Smax 2.2TDCi stuttering/kangarooing/stalling diagnosis

[Nomag]

Your advice appreciated please.

We have a 2009 S-max 2.2TDCi. About a year ago, at 66k miles, I noticed a slight hesitation and stuttering at low rpm, usually on a light throttle. Seems to occur at between 1500-1750rpm. Can occur in any gear and to avoid has necessitated using a lower gear than normal.

This has got gradually worse/more frequent over the last year, but occasionally I still get journeys where it doesn't happen. The car is also very difficult to drive in heavy traffic, as it seems to kangaroo in 1st gear, but I never notice this unless in stop-start conditions, which I rarely drive in.

Finally, today I noticed that on slowing down to approach a roundabout in 5th, the car stalled without warning. I am old fashioned and normally slow down through the gears, and this has not occurred for me before, however, my wife then mentioned that this has occurred several times when she slows down from 60mph in a high gear to turn into the track to our property. She never uses engine braking.
The car has now done 84k miles and I convinced myself this must be a combined clutch/flywheel issue and booked the car in at an independent to have replaced. I normally use a very good back street guy local to me but he doesn't want to do the clutch/flywheel so recommended another small garage.

I have now become concerned that I am barking up the wrong tree completely with this. There are no rattles etc. with the clutch engaged or not, and the clutch is not slipping at all as far as I can tell. Obviously there must be some clutch wear at this mileage, and it's going to need replacing along with the flywheel at some point, but the last thing I want to do is get this replaced and find the current problem remains. Could this be an EGR/DPF issue?

There are no warning lights on the dash, nor have there ever been.

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

[Nomag]

Thanks for the advice. I've booked it in for some diagnostics. It pulls strongly as normal through the rest of the rev range. I am suspicious about the EGR valve and will ask for that to be inspected carefully.

[Nomag]

Update: had a mobile "diesel specialist" come out to the car today. He drove it and replicated the fault, which I have now realised only happens once the engine is warm.

He read two fault codes P2562 and P2563. These apparently related to the turbo charge pressure actuator and position sensor. He has suggested that the fault lies with the position sensor within the turbo actuator. His explanation was that the ECU can't determine what position the actuator is in correctly, so is constantly correcting, causing the surge. His explanation for it only occurring when the engine is hot relates to exhaust gas temperature.

He suggested we simply "drive around" the fault suggesting the actuator/turbo themselves are OK, but to replace the sensor would mean at the least replacing the actuator also, which he suggested would be expensive. I'm not really happy with this and want to fix the problem, but don't want to open up a bottomless pit of expenditure on different parts. To reiterate, the car pulls strongly through the rest of the rev range.

Could it be that, as suggested above, the vanes of the turbo are clogged with crud? Or could it just be the electronic sensor at fault? I'd appreciate your opinions and feedback before I go any further!

[Nomag]

Thanks for your learned advice. Discussion to be had with my mechanic next week. Trouble with these faults is it's a bit of a minefield. Keep thinking I should just get rid and replace, but the car does everything we want it to still, and there is no better replacement available. I'm loathed to spend upwards of 26k on a new, similar spec model!