Excessive smoking from 200tdi

[Jon W]

This has been occuring for a while but thought it was blocked injectors due to dodgy fuel/SVO in winter temperatures and the fuel filter needed changing a few times. However problems have persisted whilst on pure diesel. After draining the tank etc and injector cleaner being used.

Symptoms:

Starting on 2 or 3 cylinders and will on run on 4 and turbo spools up once 200yards up the road. This gives whitey blue smoke.

When it is warmed up it runs fine but when on light throttle or lifting off with a very slight bit of throttle it puffs out the same whitey blue smoke for a little bit and feels like it is a cylinder down.

It is not using engine oil.

Isn't doing very good mpg at the moment.

But having spoken to someone recently they think that it probably isn't injectors as these would drop fuel in with a bad spray pattern and it would be black smoke if it wasn't burning properly.

So they think it is due to an air leak in the inlet system or the vacum system. Where about would one start searching for an air leak and is this the right diagnosis??

It could be the vacum as the brake pedal doesn't really drop when you start the engine when hot or cold, sugguesting the vacum on the brakes is suspect.

Any help on anything to check is much appreciated.

Thanks

Jon

[LandyManLuke]

Vacuum has nothing to do with the running of a tdi - vacuum is generated by the pump that runs off the cam shaft, not by the induction system.

If you had a leak between the turbo and the inlet manifold you'd struggle to attain boost, as it would be leaking away. if anything you might get black smoke due to not getting enough air to match the fuel injected - but i'd expect the leaking boost to also affect the pump, so you'd end up with less fuel, less air, and under performance as a result.

What are the glow plugs like? tdis have a good reputation for easy starting but if it's starting on 2 or 3 pots it could be those glow plugs have failed.

FWIW, I have had very similar symptoms to you, I in fact had 3 out of glow plugs failed. Ultimately, the belt shed a dozen or so teeth and I've been doing a belt replacement, so haven't had it running again since. I wonder if the belt had stretched at all, retarding the timing a bit and causing the cold start problem, like you, once it was running it was pretty ok.

I'd say, check the glow plugs, and who knows, maybe it's worth checking when the belt was last done, so you don't have to buy new push rods et al like i've had to. don't mean to scare you - could be completely unrelated.

[Jon W]

Sorry i forgot to add, i found one of the plugs wasn't working so i have replaced them all. I assume they are working as I can hear the relay and am get 12v at the wire when they are first switched on. Cam belt was replace 6000 miles ago back in June. So i was hoping that it hasn't stretched or is missing any teeth. But i suppose i can look through the inspection hole and see if my tipex marks still line up on the pulleys.

Jon

[discojmz]

head gasket blown between cylinders? rings? injectors if theyre blocked or spraying a bad pattern, even not atomising and just pouring fuel will not be cured by injector cleaner. i would take them to your local diesel injection engineer. mine checked them for free while i waited. if theyre screwed you'll know, if not, youve eliminated them.

if im honest, i would not take many things on just someone's say so. if you can, get things you feel are possible checked by someone who can tell you for definite!

[Jon W]

I have been working by the process of elimination so far. Head gasket seems fine it isn't using any water or getting hot and there is not water in the oil. I had thought injectors originally but didnt know what it would cost to have them done. Do most diesel specialist do this? If so any recomendations in Sussex.

Thanks

Jon

[Mark]

Jon,

200's have a habit of blowing between the cylinder and atnosphere on the rearmost cylinder, ie next to the bulkhead. On my spare disco, this gives a sort of chuffing sound, but doesn't use oil or water as a result - best to check the back of the block for nasty blacnkess...

just a suggestion

Mark

[discojmz]

im not 100% sure, perhaps mine is just very good. theyre very old skool though, in their work ethic and their actual age

head gaskets can blow and not cause overheating if they dont blow out where a water gallery is (ask me how i know ), so I would certainly check. could be between cylinders or out the side/end of the block

[GBMUD]

any recomendations in Sussex.

Automarine Diesel

Chris

[Jon W]

Have had a look but nothing obvious, so i'm gussing the only way i'll know if the head gasket has gone is a compression test on all cylinders

Jon

[ciderman]

Have you checked all your fuel lines and connections ? They have to be air tight , the slightest leak will suck air into the system causing a white smoke apoor running .

The heater plugs dont realy need to be working , Mine have been disconected for some years and she starts every time without them regardless of the weather .

[Roverdrive]

When the head gasket went on my 200tdi, it went between 3 + 4 cylinders, and partially in to the push rod space.

Symptom was blue - white smoke, and lumpy tickover.

Proved by CAREFULLY removing the oil filler cap with the engine idling.

Excess crankcase pressure nearly blew the cap out my hand, and was a loud chuffing sound.

[NegevLandRover]

Been here and done this. To cut a very very long story short these symptoms in my old 200 TDI proved to be the result of a bad injector which was "pissing" instead of spraying and the extra diesel was burning white/blue. [b]It is true that an engine running rich will normaly smoke black but when it is running very rich then it will smoke blue/white.[/b]

By the time I had this figured out one stealer had replaced the turbo, and another was in the process of telling me that the piston rings were broken. In the end my father in law who is an engineering specialist took over and when we checked the injectors one was terrible and another was less than perfect. Two hours later and for a fraction of what the stealers wanted he had the engine up and running.

Get the injectors tested by a pro and then go on from there - start with the easy and cheap bits and progress from there. Taking injectors out, as long as they do not stick, is quick and easy.

Adam