Vauxhall vivaro stalling and giving P0380 OBD2 code?

[Gromett]

I know my Daughter wants to convert a van, read Dad will be doing it, so would be interested in what you choose.

Don’t the “dip” vehicle bodies any more

My suggestion would always be fiat ducato citroen relay peugeot boxer for a proper conversion. Get one that is decent underneath and get it treated with lanoguard asap. You should be good from then on.

I unfortunately wanted the best of both worlds. A very small van for weekends and daily driver use to match up with the caravan I hate with a passion (don't ask).
I chose a Vivaro because I wanted one that wouldn't rot away underneath me. Looking around trafics,vivaros all looked very clean even at 12 and 14 years old.

 

[Gromett]

I know my Daughter wants to convert a van, read Dad will be doing it, so would be interested in what you choose.

PS: I am not looking to change. I am happy with the Vivaro. Had it 3 years now and it has been reliable so far. Other than a starter motor failure early on I don't recall it letting me down.

 

[Silver-Fox]

My suggestion would always be fiat ducato citroen relay peugeot boxer for a proper conversion. Get one that is decent underneath and get it treated with lanoguard asap. You should be good from then on.

I unfortunately wanted the best of both worlds. A very small van for weekends and daily driver use to match up with the caravan I hate with a passion (don't ask).
I chose a Vivaro because I wanted one that wouldn't rot away underneath me. Looking around trafics,vivaros all looked very clean even at 12 and 14 years old.

Ohh it makes me shudder considering a Frenc vehicle

I’ll inform Child number one of your suggestions

 

[Silver-Fox]

I think the gearbox issue was sorted after 2005 ish.

 

[Gromett]

I’ll inform Child number one of your suggestions

Only my opinion and opinion are like A holes. Everyone has one and they all stink Don't blame me

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[Gromett]

I think the gearbox issue was sorted after 2005 ish.

I have a 2010 model. They have the injector problems caused by leaking scuttle. Bad design. But I sealed it when I bought it so hopefully.....

 

[Silver-Fox]

Only my opinion and opinion are like A holes. Everyone has one and they all stink Don't blame me

 

[Silver-Fox]

I have a 2010 model. They have the injector problems caused by leaking scuttle. Bad design. But I sealed it when I bought it so hopefully.....

Mate of mine is a spanner monkey.
He said at the garage he worked at they had a Vauxhall hanging by the injector, engine was still in the van it wouldn’t let go

 

[Gromett]

Mate of mine is a spanner monkey.
He said at the garage he worked at they had a Vauxhall hanging by the injector, engine was still in the van it wouldn’t let go

There is an entire mobile industry based around removing vivaro/trafic injectors due to this design flaw.

 

[mitzimad]

good tvp forum on face book one thing to check is the filter housing has a wire gauze filter built in these have been known to block and cause stalling
the glow plugs dont cut in till its very cold so unlikley to be the cause of your problems and they often show glowplug fault codes for no apparent reason

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[Gromett]

good tvp forum on face book one thing to check is the filter housing has a wire gauze filter built in these have been known to block and cause stalling
the glow plugs dont cut in till its very cold so unlikley to be the cause of your problems and they often show glowplug fault codes for no apparent reason

It is all fixed since I replaced the glow plug controller/relay.

 

[Gromett]

ok. Just went to go to shops and it stalled then wouldn't restart. Code was not present.

I lifted the bonnet to see if I could spot anything obvious and nothing was apparent.

I then gave it a very long crank and it start up without issue.

Looking under the bonnet again and noticed that there were air bubbles in the fuel line coming from filter towards the pump (I think). There is a clear section of pipe.

So, Looks like I have to investigate the filter, manual pump bulb and associated plumbing. Grrrr.

Anyone with specific experience of Vivaro or Trafic are welcome to chip in here. No general advice please

 

[TheBig1]

No direct experience working on the newer vivaro. However you have described a pin hole air leak in the hose or diesel filter. Have definitely had that over the years. It's 2010 so 13 years old. Just replace any rubber hose on the diesel feed. If a diesel heater is Teed into the feed cap that off temporarily to remove any risk of air being sucked from that.

As you say, if it's got a priming bulb, they can be a source for leaks. Also ensure the filter and housing are sealed well

 

[Gromett]

No direct experience working on the newer vivaro. However you have described a pin hole air leak in the hose or diesel filter. Have definitely had that over the years. It's 2010 so 13 years old. Just replace any rubber hose on the diesel feed. If a diesel heater is Teed into the feed cap that off temporarily to remove any risk of air being sucked from that.

As you say, if it's got a priming bulb, they can be a source for leaks. Also ensure the filter and housing are sealed well

Thanks

The Diesel heater is Teed off the return so I can't see that being the cause as that is after the pump not before it?

I although it might be worth taking it out of circuit just in case.

 

[Gromett]

Fortunately I fitted the diesel heater using a proper connector so shouldn't be too hard to disconnect temporarily.

Pardon our interruption...

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[Gromett]

PS: when I say "I fitted" I of course meant I supplied Wissel fitted

 

[Gromett]

I tried to start it earlier and it didn't kick off straight away. So I stopped and popped the bonnet. I then used the primer bulb a number of times and retried. It started straight up.
Seems to confirm the fuel filter is draining back into the tank.

I will look for a replacement filter housing, seals and bulb as a first step I think.

 

[jockaneezer]

I've fitted this type of non return valve to most of our equipment and tractors. Sometimes they sit for a couple of weeks and fuel can drain back making them hard to start, but as you say, best to look for any obvious leak as well.

Amazon.co.uk : fuel line non return valve

 

[Gromett]

Gromett have you drained the fuel filter housing as that can cause problems.

Change the fuel filter often as that will tell you if the fuel pump is falling apart.
It might save you from changing all the fuel lines, injectors etc.

Not driven it for 2 days perhaps 3. The original problem is back and it is repeatable now.

I can't even get it to the bottom of the road. It craps out with a new error code this time though.
P0089

This could be fuel filter... I remembered your post and have ordered one.

I have just watched a video on how to replace the filter. If I understand you correctly you are suggesting I empty the filter housing of diesel and inspect it for contaminants/metal pieces?

 

[Gromett]

Well that was interesting. Not able to drive very far with it keep cutting out and giving the injector message on the display and throwing the P0089 code.
I am ignoring the injector message as I think it is spurious.

But I was looking at how to do the fuel filter housing replacement on youtube in case I needed to do that and discovered the bleed valve on the body.
SOOO... I went out to van and opened the valve and had to squeeze the bulb quite a few times before air stopped coming out and diesel did.
I then took it for a test drive and it was fine.

I think the original problem of diesel flowing back is actually the correct fault and it only gives me the persistent problems when I leave it for 2-3 days.

Other than that, it will usually run fine or at worse give a bit of a judder 20-30 seconds after pulling away.

I will still replace the fuel filter as I last did it 18 months ago it won't hurt.

It does raise a question though Silver-Fox... I was under the impression that the high pressure pump was after the filter not before it?
If so how would bits of metal from a failed pump get into the filter? Or am I misunderstanding something?

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[Silver-Fox]

Gromett if the pump is before the filter parts of metal would appear in the filter.

Or am I misreading your post?

 

[Gromett]

Gromett if the pump is before the filter parts of metal would appear in the filter.

Or am I misreading your post?

It was you that suggested if the pump lets go there would be metal in the filter or did I misread?

Change the fuel filter often as that will tell you if the fuel pump is falling apart.
It might save you from changing all the fuel lines, injectors etc.

That doesn't make sense to me as I would have thought.
a) Filter before pump to protect pump
b) Filter after pump means you are pressurising filter and that would mean filter body would have to be pretty special?

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

Have a check to see if you have a low pressure pump in the fuel tank.

 

[Gromett]

Have a check to see if you have a low pressure pump in the fuel tank.

I believe I do, but that wouldn't suck the diesel back when the engine was off would it?

ok. I am not sure but for the fuel to flow back there must be air getting into the filter somehow. Otherwise a vacuum would form and this would stop the fuel flowing backward?

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

If there is particals of metal in the filter it's where they are from also if there's a filter on the pump itself it would cause fuel starvation if blocked which would create a vacuum and pull the fuel back to the tank.

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[Landy Andy]

Reads to me like you have a hole in the supply pipe work allowing air in. It should be air tight so fuel can’t run backward.

 

[Gromett]

Reads to me like you have a hole in the supply pipe work allowing air in. It should be air tight so fuel can’t run backward.

That's what I am thinking.

Todays failures threw me a bit though to be honest. Until I thought that this is the longest I have left it without starting since before this started so probably had a lot of air to purge.

Now I know about the bleed valve, I will be able to confirm tomorrow by unscrewing and pumping the bulb to confirm there is air in the filter and it is not coming from elsewhere.

 

[Silver-Fox]

It was you that suggested if the pump lets go there would be metal in the filter or did I misread?

No that’s correct.
I was told when I hade a Vivaro change the filter every year to check for fine metal in the filter due to pump issues.

If the filter was before and the pump let go it will contaminate the whole system.
So that would be injectors, fuel lines including return and your tank.

I know someone this happened to, cost thousands to sort out.

 

[mitzimad]

you can always see bubbles in the fuel line on these im on my third tvp

 

[Gromett]

No that’s correct.
I was told when I hade a Vivaro change the filter every year to check for fine metal in the filter due to pump issues.

If the filter was before and the pump let go it will contaminate the whole system.
So that would be injectors, fuel lines including return and your tank.

I know someone this happened to, cost thousands to sort out.

So you are telling me it is
low pressure in tank pump -> high pressure pump ->filter ->engine?

So the filter is pressurised?

I would have thought the filter before the high pressure pump to prevent crap getting into it and damaging the pump?

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