Chrysler Repair: 97 Chrysler Grand Voyager TD engine cut out, chrysler voyager turbo diesel, chrysler grand voyager

Question
Roland,
I have a 1997, European Grand Chrysler Voyager, turbo diesel.  I have had it since new and now have 250000 km on the clock. About 3 years ago an intermittent fault started. The engine would cut out within about a 10 km radius of home. It would just die and the coil light would be illuminated on the dash, all other electrics were still functioning. Once the car came to a halt and ignition was turned off, it will re-start straight away.  Initially this fault would happen around once or twice a month and only in the winter. The fault is now more frequent, sometime twice in the same outing.  It is more frequently when the car is driven for the first time in the morning, is always when you slow down for a corner (to change gear) OR slow down on the open road (can happen at 50 mph), and is always within a 10km radius of starting the car from cold. It does happen when the temperature gauge is at normal running but still within the first 20 minutes of leaving the house. It always will restart once the ignition is turned off and then back on. It is still more frequent in the winter but does sometimes occur during the summer. I have been to 2 different Chrysler garages and they have reported similar possible faults, a diesel pump fault, an engine computer fault (PCM) or an electrical earthing problem. They have replaced the diesel pump solonoid, 2 times, have replaced a wiring loom, have connected the diesel pump with a direct feed from the ignition but still the same problem! One garage gave the fault codes P1220 (fuel quantity actuator), P0100 (mass air flow) and  P1740 (clutch signal) but recommended replacement of the PCM and diesel pump.  Another garage is recommending similar but to start with replacing the fuel timing solonoid (around 200 GBP), what ever that is? But no-one can tell me if any of these will work...PCM and fuel pumps are very expensive.  I am not convinced that it is the PCM as it only used to happen in the winter and is still intermitent...same with the diesel pump.  Can you offer any advice, please,
regards
rob

PS:
The car also have a loss of power, again intermitent, this started at a similar time to the cutting out, could this be relavent?

Answer
Hi Robert,
On the loss of power, again I have to beg lack of familiarity with diesel engines. I believe in using the fault code readout approach for these complex engines, but then you have to take the time to do it right: maybe start with a blank memory, by disconecting the battery for a few minutes, then drive it for a few days and go thru at least one episode of the problem so a code is set, then readout, then read the powertrain manual for the code, and then follow the manual's step by step evaluation/remediation plan for that code. Unless you know of a very experienced diesel mechanic who can reliably shorten that process it is the only rational way to solve engine control/performance problems with these complex systems.
Roland