Nissan Qashqai
An ABS code that had nothing to do with the ABS
- In
- Blocked DPF and a C1130 fault code.
- Found
- Despite being logged as an ABS code, the cause was a blocked pipe.
From the workshop
What came in, what we found, how we fixed it
The old site had more than 200 short posts. These are the strongest, rewritten as proper case notes. Every fact comes from PK’s original post.
8 case notes
Diagnostics
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Diagnostics March 2018 -
Diagnostics February 2017 Peugeot 207
ABS not talking: water in the fuse box
- In
- ABS warning, with no communication with the ABS module.
- Found
- Pin-out testing found water ingress in the fuse box.
-
Diagnostics November 2016 Car with CAN bus failure codes
Every module blamed the engine ECU. The ECU was fine.
- In
- Other control units were reporting a CAN failure of the engine ECU.
- Found
- Checking the CAN bus signals showed the engine ECU was working. The fault was in the wiring to the body control module.
-
Diagnostics December 2016 2012 Audi A4
Shorted sensor supply found with a break-out box
- In
- Sensor supply fault.
- Found
- Tested circuit by circuit with a proper break-out box; the short was in a faulty sensor.
-
Diagnostics February 2017 2009 VW Passat
Fizzing noise and a burning smell from the door
- In
- Recovered in with a fizzing noise and burning smell coming from a door.
- Found
- Diagnosis traced it to the door wiring loom.
-
Diagnostics May 2017 Peugeot (two of the same model)
Coolant in the engine ECU, twice in two weeks
- In
- Both recovered in, two weeks apart: same year, model and colour.
- Found
- A coolant leak had reached the engine ECU.
-
Diagnostics May 2017 Renault
A misfire that only showed at 2,000 rpm under load
- In
- Kept misfiring at 2,000 rpm under load.
- Found
- Reproduced on the rolling road, where it could be watched safely: coil and plugs.
-
Diagnostics May 2017 Classic MG
Classic MG: wiring rescued, carbs set up on the dyno
- In
- No charge and poor running.
- Found
- Previous wiring work had left a mess.
5 case notes
Diesel
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Diesel February 2024 Diesel with AdBlue (SCR) system
AdBlue fault traced to a leaking dosing injector
- In
- AdBlue warning and flow problems. Two vehicles like this came in the same week, and owners had often spent thousands elsewhere first.
- Found
- A leaking AdBlue injector was upsetting the flow through the system.
-
Diesel December 2014 Vauxhall Vivaro
Four seized injectors out of a Vauxhall Vivaro
- In
- Injectors seized in the cylinder head: a common problem on these engines. One had already had its top threads stripped.
- Found
- Severe corrosion. Injector 1 had snapped at an unusual point; injector 2 snapped leaving its cap in the head.
-
Diesel February 2017 Isuzu Trooper
Broken glow plug extracted without removing the head
- In
- Glow plug snapped off in the cylinder head during removal.
- Found
- The broken section was still threaded into the head.
-
Diesel October 2016 SEAT 2.0 PD diesel
Heavy smoke after an engine swap: worn injector seats
- In
- Smoking badly and cutting out after a replacement engine (customer-supplied) had been fitted elsewhere.
- Found
- The injector and cylinder head were worn away, and the injector seats were beyond saving even with seat-cutting equipment.
-
Diesel February 2017 Citroen C3 diesel
Diesel non-start: metal filings through the fuel system
- In
- Would not start.
- Found
- Electrical tests passed. The pump and injectors had failed, with filings found in the injectors.
6 case notes
Tuning
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Tuning October 2016 2013 Audi TT
Damaged ECU repaired, then remapped
- In
- Someone else had already attempted to work on the ECU.
- Found
- The ECU could not be read until it was repaired.
-
Tuning October 2018 Mercedes E220
Custom map on the dyno: 170 to 223 bhp
- In
- Owner wanted more performance.
- Found
- Baseline power run measured 170 bhp.
- Result
- 170 bhp to 223 bhp
-
Tuning July 2017 BMW 120d twin turbo xDrive
Stage 2 on a twin-turbo xDrive diesel
- In
- In for a stage 2 tune.
- Found
- Baseline 180 bhp on the all-wheel-drive dyno.
- Result
- 180 bhp to 242.2 bhp, 470 Nm
-
Tuning May 2017 2011 Nissan Navara V6
A Navara that was down on power
- In
- Baseline power run before mapping.
- Found
- 222 bhp on the dyno: low for this engine.
- Result
- 222 bhp to 278 bhp, torque up 52.5 Nm
-
Tuning October 2016 VW Golf GTD Mk7
Checking someone else’s claimed figures
- In
- Owner had a third-party tuning box fitted and wanted to know if the claims were true.
- Found
- Dyno run measured the output independently.
- Result
- 240 PS, 513 Nm
-
Tuning May 2017 1930s Austin 7
A 1930s Austin 7 set up for hill sprints
- In
- In for set-up and tune before hill sprint events.
- Found
- Timing and fuelling were off.
2 case notes
Vans
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Vans May 2017 LDV van
Wiring fire from a chafed loom, then immobiliser and ECU
- In
- Wiring damaged by a fire.
- Found
- The loom had been rubbing on the battery tray.
-
Vans November 2017 Peugeot Boxer, 350 miles old
A brand-new Boxer, driven 100 miles for its map
- In
- In for a power upgrade almost straight from the showroom.
- Found
- New-generation Delphi ECU.
- Result
- About 50 bhp gain
Got a job like these?
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