Focus C-Max 1.6TDCi failed NCT on smoke emissions

Alun

My 4 year old Focus C-Max 1.6TDCi has just failed it's NCT on smoke emissions (5.04/m against a limit of 3.00/m). Any ideas what could be wrong? I know these engines can have EGR problems, usually causing hesitancy and engines going into limp-home mode but I've had no performance or other problems with it at all.

Also, does anyone know of any diesel specialists in S. Dublin or Wicklow that might be able to sort this out cheaper than a Ford main dealer?

askU

Alun wrote: »

Any ideas what could be wrong?

Its probably a faulty Catalytic converter.

Alun

askU wrote: »

Its probably a faulty Catalytic converter.

I thought cats only got rid of exhaust gasses not particulates (i.e. smoke/soot) ?

askU

Alun wrote: »

I thought cats only got rid of exhaust gasses not particulates (i.e. smoke/soot) ?

The job of the catalytic converter is to convert harmful pollutants into less harmful emissions before they ever leave the car's exhaust system.

Plug

It can be anthing causing it even a blown head gasket but I dought thats whats wrong. Catalytic converter, lamba sensor to name a few. Go to ford and hook it up with the dianostic computer they will find the problem.

peasant

Wow ..that's some serious smoking ...even my old stinker only does 2.22

Didn't you notice anything while driving it?

Anyway ...your fuel mixture is too rich, but I wouldn't know how to reset that on a modern diesel (on my yoke it involves a screwdriver )

Alun

peasant wrote: »

Wow ..that's some serious smoking ...even my old stinker only does 2.22

Didn't you notice anything while driving it?

Anyway ...your fuel mixture is too rich, but I wouldn't know how to reset that on a modern diesel (on my yoke it involves a screwdriver )

No, I hadn't noticed anything .. no plumes of black smoke in the rear view mirror or anything like that , and as I said, no sign of any kind of drop in performance or stuff like that.

askU

It could also be the oxygen sensor mounted upstream of the catalytic converter, meaning it is closer to the engine than the converter. This sensor tells the engine computer how much oxygen is in the exhaust. The engine computer can increase or decrease the amount of oxygen in the exhaust by adjusting the air-to-fuel ratio. This control scheme allows the engine computer to make sure that the engine is running at close to the stoichiometric point, and also to make sure that there is enough oxygen in the exhaust to allow the oxidization catalyst to burn the unburned hydrocarbons and CO.

Plug

peasant wrote: »

Wow ..that's some serious smoking ...even my old stinker only does 2.22

Didn't you notice anything while driving it?

Anyway ...your fuel mixture is too rich, but I wouldn't know how to reset that on a modern diesel (on my yoke it involves a screwdriver )

Thats the lambda sensors job.

peasant

Plug wrote: »

Thats the lambda sensors job.

Not quite or not only. On a turbo diesel the air measurement is very important for getting the mix right. It could be the air flow sensor or even a fault in the ECU that messes it up.

Plug

Yeah the airflow sensor and the lambda sensor work together to get the rid mix.

Alun

So who do you think would be the best bet to fix this then? A Ford main dealer or an independent (diesel) specialist? I've not been overly impressed by either of the two Ford main dealers I've dealt with so far (Fitzpatrick in Bray, and Esmonde's in Stillorgan who I bought the car off), so any recommendations would be good.

Plug

Ford diagnostics will be a lot quicker anyway and remember they know your ford a lot more than anyone else.

gyppo

My money is on a gummed up egr valve, common on tdci's

Plug

gyppo wrote: »

My money is on a gummed up egr valve, common on tdci's

The engine he has is from a peuguet.

Alun

From reading some UK based Focus forums back when I bought the car there was a history of EGR problems, but mainly on the 2.0 litre model (also a joint Ford/PSA design), and they later brought out a revised EGR and a software update that eliminated these problems. Usually though people with such problems experienced symptoms of reduced power and engines going into limp home mode, none of which I've experienced.

Plug

Alun wrote: »

From reading some UK based Focus forums back when I bought the car there was a history of EGR problems, but mainly on the 2.0 litre model (also a joint Ford/PSA design), and they later brought out a revised EGR and a software update that eliminated these problems. Usually though people with such problems experienced symptoms of reduced power and engines going into limp home mode, none of which I've experienced.

I wouldn't worry about an EGR valve in yours, they might be common in some older fords but remember yours is a peuguet.

eagerv

My Pug HDI with 160,000 miles failed dismally the smoke test recently. Over 6! I went to local Motor factor and bought a tin of Diesel cleaner and then drove the car flat out for brief periods in second gear regularly over the next week until my retest. This time a pass at .82! Car is driving far smoother now and fuel consumption back to 55 MPG. Apparently a lot of diesel engines fail due to being driven too gently. Hopefully its only something simple as in my case.

slimjimmc

When was the air filter last changed?

Plug

eagerv wrote: »

My Pug HDI with 160,000 miles failed dismally the smoke test recently. Over 6! I went to local Motor factor and bought a tin of Diesel cleaner and then drove the car flat out for brief periods in second gear regularly over the next week until my retest. This time a pass at .82! Car is driving far smoother now and fuel consumption back to 55 MPG. Apparently a lot of diesel engines fail due to being driven too gently. Hopefully its only something simple as in my case.

Now thats interesting.

Alun

slimjimmc wrote: »

When was the air filter last changed?

Only a couple of weeks ago when it was serviced (supposedly).

Alun

eagerv wrote: »

My Pug HDI with 160,000 miles failed dismally the smoke test recently. Over 6! I went to local Motor factor and bought a tin of Diesel cleaner and then drove the car flat out for brief periods in second gear regularly over the next week until my retest. This time a pass at .82! Car is driving far smoother now and fuel consumption back to 55 MPG. Apparently a lot of diesel engines fail due to being driven too gently. Hopefully its only something simple as in my case.

Interesting! Although I'd have to say that my car is driven anything but gently in normal use.

eagerv

Alun wrote: »

Interesting! Although I'd have to say that my car is driven anything but gently in normal use.

Mine wasnt driven that gently, but I never used to race the engine either.
The first few times I reved the engine in second gear I noticed a lot of smoke in the rear mirror. Improved continuously over the next week.

Just dont blame me if your engine blows up...!

Doodoo

I have a 2003 audi a4 1.9tdi which is running perfect, no black smoke coming from the rear and just had its regular service. Just did the nct and failed on the emmissions as well with a reading of 7.61. The limit is 3.

The lad doing the test checked the emmissions twice as he was surprised by the reading. I dont drive the car hard but i am now before the retest plus i'm getting the garage to put some treatment? in it.

maidhc

Odd. My auld mondeo 1.8TD can smoke like a trooper when pushed hard (i.e. when doing over 30mph). It still was around 1.2 in the last NCT.

Long Onion

I had issues with heavy smoking as well, it was the intercooler in the end, not too sure if there is one in your car, but clean as a whistle since i changed it.

Row

This engine should have a diesel partical filters fitted....afaik.
Well the 1.6 hdi 307's and 407's ,C5's etc have them.
1)is the car more smokey than normal..? if so is it black or grey..?
2)what mileage has it done..?
Ron.

unkel

Any update on this, Alun?

Alun

unkel wrote: »

Any update on this, Alun?

Well, it was over a year ago, but here goes ...

I booked it in for a retest a week later after taking it back to the dealer and asking them to look at it. They put some cleaner through it, and tested the emissions and according to them at least it passed by quite a margin. I got the printout from the machine as well. Before the retest I made sure I drove around like a lunatic for a day or two beforehand, keeping the revs nice and high, and also put some more diesel injector cleaner additive (can't remember which one now) in. The morning of the retest, I also made sure I drove it quite aggressively too, and the engine was nice and hot when it went in. It failed again by quite a good margin! I was a bit pissed off at this stage so asked to see the supervisor, waving the printout from the main dealer's emissions machine, who grumbled a bit and said to bring it back an hour later and he'd test it himself, and again to make sure I drove it nice and hard in the meantime. Took it back, and this time it passed with a reading of about half the limit!! Make of that what you will

Mr Benevolent

Well, it was over a year ago...

Oops

Glad you got it sorted OP.

Doodoo

Doodoo wrote: »

I have a 2003 audi a4 1.9tdi which is running perfect, no black smoke coming from the rear and just had its regular service. Just did the nct and failed on the emmissions as well with a reading of 7.61. The limit is 3.

The lad doing the test checked the emmissions twice as he was surprised by the reading. I dont drive the car hard but i am now before the retest plus i'm getting the garage to put some treatment? in it.

I've been driving the car hard since i failed the nct and the treatment was put in on friday. The garage then tested the emmissions and they got a reading of 2.62 which should be enough to pass. Retest is on wednesday morning!!