C4 Cactus 2014 EOLYS tank replacement

[martin_b]

Hello all, new to this forum; used to be active in the Peugeot 306 world and just got back to a French car. Bought a 2014 BlueHDI Cactus.

The AdBlue tank has been replaced so I hoped I bought a problem free car, but alas, I am now facing the EOLYS issue and it needs a new EOLYS unit.

Has anyone done this? I am having trouble finding the correct part for my car. The closest I can find is this https://www.ebay.de/itm/175097468294?ha ... SwznZh1qkt which looks like the one on my car, but according to the seller it doesn't fit my car and he can't get the right one.

Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Martin

[Paul-R]

What makes you think that Eolys pump needs replacing rather than just topping up?

[martin_b]

The error codes (1432 and 1431) as far as I remember. Tester says malfunction in additive pump (not AdBlue), tester says eolys is almost full, but the car says "engine malfunction, have the vehicle repaired". I can hear the eolys pump whirring when I turn off the car. Error message appered right after filling tank up which triggers the system to inject eolys into the fuel.

Are you saying that these error codes could simply mean that it needs topping up with eolys fluid? I have only taken the car to my local independent shop and not to Citroën directly.

[Hell Razor5543]

When the EOLYS was topped up was the system reset to reflect this? The EOLYS tank does not have any measuring system, so it needs to be 'told' that it has been filled back up. This is not necessarily the problem, but I ask so as to be able to eliminate it as a cause.

[Paul-R]

How many miles (kilometres) has the vehicle done?

Hopefully someone can translate what the error codes mean. The codes look a bit short to me. What test equipment was used?

[GiveMeABreak]

Hello all, new to this forum; used to be active in the Peugeot 306 world and just got back to a French car. Bought a 2014 BlueHDI Cactus.

The AdBlue tank has been replaced so I hoped I bought a problem free car, but alas, I am now facing the EOLYS issue and it needs a new EOLYS unit.

Has anyone done this? I am having trouble finding the correct part for my car. The closest I can find is this https://www.ebay.de/itm/175097468294?ha ... SwznZh1qkt which looks like the one on my car, but according to the seller it doesn't fit my car and he can't get the right one.

Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Martin

Martin

Be aware you can also get the noise you describe from the Adblue pump. Mine often makes a noise for a few seconds after I get home and unload the boot.

I would need the VIN for your vehicle as those codes are missing the prefix letter. I have tried using a 'P' in front which are usually powertrain codes, but this is not returning anything for several Blue HDi engines - only petrol engines.

I certainly would not be replacing or buying any parts until you have had it properly diagnosed - as that will be expensive and may be unnecessary.

[martin_b]

Thanks for your replies. The car has done 200.000 KM and it has had the AdBlue tank/pump replaced and the new vented filler cap.

I have confirmed by listening to the eolys box that the noise comes from there. Sometimes it comes from the boot and that is clearly the AdBlue pump I can hear, but I am certain it is not the AdBlue pump I'm hearing.

The car has been serviced by an independent garage after its first 2 years and those records are not complete I think. There's no mention of the eolys and as I'm becoming aware most independent garages don't have the proper diagnostic equipment for PSA cars, so even if it has been topped up it could be that the system just thinks theres nothing left. Althoug my own mechanics' tester indicates that the eolys is 95% full. It would also not make sense for the pump to try to pump fluid if it thought it to be empty? Perhaps it's a clogged injector.

The VIN for my car is VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff] and the error codes I'm pretty sure had "P" in front of them.

[GiveMeABreak]

The fluid in the tank is not physically measured - there is no physical measuring gauge. It is only estimated based on what was put in at factory and whenever a new pouch has been added (pre-defined quantity) and the additive counter has been set to zero again when this has been refilled.

So if the estimated remaining additive fluid is not correct (perhaps if it has had a new pouch but not been physically reset or not been reset correctly / successfully), the engine ECU will be none the wiser and will continue to attempt to dose the fuel tank until the pump breaks from running dry / overheating. Then it's a new pump.

I'll have a look at those codes as soon as the system is back up after maintenance.

[martin_b]

The system in my car is not the pouch type, but the Powerflex type that you pour into the container with a kit via a hose. I am going to call the mechanic who has been servicing my car and ask him if he topped up the eolys and if he reset the counter. Since the pump is running I am starting to suspect that the container might be empty and that eolys has never been serviced...

I will also get the exact codes from my mechanic to be sure, although I am pretty sure

[GiveMeABreak]

OK, so now I have your VIN, the reservoir tank as fitted on your vehicle - but the same info I mentioned applies, except on models with the reservoir, the pump is integrated into the tank, so it's a new tank.

System is back up and no valid P or U prefixes for the codes with those numbers for this vehicle. So if you have the full codes that will help. I suspect he may not be using Diagbox, otherwise he would have the proper codes.

[martin_b]

He is not using Diagbox, so perhaps it won't help. I may have to go to Citroën then.

[GiveMeABreak]

That ultimately may be your best bet - at least if they diagnose it you'll know where you stand.

[martin_b]

Yes, I think so too.

Do you think it is possible to diagnose with Diagbox if there is any fluid in the reservoir? I mean, is there a way to be certain that the pump and injectors function via diagbox? The pump clearly runs. But something is triggering an error. What could trigger that error if there is no fluid level sensor and the ECU thinks it's 97% full? Perhaps it was indeed 97% empty - I remember it was difficult to interpret the tester at the mechanic's. Could the error be that there's incorrect pressure at the pump? Don't know if there's a sensor for that. So many questions. Hope I can trust the Citroën guys for a proper diagnosis and not just a standard "replace with new before really diagnosing".

By the way, I used to sort these types of things on my previous cars myself with the assistance of good workshop manuals. Here I am punching in the dark with this car. Is there really no traditional workshop repair manual for this car?

[GiveMeABreak]

The pump is multiplexed. The Eolys is estimated and calculated by the engine ECU based on miles travelled, determining if fuel has been added and if so, how much in order to calculate dosing and estimated additive remaining.

So although Diagbox can estimate the additive remaining it can't be 100%. When it gets to a certain estimated level, it looks at your remaining miles due to the next service interval and if it thinks you won't have enough Eolys fluid to make it until the next service, it will flag up the low additive warning.

So the potential problem is that your engine ECU may assume there is more fluid that there is in reality. This means it will go on dosing the fuel tank even if the tank is empty. The problems happen when it runs dry.

Causes of there to be less fluid than estimated that I am aware of:

1. A previous owner has only added a small amount of additive into the reservoir and not topped it up and has reset the counter - The engine ECU therefore assumes the tank is full when it is not and therefore the estimations are immediately incorrect.
2. The additive has been full or partially topped up, but the resetting of the additive counter failed or was not completed correctly. The engine ECU therefore thinks the original amount of fluid is in there and not the new quantity. In this scenario it is not so concerning, as at least there is fluid in the tank - so the pump won't run dry. The worst that can happen is the low additive level warning may come on earlier than expected.
3. The Engine ECU has been told the additive reservoir has been refilled when it has not by an unscrupulous person. Additive is expensive requiring a reset with a suitable professional diagnostic tool. This can be an expense a seller does not want to cough up for, so arranges to get it reset to get around any warnings. The new owner is blissfully unaware....

[martin_b]

Well, Citroen wants an insane amount to diagnose, and their diagnose guy wasn't even sure that my car even has eolys. He mixed it up with AdBlue and insisted that there is an internal level meter inside the eolys tank. He didn't seem competent at all. He would charge me a lot of money and give me a print with error codes which he couldn't even interpret himself. So that was of no help.

I also called the mechanic who had been servicing my car. He seemed hesitant when talking to me about it, as if something was up. I have a feeling that the counter has been reset but no fluid been added. I guess there's no way around either topping up eolys and reset counter again or just fit a new unit and be over with it.