Hmm odd or not?

Hippotastic · Post by **Hippotastic** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:27 pm

Hi all,

I changed my glow plugs a few weeks ago, as on startup I had the clouds of smoke before the engine warmed up problems. This seems to fix it, and otherwise she is running good.

All seemed well till this Saturday, I started her up and rather than pulling away went around the back to clouds of smoke coming out of the exhaust. I know it was cold and I have not started her up for the week, but my heart sank.

I then in a pique revved the banjo out of it. (not good on a cold engine, I know I know) It would not rev cleanly the first few stabs on the throttle, but then it got to 4000rpm and I left it there for about 5 seconds. Going around the back on tickover and I found that I had a black soot mark on the drive and up the garage door where the exhaust has left its mark! Hmm, it seems to be blowing dark sooty clouds.

So I took it for a run down the local bypass, leaving it in a low gear and about 4000rpm to see if I could clear its throat, and it seems to have sorted it. I only did this for about a minute, as expected it warmed up quickly and then there was no smoke and it revved cleanly.

Only other note is the engine is a lot quieter. The noise in the cab is of a lower tone, less noisy, even the better half commented on how quiet it was running. I am wondering now whats the score. Have I just cleaned the pipes? Blown the exhaust? (I have the valve in the front part). Anyone care to offer an opinion?

She sarts first turn of the key, and apart from the smoke on cold, she is doing herself proud. I must check it again tonigh and see if the coulds have gone.

David

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:38 pm

A good blast has cleaned all the soot from your exhaust - it's called an Italian Tune Up and is almost essential before the MOT

White smoke on start-up is just the cold - at least I hope it is, as mine was doing it last week

missfixit70 · Post by **missfixit70** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:41 pm

Is your EGR system still in place? may be worth blanking it & see if it makes a difference if you still get an issued with black smoke.

daveblueozzie · Post by **daveblueozzie** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:15 pm

try a bit of redex (diesel version) in the tank to help clean the jets, also a few litres of veg oil to help clean the pipes out.then after that change the fuel filter and fill the new one with injector cleaning fluid.

Paul Gilbert · Post by **Paul Gilbert** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:17 pm

Does anyone know if Bongos have an 'auxiliary diesel heater' or some such term?

I have a VW Touran that I actually had up on a lift recently to investigate where all of the 'exhaust' smoke was from. It turns out that it comes from a diesel-burning heater that (as far as I can deduce) pre-warms cabin air by burning diesel in cold weather, until the engine gets up to temperature. In the case of the Touran, this exhausts from a small pipe under the vehicle, not the exhaust.

Googling shows that this 'symptom' occurs with a number of diesel vehicles, so possibly it also affects Bongos?

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:24 pm

Paul Gilbert wrote:Does anyone know if Bongos have an 'auxiliary diesel heater' or some such term?

I have a VW Touran that I actually had up on a lift recently to investigate where all of the 'exhaust' smoke was from. It turns out that it comes from a diesel-burning heater that (as far as I can deduce) pre-warms cabin air by burning diesel in cold weather, until the engine gets up to temperature. In the case of the Touran, this exhausts from a small pipe under the vehicle, not the exhaust.

Googling shows that this 'symptom' occurs with a number of diesel vehicles, so possibly it also affects Bongos?

I was going to suggest something similar. Does this Bongo have the winter pack with the exhaust heater thingie, and could it have been sticking a bit open for some reason. Otherwise, any chance of air or fuel blockage that the blast cleared out? Random thoughts, just in case.

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:41 pm

Paul Gilbert wrote:Does anyone know if Bongos have an 'auxiliary diesel heater' or some such term?

I have a VW Touran that I actually had up on a lift recently to investigate where all of the 'exhaust' smoke was from. It turns out that it comes from a diesel-burning heater that (as far as I can deduce) pre-warms cabin air by burning diesel in cold weather, until the engine gets up to temperature. In the case of the Touran, this exhausts from a small pipe under the vehicle, not the exhaust.

Googling shows that this 'symptom' occurs with a number of diesel vehicles, so possibly it also affects Bongos?

It's an auxilliary heater which warms the coolant below 5 degC (if I remember) Paul cos modern diesels are far more thermally efficient and the coolant doesn't get hot enough to warm the cab. unfortunately the Bongo isn't so efficient and doesn't have such a device........

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:19 pm

It sounds like you have cleared a fair amount of carbon build up from your engine hippotastic... Carbon build up is exacerbated if you use your bongo infrequently, or on short runs.

Hippotastic · Post by **Hippotastic** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:01 am

mikeonb4c wrote: I was going to suggest something similar. Does this Bongo have the winter pack with the exhaust heater thingie, and could it have been sticking a bit open for some reason. Otherwise, any chance of air or fuel blockage that the blast cleared out? Random thoughts, just in case.

I does indeed have the winter pack and I was thinking I might have unstuck it too. It was quieter and full of beans after the carbon shifting blowout, so all things considered I am happy with the result.

I do do short trips and use it only at weekends at the moment, but I am trying to shake it down for the warmer months away. Lets see if anything falls off next weekend

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 11:57 am

The "Italian tune - up" won't have done it any harm, Have you got the manual aircon hippo? You could have easily flipped the cold start switch as opposed to the rear heater switch momentarily.

My front fogs switch is located where your cold start switch is (same type of switch too) I have to double check before i click the rear heater switch,in case I'm put on my front fogs by mistake!

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:30 pm

Hippotastic wrote:
mikeonb4c wrote: I was going to suggest something similar. Does this Bongo have the winter pack with the exhaust heater thingie, and could it have been sticking a bit open for some reason. Otherwise, any chance of air or fuel blockage that the blast cleared out? Random thoughts, just in case.
I does indeed have the winter pack and I was thinking I might have unstuck it too. It was quieter and full of beans after the carbon shifting blowout, so all things considered I am happy with the result.

I do do short trips and use it only at weekends at the moment, but I am trying to shake it down for the warmer months away. Lets see if anything falls off next weekend

Aha! With luck it was something connected to that. I wonder if something needs disconnecting from that in case there is a connection - ha ha!

missfixit70 · Post by **missfixit70** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:31 pm

You could always just disconnect the switch & tape up the terminals if you don't use it

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:35 pm

Doesn't the "blank" have a plug holder on the rear?

Hippotastic · Post by **Hippotastic** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:38 pm

bigdaddycain wrote:The "Italian tune - up" won't have done it any harm, Have you got the manual aircon hippo? You could have easily flipped the cold start switch as opposed to the rear heater switch momentarily.

I have the electric auto version aircon. I seem to have a well specced Ford, apart from the front fog lamp I seem to have most things.

missfixit70 wrote:You could always just disconnect the switch & tape up the terminals if you don't use it

I might just do that. The change in engine tone (deeper note) might just be the flap opening up. I still have not tested it for smoke on cold start.

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