wife tells me) - frequency right now is once every 10 days (guessing), looking back through old posts, at one time the advice was to get a S/W flash update!

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/17550/P1142/004418

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/17550/P1142/004418

Being a VCDS user, I think that was my first port of call!

Edit, maybe that was a bit harsh -sorry!

Edited 31 January, 201214 yr by rum4mo

Hi,

Taken from the fabia workshop manual;

17550

Load detection Below limit – Adapt engine control unit to throttle valve control unit → Chapter.

– Testing throttle valve control unit → Chapter

– Testing accelerator pedal position sender → Chapter

– Test air filter → Chapter

– Check engine mechanics

Tony

Hi,

Taken from the fabia workshop manual;

17550

Load detection Below limit – Adapt engine control unit to throttle valve control unit → Chapter.

– Testing throttle valve control unit → Chapter

– Testing accelerator pedal position sender → Chapter

– Test air filter → Chapter

– Check engine mechanics

Tony

I've cleaned TB and re-adapted, cleaned EGR and re-adapted, cleaned out ports on the interface or adaptor plate below the TB using a new gaskets, but still get this 17550 problem and have done for a few years in cold weather only. Checked pedal position movement/output and it looks good.

Idon't want to put thoughts into anyone's head, but I was thinking a quick stab in the dark might be an EGR valve that is not closing or a contaminated "thrust" sensor (remember this engine BBY, has no MAF etc, just a sensor bolted to the inlet manifold) - next thoughts might include an ECU S/W update as I've seen "talk" about this issue being cleared by a S/W update - but no hard feedback as that fixing anything.

Cribbing the immortal words of Enzo Ferrari:

"It's always the EGR valve"

Replace it with a NEW one and re-adapt it.

The ECU software issue is a red herring along the lines of "You need a new ECU mate (because I can't work out what's wrong wiv it)".

If you don't want people to offer obvious advice please state that you have already tried the obvious, otherwise we start to enter the realms of the paranormal. Sarcasm is, however, fine with me.

I've cleaned TB and re-adapted, cleaned EGR and re-adapted, cleaned out ports on the interface or adaptor plate below the TB using a new gaskets, but still get this 17550 problem and have done for a few years in cold weather only. Checked pedal position movement/output and it looks good.

Idon't want to put thoughts into anyone's head, but I was thinking a quick stab in the dark might be an EGR valve that is not closing or a contaminated "thrust" sensor (remember this engine BBY, has no MAF etc, just a sensor bolted to the inlet manifold) - next thoughts might include an ECU S/W update as I've seen "talk" about this issue being cleared by a S/W update - but no hard feedback as that fixing anything.

Hi again,

The only other thing I can add is that the fault has to be cleared before you do the adaption

Tony

Cribbing the immortal words of Enzo Ferrari:

"It's always the EGR valve"

Replace it with a NEW one and re-adapt it.

The ECU software issue is a red herring along the lines of "You need a new ECU mate (because I can't work out what's wrong wiv it)".

If you don't want people to offer obvious advice please state that you have already tried the obvious, otherwise we start to enter the realms of the paranormal. Sarcasm is, however, fine with me.

In all fairness, if you re-read my first posting, I did outline what I had already done, I just re-jigged that statement in the next posting.

EGR in petrol engines don't seem to have the hard life that they do in derv engines, so they end up "looking" good when removed - just light soot coating, it is at the other end where the crankcase fumes mix with the recirculated exhaust that the gungy problems start.

Hi again,

The only other thing I can add is that the fault has to be cleared before you do the adaption

Tony

Thanks for your reply but I don't quite agree with that theory, yes I will have cleared any stored faults, but all the adaption sequence does to drive the EGR, TB etc to both ends of its travel, and store the positional voltage output in memory for future use.

I am open to any suggestions though!

Thanks for your reply but I don't quite agree with that theory, yes I will have cleared any stored faults, but all the adaption sequence does to drive the EGR, TB etc to both ends of its travel, and store the positional voltage output in memory for future use.

I am open to any suggestions though!

Hi,Clearing the fault codes before adapation is the method listed in the electronic service manual

Tony

I was really hoping for an update etc from the opening poster of this thread, he is still around - just looked and saw that he was on this site today!

The trouble about the mystic about relevance or not of ECU S/W updating is, my engine ECU is still at August 2002 issue level and there is, "here and there" on the internet, postings about problems for this BBY engine, that one or two updates did confront/sort (in theory).

I've never gone to my VW dealer to ask about ECU updates, and kind of get the idea that all I'll get is blank faces as I will be asking what specific issues which update cured - all these updates will have been issued with back-up documentation, and only VAG will have that collection of facts (I'd reckon).

Changing the EGR valve is very tempting, but also very hit and miss, and if going down that road I'd be temped to buy a Pierberg one and save some money - or is that just being stupid?

Edited 31 January, 201214 yr by rum4mo

...buy a Pierberg one and save some money - or is that just being stupid?

Not at all, the Pierburg replacement is the one I bought and it solved all problems at a single stroke, I've never seen such a confusing mixture of random codes thrown by the (partial) failure of the original EGR valve, virtually none of these codes ever referenced the EGR system at all, diagnosis was utterly impossible. I ended up replacing the plugs, leads, coil pack and ECU temperature sender before finally replacing the faulty EGR valve and solving all the problems. The car has now been running without a hitch for a year.

Don't forget to run it on high octane unleaded and gently wrest it from the wifes hands occasionally so that you can give it an 'italian tune', they pink like buggery on 95 unleaded and can eat spark plugs and piston rings as a result.

Edit: Posts crying for help usually go dead, most people howling for help here never bother to re-post when they eventually solve their problem.

Edited 31 January, 201214 yr by sepulchrave

EGR in petrol engines don't seem to have the hard life that they do in derv engines, so they end up "looking" good when removed - just light soot coating, it is at the other end where the crankcase fumes mix with the recirculated exhaust that the gungy problems start.

Au contraire.

EGR valves fitted to lean burn petrol engines suffer much higher temperatures than diesel EGR valves, it is these higher temperatures which shorten the life of the solenoid actuator rather than through mechanical failure of the valve itself.

Au contraire.

EGR valves fitted to lean burn petrol engines suffer much higher temperatures than diesel EGR valves, it is these higher temperatures which shorten the life of the solenoid actuator rather than through mechanical failure of the valve itself.

I was basing that judgement on the postings here and elsewhere showing pictures of "typical coked up" and "typical blown the plug out and erroded the body" of derv engined cars EGR valves - with very few, if any comments/reports of petrol engined cars having EGR valve problems. I had also assummed that these devices would have been checked out at the design stage both by EGR and engine design teams - maybe not! One issue with what I discovered with my wife's car was, as the EGR port was choked up, then maybe very little exhaust gas was moving through the valve so maybe it was getting hotter than it should have been?

Not at all, the Pierburg replacement is the one I bought and it solved all problems at a single stroke, I've never seen such a confusing mixture of random codes thrown by the (partial) failure of the original EGR valve, virtually none of these codes ever referenced the EGR system at all, diagnosis was utterly impossible. I ended up replacing the plugs, leads, coil pack and ECU temperature sender before finally replacing the faulty EGR valve and solving all the problems. The car has now been running without a hitch for a year.

Don't forget to run it on high octane unleaded and gently wrest it from the wifes hands occasionally so that you can give it an 'italian tune', they pink like buggery on 95 unleaded and can eat spark plugs and piston rings as a result.

Edit: Posts crying for help usually go dead, most people howling for help here never bother to re-post when they eventually solve their problem.

Out of interest, did you buy your Pierburg EGR from a motor factory, or ebay - I've seen a couple of regular sellars on ebay and I've checked out the Pierburg application list, so should manage to get the correct one for the car from knowing the Pierburg p/n. I'd guess that the original fit is probably Pierburg.

I reckon that the BBY 75PS is quite happy with what VAG reckoned it should use, ie 95 octane, it was pinking before I cleared the EGR port in the interface plate, but its okay now, I always use ESSO, BP or SHELL, I do get to drive it at weekends, but its more the back discs that I try to give a workout to! (my car is a 2.8 V6 B5 4Motion and its been fed on 95 octane for most of its life, expect when prices drop suddenly, and it, unlike the Polo, does not have any antiknock "protection".

Posts crying for help, I'm sure that he is just keeping me guessing for a while! (?) But yes, I've commented on that before, its always smarter to close the loop and report back, these forums live by folk giving as well as taking, but it is a buggar when your unanswered posting disappears off the first page! Edit or in my case now back in page 4.

Edited 31 January, 201214 yr by rum4mo

Out of interest, did you buy your Pierburg EGR from a motor factory, or ebay

ebay ftw

ebay ftw

Thanks for that, I've have another look at what I'm "watching" and order one up.

Hum getting one from an alternative source looks not to be as easy as it could be, VAG used 036 131 503 M, R, and T on the 1.4 16V engines in the Fabia, Polo and Ibiza. Seat seemed to use only the "T" variant with AUB, BBY, BKY and BBZ. VW seemed to use the "R" variant on AUA, AUB, BBY and BBZ. Skoda used the "M" variant on early AUA and BBY and then the "R" variant on later AUA and BBY. They all use the same adaptor block and all use the same EGR gaskets - except Seat with BBZ and AUB, and different "fresh air" pipes are used in different marques with different ERG valves. I'll need to dig deeper before buying from outwith the VAG parts department really to understand why the 3-off variants exists - I'd guess its done to exactly which direction the fresh air pipe points and the orientation of the connector. I think that Pierburg when used as aftermarket, have tended to rationalise the range and in the case of VW misquote relevant chassis number ranges, which is a buggar. I'm guessing that there could be a conflict for space if the wrong variant was used.

Edit, right after scrolling through 900+ pages of the Pierburg online catalog, I've discovered that the p/n is 7.28248.17.0 as preceeding "R" and "T" variants have been discontinued.

Edited 1 February, 201214 yr by rum4mo

I was really hoping for an update etc from the opening poster of this thread, he is still around - just looked and saw that he was on this site today!

Yes I am still around and following this topic with great interest.

I feel I should take the car to a Skoda dealer as it's still under warranty but the nearest dealer is some 25 miles away.

Keep up the good work, and many thanks for all the tips.