Van losing power with white smoke after DOE test

Equinista

Hi There,

Hope you will bear with me. I am a lady in her sixties not especially motor minded but do understand a bit about them.

Yesterday took Citroen Berlingo 1.9 diesel van for DOE test. It failed on the following all of which I am happy with I know what I am doing but in case anyone has any ideas on item 1 then happy to hear your expertise.

Airbag light not working at ignition.

Front o/s rear wishbone bush worn

o/s outer CV boot leaking

However, I drove away from the centre and after a few hundred yards, the van lost power and started to billow white smoke. It then picked up and was OK for the 30km drive home until near home it did the same thing lost power and billowed smoke. I assumed it could have been after the emissions test and smoke test which the van passed easily.

Today I thought I would chance driving it to my local garage for a chat to fix the issues via the local garage where I put half a tank of diesel in. The same thing happened twice (loss of power/white smoke). Again it picked up and ran as sweetly as ever. I am now concerned there may be some significant damage to the vehicle and cannot quite figure it out.

I do not really believe in coincidence when it comes to mechanical things so here are some additional facts.

The evening before the test, I put approx half a litre of oil into the vehicle as it was low (almost at min). It then was on the maximum after the top up. There were no issues on the drive to the test centre 30kms, the issue began after the test.

Is it possible that even though I only put a small amount of oil in and the dipstick showed max, I actually overfilled the oil? Would this cause loss of power and white smoke?

Could the revving etc during the DOE test have damaged the vehicle?

Could I have picked up some bad diesel?

I realise there is not much to go on but wondering should I contact the test centre or if this is known to occur after the emissions test or is it the oil top up or just an unlucky series of events that has broken the van

Thanks so much for listening - cannot get anything done until after the bank holiday now so rather stuck.

Jack the Stripper

They really rev the tits off yokes in test centres lately. Putting some heat into a head at that foolishness. Only suppose to rev 5 times in total.

gmacww

Equinista wrote: »

However, I drove away from the centre and after a few hundred yards, the van lost power and started to billow white smoke. It then picked up and was OK for the 30km drive home until near home it did the same thing lost power and billowed smoke. I assumed it could have been after the emissions test and smoke test which the van passed easily.

Hi Equinista. Can I ask what year the van is? White smoke is a symptom of unburnt fuel. In affect you likely have unburnt diesel coming out of the exhaust. Why does this happen? Well it could be one or two reasons but my guess given your description is this...

The berlingo has an EGR valve. This is a small enough valve that sits on the engine and recirculates exhaust gas (EGR=exhaust gas recirculation) back into the engine. Part of this is that there are portions of unburnt fuel in that exhaust gas. On diesels in particular this can over time get clogged and get locked in a certain position. If your's is locked shut then the gas and unburnt fuel will not get recycled into the engine and instead but shoved out the exhaust hence the white smoke. This can often occur after a period of high revs as the EGR is having to work faster and harder.

The good news is that it's often a very quick and easy fix. I had this exact issue with a diesel avensis and it took about 15 mins to take off the EGR, clean it out with carb cleaner (special carbon cleaner from a auto store) and put it back on.

I ask the year as if you say it's an '05 for example it could be this but if it's a 151 it's unlikely that it would have happened in that short space of time unless you're doing huge mileage.

antodeco

Jack the Stripper wrote: »

They really rev the tits off yokes in test centres lately. Putting some heat into a head at that foolishness. Only suppose to rev 5 times in total.

Only put through one of the cars last week. I couldn't believe how hard they revved it, as well as keeping it a high rev for a good 30 seconds

Equinista

Hi gmacww,

Thank you for your reply. The van is a 2004 1.9 diesel that has been relatively well maintained. I am awaiting a call back from the test centre as phoned them today. They were not exactly helpful and said the car would only have been revved a couple of times at 2000rpm! I do not expect they will have any answers or be off any help other than to suggest booking it in with them. What is frustrating is the car was perfect before the test and stuffed after the test. Could it really be coincidence? All I know is this issue will need to be resolved before the repairs for the retest. I am still wondering about the oil as its the only other thing that was dfferent. I think you may be right though as when I put my finger in the exhaust it is in fact very black and sooty.

Jack the Stripper

2000rpm me hole they red line them. It's not an egr, white smoke theory above is incorrect.

Del2005

Jack the Stripper wrote: »

2000rpm me hole they red line them. It's not an egr, white smoke theory above is incorrect.

A property running vehicle won't suffer any issues from red lining it, that's why they fit rev limiters. There was something else wrong if it's suffering afterwards.

fullstop

Turbo issue? Had this after an NCT test years back and the turbo blew.

WerewolfGM

gmacww wrote: »

Hi Equinista. Can I ask what year the van is? White smoke is a symptom of unburnt fuel. In affect you likely have unburnt diesel coming out of the exhaust. Why does this happen? Well it could be one or two reasons but my guess given your description is this...

The berlingo has an EGR valve. This is a small enough valve that sits on the engine and recirculates exhaust gas (EGR=exhaust gas recirculation) back into the engine. Part of this is that there are portions of unburnt fuel in that exhaust gas. On diesels in particular this can over time get clogged and get locked in a certain position. If your's is locked shut then the gas and unburnt fuel will not get recycled into the engine and instead but shoved out the exhaust hence the white smoke. This can often occur after a period of high revs as the EGR is having to work faster and harder.

The good news is that it's often a very quick and easy fix. I had this exact issue with a diesel avensis and it took about 15 mins to take off the EGR, clean it out with carb cleaner (special carbon cleaner from a auto store) and put it back on.

I ask the year as if you say it's an '05 for example it could be this but if it's a 151 it's unlikely that it would have happened in that short space of time unless you're doing huge mileage.

Black smoke is unburnt diesel
White is oil
The oil level is probably too high and it's got passed the rings with the revving

gmacww

WerewolfGM wrote: »

Black smoke is unburnt diesel
White is oil
The oil level is probably too high and it's got passed the rings with the revving

That's not completely true. Black smoke in a diesel engine, your correct is unburnt diesel usually due to overfueling and containing too high a carbon ratio. White smoke is unburnt diesel which can be due to too low a temperature in the chamber or a stuck egr valve.

In short it could be a number of things but I do agree with above. They do not rev it three times at 2000 rpm. They red line it.

Jack the Stripper

Stop with the egr theory it's wrong.

gmacww

Jack the Stripper wrote: »

Stop with the egr theory it's wrong.

It may be. That was what happened to my car and a neighbours. That's what Toyota told me to check when it happened. That's what fixed it.

Like I said it could be a number of issues and none of us know exactly. I gave a solution that happened with very similar circumstances to me.

pontoonz

citroen, thers your problem

osheen

pontoonz wrote: »

citroen, thers your problem

?? 13 years old and until recently going well,

Equinista

Hi Guys

Yes that is exactly what the test centre said 2000rpm and yes it is BS because of course I am the wrong sex so they assume I know nothing and tell me lies. Happens all the time in matters mechanical.

Car cannot be done until next week but is perfectly driveable, the smoke is really quite negligible now has lessened considerably, the loss of power has lessened and is only in low gear. Only happened once in a 20km round trip and then only when I had to change down and slow to a crawl. Then had to slow further into first gear and then accelerates away again like a rocket so thinking there higher pressure of throughput air/fuel which keeping fuel going whereas at low speed pressure is lower. I really don't know. Its all speculation. Thinking this could be fuel filter which has not been changed so having that replaced too. Mechanic thinks the revving may have dislodged some carbon somewhere and caused some blockage. Will let you know anyway because it is an odd one for sure. Thank you al for your advice and help anyway

Jack the Stripper

Bottom line is you sign a disclaimer before they do a cvrt at the cvr centre. It's not a doe anymore.

Sofiztikated

Half a litre of oil shouldn't put it from min to max, as it should take 4.2l to fill from empty.

My guess would be over fill. Was the engine warm or cold when you topped it up?

Equinista

Engine was warm - I guess that is bad?

Del2005

Equinista wrote: »

Engine was warm - I guess that is bad?

Warm is good, the hotter the better.

Del2005

Equinista wrote: »

Mechanic thinks the revving may have dislodged some carbon somewhere and caused some blockage.

Do you do a lot of short journeys at low revs? If you do it could be carbon. If you usually don't rev the engine a blast down the motorway at high revs in 3rd will burn the carbon out if it, might be better to let a mechanic do it as can blow sparks.