Ford focus 1.8tdci 2003 smoke

  • AnthonyP's Avatar
    Hi, I have a 1.8tdci high miles 195K (i've recently posted an issue with my other focus I own), but runs fine apart from a slightly lumpy idle. Recently changed a short piece of flexipipe which joins the intercooler to the steel pipe connecting to the EGR port. It was split so changed it but noticed oil inside the pipe and intercooler. Not an awful lot but a fairly thick coating inside the surfaces. Now it may be coincidence but even on slight acceleration in 2nd just to get a little gee up down the road, large belch of black smoke.It's only just started to do this - If I accelerate with a feather right foot, no smoke. It seems to me to be unburnt fuel. So if accelerate completely linear steady fashion, ok, sudden extra input even if not a lot of throttle, smoke - embarrassing smoke!
    turbo seals is an obvious thought but its black smoke, Air filter is clean. EGR issue? Any advice would be great as I'm sure it wouldn't pass an mot , thanks
  • 4 Replies

  • wagolynn's Avatar
    Guest
    Looks as though one or more injectors are not working the way they should (black smoke), and as you suggest turbo seals may be worn.
    A diesel specialist would probably be the cheapest option, rather than playing, 'parts darts'.

    Have you looked in the pipe connecting the turbo to the intercooler (turbo output), oil there would confirm the turbo seals have gone?
    If the intercooler is oiled up it will be less effective so once the turbo is fixed the intercooler would need cleaning out.
  • AnthonyP's Avatar
    Thanks for reply, I'll get the turbo to intercooler pipe off and look but think from memory pretty clean
  • wagolynn's Avatar
    Guest
    If that is so, then the turbo seals are OK.
  • AnthonyP's Avatar
    Finally reporting back on this which may be of interest hence posting - If you have smoke on a tdci 1.8 - clean that egr out 1st! i used wynns extreme egr cleaner - empty the whole can into it - I swear something moved inside and a big belch of grey/blue smoke came out the back. This stopped the bad smoke with very small throttle inputs in 2nd I was experiencing. 2ndly, empty a bottle of wynns extreme diesel treatment into the tank and if necessary another- this pretty much nailed the smoke on bigger throttle inputs like overtaking. I can finally enjoy driving the car without looking in the rear view mirror whenever accelerating! Wynns is good stuff! b.t.w have oil spitting out of the egr and weeping out of the turbo but not enough to cause a real problem, I clean the pipes out to and from the intercooler every 500 odd miles, upto 206K miles now