General Help please - smoking 2.4TD

[Stratos]

Hi,

If anyone can give any useful suggestions I'd be grateful.

My wife’s ’97 Marea 2.4TD has developed a heavy smoking habit! I’ve had a trawl through the forums and got a couple of idea’s but nothing definitive.

When the car starts it misfires a couple of times and kicks out a bit too much white smoke. It’s done this for the last couple of years and we’ve always ignored it.

Recently it’s started pushing out a lot of black smoke under hard acceleration once the turbo gets going (above 2k). So much you’d worry about the health of the guy behind. Despite this it went through the MOT OK, although I did give it a serious thrash before the test as the Wife tends to potter about in it.

It’s hardly using any oil and performs well. I replaced the air filter and put some injection clean through it for the MOT.

I’m thinking it’s over-fuelling or mis-fuelling due to a blocked injector but I don’t want to cash out for a set of new injector on a hunch.

Hope you can help.

Andrew.

 

[mountainmachine]

Have you checked the threads about the MAF as well, as that could lead to over fueling etc. Is it mainly short stop start journeys its used for? There are ways to check if injectors a nackered, a search should turn them up asuming the test is the same for petrol and diesel. Also whats the consumption like much higher than it used to be?

 

[Stratos]

Yes, the car does mainly short journeys. The fuel consumption is bad (around 450 to the tank) and we've not notice a sudden difference.

I'll do some MAF sensor research.

Thanks for the help.

 

[mountainmachine]

Yea the 2.4 is a bit of a beast i suppose the 2.0petrol well mines gets 370max out of 60litres and i drive pretty hard some cough all of the time. Sister gets 600+ out of 50litres in her 1.9 JTD punto. Although the TD wasnt as efficient as the JTD's/

 

[Stratos]

Fair point, I suspect we'd get over 500 miles if driven at a sensible pace on longer journeys.

 

[mountainmachine]

With the heavy black smoke etc, i dunno what would be causing that, the white smoke is most likely condensation etc from the recent weather and the stop start journeys. If it was a fire i'd suggest a chimney sweep!

Also has it been serviced lately, oil, oil filter, fuel filter?

Try running it some longer driver and pretty hard to clear its throat, see if that helps. Am sure an oil burning compadry will be along soon to help some more.

 

[Stratos]

Yes, I change the oil and filter regularily but the fuel filter hasn't been done for a while. My understanding is that the black smoke is from over-fuelling, if the filter was blockied it wouldn't have this effect ???

I think the injector cleaner & thrashing idea is probably the simplist and fun to

 

[Hellcat]

Run the tank as low as you dare. Then add the injector cleaner. Many garages choose to fill a new fuel filter with injector cleaner to give the greatest cleaning possible.

What fuel do you run it on as that may make a difference. Despite some peoples claims supermarket fuel tends to be less consistent than fuel from one of the oil companies.

 

[Stratos]

Fuel is usualy Esso, we've not got a local supermarket with a fuel station. I'll try the injector cleaner with minimum fuel or if I get adventurous (and it get's warmer) I'll try it in the filter too. I assume the Marea's fuel line doesn't self bleed...?

Cheers.

 

[LASSIE1010]

2.4 td usually injectors esp no.1 with sensor.
their is also a filter on the side of the fuel pump.( held on by two ribe bolts)
Over fuelling usually block rtn nozzel,or valve on later models.
this is located on the fuel pipe return banjo fitting,also check injector fuel
return pipes for failure.

Yes it is self bleeding

 

[Hellcat]

Yes it is self bleeding

:slayer: :worship: Thank goodness!

 

[Stratos]

LASSIE1010, thanks for the useful info. that gives me something to look at (when it get's a bit warmer). Is it possible to clean the injectors if I take them out or is it simply a case of replacing them?

Cheers.

 

[mountainmachine]

Best way to clean is an ultrasonic bath if i'm not mistaken. Luckily i have access to one if i need it. :tempt: A friend who's in a Science job might be able to help as most decent labs and uni's should have one. Or you can price a new injector at shop4parts.

If your nr Glasgow i could clean it for beer... hehe.

 

[mountainmachine]

Ok found this thread on cleaning injectiors.. sure i'd read about the ultrasonic bath... we use it to clean things when nothing else will do. ie after and acid and alkali bath. But with metal straight in the ultrasonic,

 

[Stratos]

Thanks for the info and the offer to clean the injectors. We've got an ultrasonic bath at work so if it come to it I can use that.

Thanks.

 

[scotty1]

hi there
i am having the same problem with my td100 and i have just disconnected the fuel pump selonoid which is on the side facing you with a wire coming off it and this connects down the back of the engine and the smoking stoped then when i reconnected it started again so i would try that if i was you


scotty1

 

[Stratos]

scooty1, how does that work then? I would have thought it would stop the engine running altogether...... I supose it would stop the smoke though

What does the solenoid do???

 

[LASSIE1010]

After Cleaning the injector nozzels will need re setting up for
burst pressure and pattern

 

[Stratos]

will need re setting up for
burst pressure and pattern

Could you explain this a little more? Thanks.