The Joy of Running an Old Shed (Vol 2)

Mine is the 1.8VVT, so I don't really have any of those worries - it's a great engine when you ring it's neck a little - sits at 70mph all day long, doing 45/50mpg so i cant complain.

The joy(!), another yellow spanner of doom on my Grand Scenic.

Ran the OBD reader through, brought up 12(!) codes and it cleared 11 of them. Only one left is code P0545, Exhaust Gas Sensor. Any idea how easy it is to replace?

fking Renaults, every day I'm getting closer to scrapping this bloody thing.

Day 2 and first sort of issue. Question about the Mk2 Focus - who the fk put the pollen filter in that location!?

Your EGR is clogged up with crap because you've been running it on standard diesel without any detergents. Clean or replace EGR, put proper diesel in it. Problem sorted.

That's not a bad suggestion re: super diesel. I need to fill up in the next 100 miles, so I'll give that a go.

I'll see how easy it is to locate the EGR and give it a good clean.

If you know someone with a Costco card or you have a business yourself, fill up there. Their premium diesel is about the same price as standard diesel everywhere else. Or get that Millers Diesel Power EcoMax (you can find it cheaper than Halfrauds if you shop around) and put a couple of shots of that in each fill as it's basically the same additive that's in V Power afaik. Works out far cheaper per tankful, but more messing around. I used to fill up a jerry can with normal diesel and then put a few shots of that in and give it a shake up, then pour it in the car. Well was actually my Astravan back then, but clearly worked as I never had any EGR or injector issues. The tried and tested methods from days gone by still work today for preventative maintenance. V-Power derv was quick and easy and the man maths worked when it was 'only' about 8ppl more than standard but now it's 20+ppl more than standard at most places which is just taking the piss.

Or you could just get your EGR mapped out and blanked off, then you're not sending poorly combusted diesel gasses back into your engine which is what clogs up your EGR valve, piperwork and inlet manifold with gunk. If you do this make sure you've been running on a couple of tanks of premium before your MOT test to ensure your emission test passes and you're all good.

Sounds like death may not be far away based on what you've said. Might be beyond saving. If the EGR is easy to get to, take it out and stick your head inside. If it looks something like this then that's why it's running like it is. Inlet manifold will be the same. You'll need industrial quantities of cleaner, screwdriver, a lot of old toothbrushes and rags and a lot of time and patience, or just buy a new EGR. Paraffin or diesel will soak and loosen the hardened crud. Brake cleaner or household oven cleaner does a good job but keep an eye as both are quite aggressive and the latter will melt ally if left on long enough. Car Plan Tetraclean is another which gets a good rep.

Running it on premium fuel with detergents in it (or using off-the-shelf fuel treatments like Millers DPEM) keeps your EGR side minty clean and also your injectors - both of which will empty your wallet if you let them clog up. It's the standard preventative maintenance 'service' to keep diesels running well.
Yours might be too far gone to clean itself just from fuel/additives if you start now - could take years to clear if the build-up is heavy - especially if only doing short journeys, so probably needs some manual intervention.

Was that the mk1 CR-V from the late 90s to the ealy 00s ? I remember that. It was a bit of messing about but still straightforward enough with a cross head 'driver and some 8, 10 and 12mm socket bits. The mk2 and 3 were a better design with the twin filters and much simpler to change.

Standard diesel still has detergents.

I didn’t think in this thread of all threads we’d be spouting fuel bs.

I don't care what the car is, it always gets premium fuel with me.