Sorry, just a rant ... I just limped back at least 20km over hilly country roads on 3 cylinders, after I blew another injector. This time #2, a bit over 7 years and 30k km ago it was #4. At least now I could get to the workshop at walking distance from my home, and they think they should have her finished Saturday morning so well in time for the MOT-equivalent I have programmed for wednesday.

 

But, damn, I already had to buy a new battery, another new light switch and 4 new tyres.

 

The workshop owner joked they could also replace my engine and I almost jumped on that suggestion (with prices and emissions regulations going as they do I'd consider putting in a recent petrol engine if that were less of a bureaucratic nightmare (and/or possible, I have no idea about that).

The workshop owner had an interesting, no-frills way to check if it was indeed an injector (which was his immediate diagnosis when hearing the engine idle?!): unplug them one by one and see if that changed anything. It didn't for #2.

 

Is there anything at the level of our driving habits that can hasten or trigger the failure, aside from keeping the revs in the red zone for too long which I imagine can't be good for anything? My partner still claims it's because I use the speed regulator and don't necessarily slow down when the road gets a bit bumpy.

 

FWIW, last time it was the mechanical part which failed, and the error tended to clear itself for a while after turning off the engine. This time it comes back as soon as I fire up the engine, could that means it's the electronics (too)?

1 hour ago, RJVB said:

Is there anything at the level of our driving habits that can hasten or trigger the failure

Nope, they're just notoriously unreliable on the 1.6CR engines unfortunately.

 

1 hour ago, RJVB said:

FWIW, last time it was the mechanical part which failed, and the error tended to clear itself for a while after turning off the engine. This time it comes back as soon as I fire up the engine, could that means it's the electronics (too)?

If you can eyeball the wiring to that injector connection, could be worth checking for wire damage, but I would've thought your mechanic would've spotted any such problem while unplugging/reconnecting.

Reports on another former would indicate that on our early CAYC 1.6 CR engines, once one injector fails the others soon follow. 

Not good news but be prepared.

i had one go recently too, 2 days before its booked in service that ended up including...

front shocks and springs, roll bar bushes and drop links front and rear (i supplied all those as i knew they were gone) and then the mechanic found...

wishbone bushes that were like jelly, a seizing rear caliper, and something else i cant remember. 

that became an expensive service..

 

i think it was failing for a while though as my mpg has improved markedly since it was serviced in July. though im pretty sure the egr valve is dying currently, as i can get easily get an eml and flashing glowplug light if i want while driving. ive also figured out how to avoid it coming on

 

 

Edited 19 October, 20232 yr by mac11irl

Oh, I know that I have at least 2 more injectors that haven't failed yet as far as I know (got the car at 100k km).

 

I've had 2 coolant hoses fail within I think 2 years of getting the car, the EGR was going south too so I had that done too. A few years later, the waterpump sprung a leak so I had to have the distribution replaced. It's been quiet since, apart from that previous injector that probably failed soon after the waterpump. And apart from the AC that probably caught COVID in '20 because it hasn't worked since, and that I won't have replaced.

 

Not bad already I think, for almost exactly 10y of ownership. Surprisingly I have not had to change a single shock (they're just greasy, their "natural state" according to my usual mechanic) nor a single brakepad.

10 hours ago, RJVB said:

A few years later, the waterpump sprung a leak so I had to have the distribution replaced

 

When my water pump failed at around 55k miles (under warranty) they also changed the timing belt as the coolant is detrimental to the rubber.

And it was about nine months away from requiring its first belt change anyway. Serendipity.

 

19 minutes ago, pikpilot said:

When my water pump failed at around 55k miles (under warranty) they also changed the timing belt as the coolant is detrimental to the rubber.

 

When RJVB referred to having the "distribution" replaced that means the timing belt and ancilliaries in French.

 

Courroie  de distribution = Timing Belt

 

Kit de distribution = belt, + tensioner etc.

Thanks JR, I wasn't aware this required explanation...

 

IIRC the normal replacement interval for these belts is 180k km; I must have been at least 60k under that. My mechanic back then said that I was still at a very reasonable and respectful mileage to get them replaced...

 

Still waiting to hear from my workshop now. Called them earlier and was told they were working on my quote but that they had already ordered the part anyway and that it was indeed they only thing needing replacement. I kinda felt like knowing the price later rather than sooner...

 

This has probably come up: are the replacement injectors just as likely to fail as the original ones?

Kudos to the workshop: car was ready when I went there to check the quote since I didn't get through on the phone... Just shy of 590€ ... if only I wasn't aware this is bound to happen at least twice more to me 😞

Well, we're not done yet. Turns out the return fuel hose (?) coming back from the injectors had a tired connector on injector #1, which came started leaking tonight. Fixed for now with 2 zip ties, while a replacement gets ordered and installed. At least it had the decency to start acting up *after* my RWT!

 

Plus my new right front tyre lost 0.5bar in the 3 weeks (and 150km) it's been on, *possibly* as a result of hitting a curb at just under 40kph tonight or else because not properly installed (or installable?!). I did find the steering a bit heavier than with the previous tyres, and the car pulling a bit more to the right .

 

It'd be nice if that was the end of this "episode"...