black smoke out of exhaust

Barr

i went to look at a 1996 Audi A4 1.9TDI, it has 150k on the clock. The car has been serviced reguarly and the engine seems to be in fine nick.

The one thing I noticed while the car is idling I press the accelerator to the floor alot of black smoke comes out of the exhast especially at over 4000 RMP

The owner says that the car has been idle for a couple of months and thats the reason for the smoke. He also reckons most diesels do this.
Would this be correct or could it indicate a bigger problem with the car.
Its driving perfecly apart from chugging out the black smoke.

Advices appreciated

peasant

It's an old diesel starting up from cold...and at 4000 rpm you're running at more or less full throttle ...what do you expect?

White smoke?

Sonnenblumen

Diesel engines tend to smoke on hard acceleration and this develops as the miles/km ramp up. Nothing unusual, however the exhaust should be relatively clear at cruising.

Sure some posters have Audis/Mercs with engines > 200k. Regular servicing and avoid over revving really go and go and go and.....

mike65

All derv drinkers, even posh modern ones are prone to black smoke at 4000 rpm!

If you want to cane a car buy a VVVVVVVVVTi

Mike.

cantdecide

i had an A4 tdi which started making a whooshing noise. a couple of weeks later, i started seeing little puffs of black smoke in the mirror. it turned out to be the smallest of cracks on a turbo related pipe. fixed it and it went like the clappers. there was one giant plume of black smoke out the back and that was it, no more smoke.
if it's otherwise okay, i'd say drive on. they are a very good car overall. the front suspension has these control arm dealies which are very much prone to wearing out. it's not a very big deal to do these but it's moderately expensive and more regular than you would like. just bit annoying really so don't be put off by the scaremongers.