2005 MGZT 2.0 CDTi - Bad smoking under engine load

[Tanis]

Hi all,

I am not normally a fan of registering on forums then immediately asking for fault diagnosis help, however I am doing this on behalf of my dad. I am a big fan of car forums and normally joing one for any car I own as they are a fantastic source of knowledge and information :D

Bit of a description below, just wondering if anyone has any thoughts.

The car is as it says in the title, my dad has had it about a year and it has been faultless. He looks after it (as he does all his cars) and doesn't cut costs on maintenance etc. He has had it remapped (don't know specifics of this at the moment, but can prob get more info).

The car had been fine until he was unfortunately involved in a low speed inpact at a roundabout, basically putting the front of his car into the side of another. Damage appeared relatively minor and cosmetic all of which (cosmetically at least) has been repaired. However, it has started really smoking badly when the engine is under load, normally driving it is fine. Prior to the bump it hardly smoked at all, alot less than many other newer diesels I see on the road.

He has had a diagnostic on it from a 'diesel specialist' that was recommended to him and the only code on it was a P1260, which according to the lists I can find here (http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=362765&postcount=62) is a "P1260 THEFT Detected, Vehicle Immobilzed".

Other than the smoking the car seems to be running OK, however the smoking is a problem and from my dads description is very excessive ... like a smoke screen behind you. Im no mechanic and haven't had a chance to look myself as he lives over 100 miles away.

Any thoughts, ideas or things to look for would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[COLVERT]

Could be the turbo seals leaking oil into the exhaust system.

You'll get other replies very soon on here.--:D

[Heddy]

I read something recently on here about a loss of power, dunno if it was smoking though. Poster had a front end shunt and had split the intercooler (beneath the radiator). Could be the intercooler pipe has split or become dislodged in the bump,:shrug:

[clf]

I would look towards the intercooler hose too, it is quick and easy to check. (if you dont know, behind the passenger side headlight. Large rubber pipe leading to the EGR) I would imagine it would be easily broken or dislodged even after a light bump.

Hopefully it will be that, rather than the intercooler dmaged.

[Tanis]

Thanks for the quick replies and information. Ill see if I can get any more from my dad and pass on thoughts. He has just turned 70 and is no mechanic himself so may be limited (unless I can get a look at it myself) :o

Any more thoughts or ideas are more than welcome.

Should also say, after more research a P1260 seems to be reported as a fuel pump problem alot of the time. I would assume it would have running problems if the pump had actually failed or was not working correctly?

[andy willi]

pcv filter blocked or intercooler damaged


andy

[Tanis]

So, spoken to my dad who says it does have very slight dips in power occasionally, literally just for a split second at a time.

He has booked it into to somewhere local that he knows to check over the intercooler etc. Is it right the front end needs removal to check that as thats what he has been told?

Will let you know if they find anything. He is talking about selling for spares / repair and buying a cheap runaround at the moment :( as he doesn't want to poor money into it that he doesn't readily have available. Sad really as its a nice car and pretty faultless up till now.

[trikey]

Pop it up to me, I'll give it the once over for you.

[LotusLC]

:welcome: to the forum,the place to be if you own these car's.

[clf]

So, spoken to my dad who says it does have very slight dips in power occasionally, literally just for a split second at a time.

He has booked it into to somewhere local that he knows to check over the intercooler etc. Is it right the front end needs removal to check that as thats what he has been told?

Will let you know if they find anything. He is talking about selling for spares / repair and buying a cheap runaround at the moment :( as he doesn't want to poor money into it that he doesn't readily have available. Sad really as its a nice car and pretty faultless up till now.
inter cooler hose, can be checked in seconds, by himself. inter cooler itself is best checked by removing front end (which is not a difficult job either)

trikey has suggested taking it to him, and he is a very knowledgeable chap on these cars as others will testify :D

[Vossy]

Pop it up to me, I'll give it the once over for you.

Your not going to beat an offer like that, get a real expert to look at it.

[Tanis]

Pop it up to me, I'll give it the once over for you.

Thanks Trikey, unfortunately with my Dad living in Norwich area (actually Wymondham just off the A11 south west of Norwich) its a bit of a trek, unless anyone knows / can recommend someone in that sort of area?

Thanks alot for the help and info so far, I appreciate its not easy with any real diagnosis over a forum unless its relatively obvious :D

He has had a bit of a rough year and with turning 70 things have got him down. Im just trying to get info as I don't want to see the car dumped over something that could be fixed.

[Stickman]

Pop it up to me, I'll give it the once over for you.

Trikey's yr man m8:D
Definitely sound intercooler or Pcv related to me
Experienced a similar thing on my tourer
Turned out to be simply intercooler pipe had popped out of intercooler
Regards
Chris

[Tanis]

Thanks all.

He has had it looked at this morning, don't know where but I believe it his usual mechanic who has been pretty good over the past years.

He has been told that the intercooler is 'broken' (I don't have specifics at the moment), but his mechanic is having some difficulty sourcing one.

Any recommendations / sources?
What sort of cost should he be expecting, roughly?

Thanks again for the help and info, if he ends up keeping the car I will definately direct him here :D

[clf]

Thanks all.

He has had it looked at this morning, don't know where but I believe it his usual mechanic who has been pretty good over the past years.

He has been told that the intercooler is 'broken' (I don't have specifics at the moment), but his mechanic is having some difficulty sourcing one.

Any recommendations / sources?
What sort of cost should he be expecting, roughly?

Thanks again for the help and info, if he ends up keeping the car I will definately direct him here :D
I don't have the link to hand right now, but from an ad on a website, I was on last night coincidentally had one from rimmers. it was 160, I have seen them on eBay for considerably less than that too.

put a request in the wanted section. I don't think you will have to wait that long for one :D nor pay over the odds either

[Tanis]

I don't have the link to hand right now, but from an ad on a website, I was on last night coincidentally had one from rimmers. it was 160, I have seen them on eBay for considerably less than that too.

put a request in the wanted section. I don't think you will have to wait that long for one :D nor pay over the odds either

Ill have a look around and put a wanted post up aswell, cheers.

On a side note, how do you thank people for useful / helpful posts? I can see a couple in this thread and like to show my appreciation but I am seem to be missing something obvious:getmecoat:

[LotusLC]

look at the bottom right corner on peoples post's, theres a thanks button

[Jakg]

He has been told that the intercooler is 'broken' (I don't have specifics at the moment), but his mechanic is having some difficulty sourcing one.

I don't want to cast doubt on this, especially without seeing the car - but intercooler failure is pretty rare. Much more likely to be a failure with the O-Rings and elbow that join it to the hoses.

Also, I don't think a 1.8T alternator fits the diesel.

[Tanis]

look at the bottom right corner on peoples post's, theres a thanks button

Thanks :) I only see Quote, Multi Quote and Quick Reply!

Maybe as I am only recently registered or something?

I don't want to cast doubt on this, especially without seeing the car - but intercooler failure is pretty rare. Much more likely to be a failure with the O-Rings and elbow that join it to the hoses.

Also, I don't think a 1.8T alternator fits the diesel.

Im trying to get a bit more info on why they think its broken. However need to remember that this all started just after the car did have a front end bump with a little Peugeot 206!

[Mike Noc]

Thanks :) I only see Quote, Multi Quote and Quick Reply!

Maybe as I am only recently registered or something?

Yes I think the Thanks button appears after you have posted a few times.

[clf]

Thanks :) I only see Quote, Multi Quote and Quick Reply!

Maybe as I am only recently registered or something?



Im trying to get a bit more info on why they think its broken. However need to remember that this all started just after the car did have a front end bump with a little Peugeot 206!
there is a plastic bracket that holds the inter cooler hose in place, below the passenger side head light, it may have cracked. or hopefully, the metal work the bracket attaches to has become twisted, pulling the pipe loose. that would be I think an DIY 30 second fix!

if it is the loose pipe, you should be able to see a scum on the pipe. behind the lamp unit.

as far as thanks go, I would reckon most here, would like to know of the outcome, especially a repaired outcome :D as thanks

[Arctic]

Pop it up to me, I'll give it the once over for you.

Hi Shane
I would take Andy up on his offer, got to be better than taking it to a garage whom may well give you some guff about this and that not working etc ;)

[Tanis]

Hi Shane
I would take Andy up on his offer, got to be better than taking it to a garage whom may well give you some guff about this and that not working etc ;)

If it was me I would be sorting it out now, but its a 300+ mile round trip for my dad.

He has just told me he has sourced a replacement intercooler locally, pick up tomorrow. Ill let you know how we get on and try and get some pics up of the car if anyone is interested. Its a nice example in my opinion ... but then again im currently driving a 1.6 focus estate :duh:.

Even if this sorts the problem, I might see about him getting it up to Trikey for a look over, few garages can compare to someone who is an enthusiast / specialist.

[bradley]

i know when mine started smoking one day i thought of everything in the end it was the plastic inlet manifold spilt where they are sealed together just run your finger along the front and look for black soot .

[First_damned]

Try a nicotine patch

[Tanis]

So a replacement intercooler has been sourced and is being fitted today, so I have been told. Ill update you all on here when I have discovered how it went.

[trikey]

So a replacement intercooler has been sourced and is being fitted today, so I have been told. Ill update you all on here when I have discovered how it went.

Make sure the top,o ring is well seated before fitting the hose, this is a known cause of leaks!

[Tanis]

Make sure the top,o ring is well seated before fitting the hose, this is a known cause of leaks!

Cheers Trikey

If it solves some of the smoking etc and my dad is happier to drive it, I might see if I can arrange with him, and yourself, to get it to you for a look over if the offer still stands :D

Outcome of the intercooler change could be a turning point one way or the other!

[Tanis]

Outcome of the intercooler change was .... replacement had a hairline crack in it so hasn't even been fitted!

[Tanis]

Had a text this afternoon. Apparently the replacement intercooler is in and it seems to be showing no signs of power loss or smoke under normal driving, so possibly fixed the two main problem it had.

It is due its MOT now so thats the last thing.

[COLVERT]

Good news. All's well that ends well.----:new_year::D

[clf]

that's great news, it is always good to read of the outcome :) . others may have the same symptoms and fear them.