2006 Diesel Berlingo warning light after alt prob

[nginmu]

The Preamble......


Helped a buddy buy a 2006 diesel berlingo at auction a while ago

There was a problem with engine warning lamp always 'on'

After failing to read any useful codes with my bog standard elm327 obd reader I went in search of something better. Heard of lexia etc. but they seemed too expensive / involved for the one-off job we had.

Can't remember the exact details but I did eventually arrive at a combination of OBD reader & tablet software that spoke citroenese well enough to lead me to an answer, it turned out that a fuse was present, which shouldn't have been present, for the type of diesel pump fitted. Maybe someone had replaced the fuel pump and not sorted the fuse properly, conjecture.

Anyway, engine warning lamp problem went away for ages.



The Current Problem.......


Buddy sent me message, "battery dead, sorry mate can u fit a new one 4 us"

Went to look. Battery fine. Alternator fine. Problem diagnosed, no serpentine belt.

Power steering pump seemed stiff in the extreme but not impossible to turn. ultimately found to be dry of fluid in the reservoir.

Replaced serpentine belt. Added power steering fluid. Ran it for a bit. Everything now seems basically ok.

Only thing is... engine warning lamp has started coming on in a fairly weird but very repeatable manner.

Key in and to ignition - warning lamp on.
Start engine & return key to 'run'. warning lamp off. All normal so far?
Wait for it.. 10 seconds (?)... 'ping' alarm noise, warning lamp comes on.
now.. if you raise the revs ever so slightly (say to anything over 1100 after an idle about 800) - after a good few secs, warning light goes off
let it sit back to idle for another good few secs.. warning light back on. rinse and repeat.

Only other thing I've noticed is a lot of burning rubber smelling smoke, coming from around the new serpentine belt & particularly the area around the power steering pump. On a good long close inspection I fancy this is actually a short congealed length of the old belt, caught up round the power steering pump shaft, burning itself away with the friction though.

I've not yet connected the OBD reader to see if there's anything there, but if anyones seen this engine warning lamp behaviour and has any ideas, theories or wild guesses it would be good to hear..

[Lighty]

I would guess that the belt is slipping at low revs , hence no charging.
You must remove that piece of belt or change the pump, I had one like this Kasey week & managed to get the piece out after a good 20 min fight. If left, it will destroy the seal in the pump anyway.

[nginmu]

Thanks.. good thinking..

I wonder, do you reckon I would be able to see the belt slipping relative to the pulleys if I watched it using a stroble light?

If so, wonder how I would go about attaching a timing lamp to a diesel, only ever used one off the ignition leads on a petrol car