1.9TDI specialist

[skyeten]

HI can anyone recommend a 1.9 TDI specialist in Scotland ?
I need someone to diagnose a problem with my 2004 Leon Cupra (150bhp ARL engine) . This started with a lot of smoke being emitted at idle and when you stopped at traffic lights a huge cloud would billow out when you pulled away (very embarrassing in central Edinburgh ) Seems to go away when you get going on motorway though. No affect on performance at all, had the car at Star Performance in Fife who first thought it was the turbo but it was OK. They then said the camshaft was worn and this has now been replaced (bad point on ARL engine I believe) The smoke problem is still there and they confirm it is white smoke. They now say it must be a faulty injector but nothing showing up on VAGCOM tests so they say the best way forward is to remove them all and send away for testing but cannot recommend anywhere to do this !!! I have lost confidence in them to diagnose this problem so need a TDI specialist who knows these engines.....
The car has only done 117000 miles and uses no oil and gets great MPG, been remapped since 50000 and I have had the car for 8 years.
Cheers

 

[Dowson1993]

Try contacting darkside developments see if they will be able to shed any light on the possible issue


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Homer Simpson]

Normally if you floor it and get a load of smoke, it would be unburnt fuel, but this should be black. Was it mapped by a reputable company?

It is possible that the EGR valve needs cleaning out

 

[Dowson1993]

Egr blockage is normally piles of black smoke as you come into the boost range


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[skyeten]

Forgot to say that I removed the EGR valve two years ago along with the cooler and replaced it with a Darkside Developments EGR delete pipe, the car went better after that. The smoke is definitely not black. The remap was done by Celtic Tuning and has been brilliant and faultless for 75000 miles, the car pulls like a train and has averaged 53 MPG over all this time , if you drive like a granny it can get 65mpg...
Cheers

 

[verbal_kint]

These guys have been around a while, first came across them about 4 years ago, but I've not used them.

But with each diesel injector cleaning and testing (strip/clean/nozzle test/rebuild) - £22.50 per injector. A new nozzle is extra cost.

And £10 for post on up-to 4, that seems a fair price.

http://injectortune.co.uk/Injector_Cleaning.html

 

[mty12345]

I can't see how a blocked injector could cause white smoke....... If the smoke was black then yes, but not white. Sounds like they are just going through every expensive componant one by one until they get lucky. I'd definitely go elsewhere.

 

[verbal_kint]

Have they checked the head gasket?

 

[skyeten]

Thanks for the replies ....
No head gasket has not been checked but no loss of coolant and its not pressurising the cooling system .... I am taking the car back tomorrow from that garage and a guy I got in touch with on a facebook group for PD diesels is going to have a look for me, he should know what he is doing as he has a MK4 golf 1.9TDI with 320bhp he built himself Hopefully he will get to the root of the problem.

 

[mty12345]

Sounds like a better bet to me mate.....He sounds like he knows his diesels.

 

[Husbandofstinky]

Would love to know how you get on with this and in a very similar position as you.

2004 ARL. Been mapped for 10 years. 88k miles (all by me). Now has a nasty smoking habit (white too)

Very much a James Bond/red arrows on occasion.

Can sometimes occur at a constant revs too (road works with av speed camera's come to think of it)

13 years end of next month and I hope it can continue (now hit with a mega mortgage)

I had a new turbo upon advice a couple of years ago (really thought it wasn't needed tbh) but another guy reckoned injector seals. Quite common on PD engines apparently and should be noticeable when cold (expansion). With mapped PD's this is a bugger as they are always a bit smokey first thing anyhow. Still not stupidly expensive but a definitive answer is one you need from a guru and not just the clutching at straws you usually get.

 

[skyeten]

Hi mate, an update .... got the car back after the camshaft replacement and it is a lot better, nowhere near as bad as before but still there a bit. I have the old camshaft/tappets but not examined them as yet but the garage said there was not a lot of life left in it and I was lucky to have caught it before major damage occurred. I know from a lot of reading that the cams in these engines are a bad point so I would get your rocker cover off and have a look.... Non done many miles since getting the car back (40) so will report on progress later....

 

[Husbandofstinky]

The same guy I mentioned before re the injector seals also mentioned the cam too.

He said he had not seen any past 90k on the original cam shaft so I was at the upper limit in his book. With your mileage that has well surpassed his experience but that is still good to know.

This guy I spoke to was not a VAG specialist but one of those blokes who repaired all sorts and obviously come across a few PD's over the years. One or two no doubt.

Still thank you so much for that info.

Do you mind me asking the price of the job and recommended parts (VAG?)

Would love to keep the old girl going for another 13 years

Finally, did you notice any tail off in performance? The car still feels strong but without an RR and all the variables going with that it is difficult to tell. I suppose the other way to look at it is, does the car pull/feel better since the shaft replacement?

Many thanks again. Really appreciated.

 

[Husbandofstinky]

Forgot to ask...

Did you go the whole hog with the parts too e.g. rockers etc apart from the usual cam, followers, bolts, seals etc??

 

[skyeten]

Cost me £660 for the job but that included some investigating re turbo oil leaks etc removing downpipe to look etc. No didnt notice any performance drop off but as you say not noticeable if gradual, will give it a run later in the week to see if going better.....Yes I would like to keep mine going as well, just paid for a respray and two new front wings (another bad point on the Mk 4 golf platform) dont do much more than 6k miles a year now....cheers

 

[Husbandofstinky]

Cheers for that

Was looking at the MkIV forums and the how to guide reckoned a couple of hours for the job but the parts are the killer (£450 or so)

With that in mind your figure of £660 comes sounds about right it would appear.

The front wings are holding well at the moment but yes VAG's at around about that era seems to suffer with the front arches (Passat's, Golf's, A6's as well as the odd Ibiza too) Not seen many Leon's with the front wing rot but no doubt there are a few out there.

Sounds like you intend on keeping her for a while. Good luck with her and all I can say in thirteen years of this Leon it has been an amazing little motor. Reliable, powerful (ish) and pretty economical. What more could you ask for?

 

[Muttley]

Hmm. My ARL was over 100K when I last drove it (woke up in hospital a couple of days later, don't know exactly what happened) Was not mapped, but also had no performance issues. Toledo TDI 150 Sport - really nice car.

 

[skyeten]

Just to let you know that Darkside Developments are selling the cam kit just now for £300 plus the VAT.....seems a good deal.
BTW have you replaced the boost hoses from turbo to intercooler etc yet ? mine are worn at the joints (another bad point ! ) Was thinking of getting the Darkside Kit but it is about £400 ish....

 

[Dowson1993]

Just to let you know that Darkside Developments are selling the cam kit just now for £300 plus the VAT.....seems a good deal.

BTW have you replaced the boost hoses from turbo to intercooler etc yet ? mine are worn at the joints (another bad point ! ) Was thinking of getting the Darkside Kit but it is about £400 ish....

The darkside boost pipe kit is definitely a good investment takes a bit of time to fit but definitely worth while doing I replaced them on my last fr as the intercooler pipe kept on blowing off on hard acceleration

Price is a bit high but it works out not being much over buying a whole new set from vw or seat as I looked into both the darkside kit made more sense as it took away the issue of worn lugs by replacing it with jubilee clips


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Husbandofstinky]

A bit late, but despite the infamous issues with the pipework, I am still on the original kit with no issues from day one.

Unusual I know but no popping off in 13 years, 10 of which stage 2 mapped.