Hi all,
Got myself an outlander warrior 2007 diesel in October 2012. I was really pleased with it after wanting one for ages, but having to wait for them to come down in price. I bought it from a garage 100 miles away - near my in-laws so I could go down for a test drive and then go back later to collect it.
Said outlander had done 66k. It had a 3 month warranty. All was fine and I drove around happily in it until one day in January, I had done a long trip in torrential rain and floods. The next COLD morning I experienced loss of power gunning it up a steep hill. Stopped, turned engine off for 10 mins then when it came back on it was fine. No engine warning light came on. So I put it down to maybe getting a bit of water on a sensor somewhere in the turbo region.
Gradually the problem has become worse. The turbo now cuts out if I go over 2500 revs uphill. It's ok on the flat/downhill.
I rang the local Mitsubishi dealer who claimed to have 'never heard of this problem before' and wanted me to bring it in. I then had a read of a few forums including the discussion on this one, and found it's a common problem with this VAG engine. I have a local guy who specialises in VWs, and as the Outlander was due it's MOT I took it to see him.
Straight away he said he'd dealt with this problem before in several VAGs. He said it was a build-up of gunk in the turbo, clogging it up (the vanes?) and causing the car to sense a pressure build-up, so cutting to limp mode. He said it was caused by using cheap dirty supermarket diesel. He then ran the diagnostic which gave him a list of the same 'overboost' problem.
His first treatment was to add some cleaning chemicals to the fuel tank. I have to run the car for a few hundred miles to see if this solves the problem. I paid him £70 for diagnostics and treatment. SO far it hasn't worked - this was a week ago and he said give a couple more weeks.
If this treatment doesn't work then he says there is an intensive treatment that he applies into the turbo with the engine running, it makes a lot of black smoke and it should clean it all out.
Failing that he's talking about a new turbo for £1000 - this I cannot afford as I am expecting a baby very soon.

Can anyone tell me if they think he's on the right lines with his 'investigations' and if there's anything else he can try? I noted something on here about replacing the emissions control valve? I am about to have a poke about with the hoses but it's not easy getting into an engine when you're 7 months pregnant.

ANy advice is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

ALSO I noticed having bought the car that it has had 5 (!!!!) owners!!!!! Dealer told me 3... I am worried that I have bought a duff one...

 

Mechanic sounds like he has his head up his ***, and wants your money.

I'm willing to bet this is a fuel starvation issue. The PCV system usually vents pressure into the intake stream, which may draw a droplet of oil or two, and over a period of time this builds up to some crap.... still nothing that'll kill a turbo. Take the intake tube off yourself and take a look, you can clean the crap out with a rag and some petrol.

I advise taking a peek at your diesel fuel filter, I'm betting it's filled with brown shyte (basically rust). Once water gets into the diesel fuel system is really destroys injectors, so that could be what's gone on here.

It could also be that when you were pushing the car up a hill you developed a boost leak causing the air fuel ratio to fly off the charts. Google on ways to perform a boost leak test and that'll alleviate that worry. A trip to Homebase or equivalent should yield all the parts needed to construct the tester. Pressurize the system to about 15psi and make sure it holds. You'll need to have the engine at TDC for this, and confirm that all valves are closed or else the pressure will escape into the combustion chamber and give false readings. To spot the little leaks, a dash of Fairy liquid in a spray bottle full of water will do the trick. Check around the injector o-rings, intercooler couplers, and anything else in that vicinity.

To check the injectors just remove them one by one and place the heads into a bottle. Start it up and watch for the flow. You're looking for a nice consistent fuel atomization, anything beyond that and it's buggered. After you check the diesel fuel filter of course.

You can check the health of the turbo by taking off the intake tube, grabbing ahold of the compressor shaft and giving it a wiggle. It should never touch the housing, and it should have only a millimeter or so of play. Any bent fins means the turbo needs to be replaced.

A dealership will sell you an entirely new turbo with new housings (cold and hot side). Your housings are more than likely in perfect condition unless there is a lot of play in the shaft causing it to gouge the crap out of the housings. If they are good, you can just buy what's called a new 'center section' and switch the housings over. Just make sure you're getting genuine parts and not Chinese crap.

Best of luck to you, don't be afraid to grab a spanner and investigate. Don't let a mechanic/dealership put ideas in your head without confirming yourself. Call them on their bull**** if there is any. What ever the diagnosis, get a second opinion. More often than not you'll find they like to just throw guesses out that involve replacing labor intensive expensive parts, at your expensive... and without solving the problem.

EDIT: Have the husband do it

 

first thing would be to find a real mechanic.

 

I have a 2007 Outlander 2.0 diesel. Bought it as new. My biggest mistake in my 46 years as a human beeing! Last year ( approx 11.000 km) I had to buy a new turbo because of exactly the same problem as you have. It costed me approx 14.000 SEK incl. the work (= 2000 USD).

Trust me, several service stations, all Mitsubishi certified, came finnally to the same conclusion as your mechanic have done. This is a common and well known problem with this stuff. The engine and turbo is used in Skoda pick ups (thats why they are cheap). I am sorry for your sake, you need to afford a new turbo + work.

Just picked it up (again) from the service station today as a poor man again. This time it was rust hole on a tube to the turbo. Because of it was impossible to order a new tube...they have welded the tube.

I will sell the damn thing asap, before next fault!!!

Mitsubishi, shame on you to manufacture and sell such a car with so incredible bad quality! I agree, you must have bought the VAG engine and turbo at a second hand super market. Never a Mitsubishi car again!