Motor Control System Failure - Alfa 147 Ducati

[Josh147]

Just had this error message pop up on my car, accompanied by a loss of power (initially).
From what I gather, it's likely to be the crankshaft sensor.

I've tried turning the car off and on again but that's not worked.

What does this sensor do and how much is the little blighter is gonna cost me?

Thanks

[rijmij99]

crankshaft sensor measures the position of the crankshaft and it will cost you millions as its usually the first sign of cambelt failure. don't drive it and have it looked at by someone who knows what they're doing with alfas. or failing that i'll give you £500 for it

[Josh147]

rijmij99 said:

crankshaft sensor measures the position of the crankshaft and it will cost you millions as its usually the first sign of cambelt failure. don't drive it and have it looked at by someone who knows what they're doing with alfas. or failing that i'll give you £500 for it

I've just had the frickin' cambelt replaced by an independant Alfa specialist!!
My bet is they've buggered something up in the process of changing the belt.

Pissed off doesn't do justice in describing how I'm feeling.

Frickin' piss take!

[trashbat]

MCSF is a general warning, so you need to get the codes read before doing anything.

I don't agree with the previous poster either; crankshaft sensors aren't expensive, and it has no relation to cambelt failure IME. The usual failure mode for the sensor is that the car won't start when the engine is warm, only when it cools, so I have my doubts it's that either.

I would have guessed MAF first, but I haven't got much to go on.

[Josh147]

The AA are coming out this morning.
Hopefully they can diagnose what the problem is...

[StescoG66]

Glass half full kinda guy a few posts up eh???

Diesel or petrol? If former, my money would either be MAF, EGR or possibly turbo hose. Not dear. If petrol then poss MAF or some daft wee sensor somewhere. Again not dear. wait until the fault code has been read. Your specialist would be abbé to do that for you in jig time.

Did you try a 'reset' by disconnecting the battery for half an hour before re starting? That can clear many ills. A fault code will then only reappear if its actually present. In turn if a one off it will clear itself after 10 starts

[sjg]

When I had that on my 156, it was a turbo hose. As said, it's a generic ECU ("motor control system") error.

[Josh147]

Car's been diagnosed - turbo boost sensor.
bks.

[rijmij99]

every 156/147 i've bought/known/worked on thats had a crankshaft sensor problem has had the belt go shortly after, must just be coinkydinks then

[StescoG66]

Josh147 said:

Car's been diagnosed - turbo boost sensor.
bks.

Not a big job really. Usual it's the effing sensors that cause all the problems. Oh and for the record - these parts are German :-)

[Josh147]

Well I spoke to a guy who works at an Alfa Specialist garage. He's very knowledgeable and holds a reputation for it. He's reliably informed me that I have nothing to worry about.

He thinks the turbo will have probably just over boosted causing the car to panic and initially cut the power.

The fault has been removed from my car's brain and it hasn't come back - fingers crossed it stays that way...

My guess is that the MAP sensor may have caused this, given that other drivers on forums have experienced similar issues and either cleaning or replacing the MAP Sensor seems to have rectified the issue.

Any advice on how to locate, remove and clean/replace the MAP Sensor would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Josh147]

StescoG66 said:

Glass half full kinda guy a few posts up eh???

Diesel or petrol? If former, my money would either be MAF, EGR or possibly turbo hose. Not dear. If petrol then poss MAF or some daft wee sensor somewhere. Again not dear. wait until the fault code has been read. Your specialist would be abbé to do that for you in jig time.

Did you try a 'reset' by disconnecting the battery for half an hour before re starting? That can clear many ills. A fault code will then only reappear if its actually present. In turn if a one off it will clear itself after 10 starts

Yeah, looking back I was perhaps a little OTT last night.
The last thing I wanted though was a hefty bill to have something repaired that shouldn’t have been damaged in the first place.

It all seems to have worked out well though and I haven’t had to cough up any dosh whatsoever, which is a huge relief!

[StescoG66]

Glad it worked out ok. Wasn't having a pop at you last night, more the Cam belt pessimist talking pish on the second post........
Anyway MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor is on the rear of the engine IE bulkhead side. When standing at front facing the engine it is on the back left hand side about 6 inches to left of EGR and easily accessible once the cover is off. Held in with one wee bolt it's a small matchbox size black box. Blow the soot out with some compressed air.
MAF (mass air flow meter) is not so easy to access being under the battery tray - or at least it was on my GT.
For what it's worth, get the EGR at least cleaned and check the lower turbo hose too. Then give the car an Italian tune up....... :-)

[rijmij99]

how is personal experience talking pish? obviously coincidence as you obviously know more than me, although i've just had a quick google and it does throw up concurring evidence, but whatever this is pistonheads, who ever shouts loudest is right

[StescoG66]

Oops sterility of written word versus spoken strikes again.sorry no offence intended and I certainly wasn't shouting. I have never heard of a crank sensor failure contributing to cam belt failure though, and cannot see how the 2 can be linked. Anyway I am suitably humble and educated.
That said, I did however feel that it was a bit of heavy handed advice you gave the OP which may have caused him a bit of an un necessary panic. However thankfully all is well now......

[Josh147]

StescoG66 said:

Glad it worked out ok. Wasn't having a pop at you last night, more the Cam belt pessimist talking pish on the second post........
Anyway MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor is on the rear of the engine IE bulkhead side. When standing at front facing the engine it is on the back left hand side about 6 inches to left of EGR and easily accessible once the cover is off. Held in with one wee bolt it's a small matchbox size black box. Blow the soot out with some compressed air.
MAF (mass air flow meter) is not so easy to access being under the battery tray - or at least it was on my GT.
For what it's worth, get the EGR at least cleaned and check the lower turbo hose too. Then give the car an Italian tune up....... :-)

Thanks for your advice.
When I get a bit of time, I'll have a look and see what I can do.

I've been tempted for a while about getting the car remapped, along with a DPF removal. Apparently those two things will increase performance (obviously) but also improve the mpg. More mileage plus more range on a tank of fuel... seems logical...
The only thing that's putting me off is the moral dilemma of a hike in my insurance premium if I declare the mods, or not being honest with them & keeping it quiet given that they're very unlikely to find out.

[trashbat]

I don't think it has a DPF, but I could be wrong. Perhaps you mean the EGR valve blanking.

[StescoG66]

Josh147 said:

Thanks for your advice.
When I get a bit of time, I'll have a look and see what I can do.

I've been tempted for a while about getting the car remapped, along with a DPF removal. Apparently those two things will increase performance (obviously) but also improve the mpg. More mileage plus more range on a tank of fuel... seems logical...
The only thing that's putting me off is the moral dilemma of a hike in my insurance premium if I declare the mods, or not being honest with them & keeping it quiet given that they're very unlikely to find out.

My GT was remapped and it was brilliant. Don't go silly with the tweak take it to 170-180 or so and the car will be a peach afterwards. Your car doesn't have a DPF but does have the EGR - there is a modified gasket for this which helps or when you get it mapped the EGR can be mapped out. Good luck

[Josh147]

StescoG66 said:

My GT was remapped and it was brilliant. Don't go silly with the tweak take it to 170-180 or so and the car will be a peach afterwards. Your car doesn't have a DPF but does have the EGR - there is a modified gasket for this which helps or when you get it mapped the EGR can be mapped out. Good luck

My 147 is a Ducati Corse so it's already got 170bhp.
AHM remap these cars and consistently get around 210bhp. Torque shoots through the roof!

[markcurtains]

My 156 used to light up with that error within 100 yds of putting air in a slow puncture I had. Only at the petrol station near my work though. I could call the exact spot on the drive home where it would alert.