2.2 D-cat (t180) Engine

[Steve84]

Hi all, My avensis has just covered 37,200 miles, and on sunday i noticed i was leaving large clouds of smoke behind me.I've owned the car for just over 2 years and put 36k on the car in that time. Anyhow the car has been smoke free till this morning when i left some poor bloke on a bike coved in a thick cloud of smoke. After about 750 yards or so it stopped.The car drives as normal no loss of oil, i have noticed i'm topping up the coolent every 4-6 months or 6,000 miles or so but only by half a pint, i'm topping up with geniune toyota pink coolent, the car has used coolent ever since i had it in december 2007, and the dealership cannot see any external leaks. I know it sounds like it could be head gasket but i've no other signs, performance is fine, heater works fine, no oil water mixing.

So to summerise

I'm leaving clouds of smoke, not all time not everyday. Smoke is white(ish) grey (ish)

I'd say its not the d-cat system working cos i'd of noticed this before now.

It drives A1

Fully serviced by toyota, the car is looked after i like things perfect and dont like her the car that is to be poorly

The car is booked in at a toyota dealership end of the month, talking on the phone they said they could not say for certain but it could be the start of head gasket, maybe 5th injector problem or EGR valve. They even think the amount of smoke is excessive.

Any ideas, Thanks in advance

Steve

[t-spiritpete]

Hi all, My avensis has just covered 37,200 miles, and on sunday i noticed i was leaving large clouds of smoke behind me.I've owned the car for just over 2 years and put 36k on the car in that time. Anyhow the car has been smoke free till this morning when i left some poor bloke on a bike coved in a thick cloud of smoke. After about 750 yards or so it stopped.The car drives as normal no loss of oil, i have noticed i'm topping up the coolent every 4-6 months or 6,000 miles or so but only by half a pint, i'm topping up with geniune toyota pink coolent, the car has used coolent ever since i had it in december 2007, and the dealership cannot see any external leaks. I know it sounds like it could be head gasket but i've no other signs, performance is fine, heater works fine, no oil water mixing.

So to summerise

I'm leaving clouds of smoke, not all time not everyday. Smoke is white(ish) grey (ish)

I'd say its not the d-cat system working cos i'd of noticed this before now.

It drives A1

Fully serviced by toyota, the car is looked after i like things perfect and dont like her the car that is to be poorly

The car is booked in at a toyota dealership end of the month, talking on the phone they said they could not say for certain but it could be the start of head gasket, maybe 5th injector problem or EGR valve. They even think the amount of smoke is excessive.

Any ideas, Thanks in advance

Steve

Hello mate go to this post started by robvensis Definitive 2.2 D4d Head Gasket Stance By Toyota it may tell you more, unless you've already read it that is.

Pete.

[Steve84]

Hi pete i have just finished reading it and by the questions the dealership asked me they are leaning towards head gasket, although they mentioned 5th injector and egr valve they said it sounds head gasket. In my experinece of head gaskets owned rovers in the past with the k-series engines so i would of thought i'd of lost the heater, or seen the engine temp sore, maybe i'm wrong, but 37,200 miles is pretty poor on a modern jap diesel car (ok polish engine, car built in uk) but i think you know what i mean.

Thanks pete

Steve

[cabcurtains]

I'm leaving clouds of smoke, not all time not everyday. Smoke is white(ish) grey (ish)

The colour is consistant with a head gasket, it will be interesting to see what Mr T finds.

[Heidfirst]

the head gasket seems to be a "unique to the 2.2D4D" thing & as you can see Toyota are aware of it.

I'm pretty sure that if you look at other manufacturers' ranges you will find other common (& expensive) problems that relate to only particular models (I know that Ford certainly had problems with their 2.2 diesel & VW with the DSG transmission).

I'm not saying that I like it as I have a 2.2D as well so potentially could have it myself in the future but there just doesn't seem to be a fault free modern diesel in this sector ... :(

[Steve84]

cheers for replies so far, i think deep down i did think head gasket but was hoping it wont, i'll keep you all posted on what Mr t says on the 30th of jan, they could get the car in monday but i'm unable to get there till the 30th due to work.

Thanks steve

[Hati]

I bet my money on particular filter... i had the same before they changed to filter, 5th injector ja all the other stuff and updated my ecu. The ecu update changes the way it uses the 5th injector.

[Steve84]

I bet my money on particular filter... i had the same before they changed to filter, 5th injector ja all the other stuff and updated my ecu. The ecu update changes the way it uses the 5th injector.

I've had several ecu updates and had the injectors in the engine replaced 20,000 miles ago. I've not had the 5th injector replaced, i know lexus recalled the is220 diesel to replace the the 5th injector. I've been out in the car today and it perfoms fine which is why i'm not 100% certain its head gasket. I friend of mine has a lexus is220d and that smoked once in awhile, he took it to lexus and they replaced the 5th injector and its all ok now. Fingers crossed its only the 5th injector.

[Steve84]

Hi all got back from dealer this morning and i need a new egr valve they are also going do de-coke the intake manifold. So car goes in next saturday. I would like to add that the service from w r davis (stafford) was A1 the best service i've recived from a toyota dealer. I think my choice to swap dealers was well worth it.

[SF695]

If it was the headgasket, wouldn't it smoke all the time?

[cabcurtains]

Hi all got back from dealer this morning and i need a new egr valve they are also going do de-coke the intake manifold. So car goes in next saturday. I would like to add that the service from w r davis (stafford) was A1 the best service i've recived from a toyota dealer. I think my choice to swap dealers was well worth it.

Good News

It must be really bad if they will change it rather than clean it, might be worth asking why

[Steve84]

Hi all got back from dealer this morning and i need a new egr valve they are also going do de-coke the intake manifold. So car goes in next saturday. I would like to add that the service from w r davis (stafford) was A1 the best service i've recived from a toyota dealer. I think my choice to swap dealers was well worth it.

Good News

It must be really bad if they will change it rather than clean it, might be worth asking why

I've got a toyota extended warranty on the car so i'm not paying, but i will ask why they decided to put a new one.

[toyotekk1]

Hi all got back from dealer this morning and i need a new egr valve they are also going do de-coke the intake manifold. So car goes in next saturday. I would like to add that the service from w r davis (stafford) was A1 the best service i've recived from a toyota dealer. I think my choice to swap dealers was well worth it.

Good News

It must be really bad if they will change it rather than clean it, might be worth asking why

I've got a toyota extended warranty on the car so i'm not paying, but i will ask why they decided to put a new one.

hi, ull probably find its the egr valve, the coolant leak could simply be the water pump leaking (quite common). if not possible headgasket symptoms usually are voolant loss and blackening of the coolant reservoir tank. headgasket failures will not cause black smoke, regards.

[OldSkoO1]

Mine does this

First time it did it was 2 winters ago in the freezing temps. After some town driving i got over 2k RPM and saw a plume of white smoke exit the exhaust. This happened for about 15 seconds. This was almost certainly the 5th injector working. From a few miles of slow town driving the temperature in the exhaust suddenly rises and the water vapour in the exhaust turns to steam making the result a lot more prominent.

It also happened to me again this morning. It was worse today. -2 so not as cold but 40 mins of crawling 2 cars length every few mins. Terrible traffic. As soon as i got out of town i kept the revs at about 2.2k RPM in an attempt to get it HOT! Soon enough a very large plume of white smoke exited the exhaust for a very long time. It must have lasted just under a minute this time. I gave the throttle a couple of stabs to reach max pressure and the whole process unlike any other regeneration was accompanied by a very distinct heat / burning of soot smell.

I'm fairly sure it is the regen but i am investigating the head gasket too, just to be sure.

[Steve84]

Mine does this

First time it did it was 2 winters ago in the freezing temps. After some town driving i got over 2k RPM and saw a plume of white smoke exit the exhaust. This happened for about 15 seconds. This was almost certainly the 5th injector working. From a few miles of slow town driving the temperature in the exhaust suddenly rises and the water vapour in the exhaust turns to steam making the result a lot more prominent.

It also happened to me again this morning. It was worse today. -2 so not as cold but 40 mins of crawling 2 cars length every few mins. Terrible traffic. As soon as i got out of town i kept the revs at about 2.2k RPM in an attempt to get it HOT! Soon enough a very large plume of white smoke exited the exhaust for a very long time. It must have lasted just under a minute this time. I gave the throttle a couple of stabs to reach max pressure and the whole process unlike any other regeneration was accompanied by a very distinct heat / burning of soot smell.

I'm fairly sure it is the regen but i am investigating the head gasket too, just to be sure.

When the egr valve is changed and the intake manifold de-coked i'll report my finding. Just seems strange its coked up has i go to borth mid wales every weekend, i only use Shell diesel, and run toyota injector cleaner in the tank once a month. I dont labour the car its got 177bhp and they get used one fully warmed up. Coolent loss was a hose not fully tight, it had a pinkish/white crust around it.

I never noticed any clouds of somke before, i was down borth from the 23rd of december till the 3rd of january and at the warmest it was -4 and at the coldest it was -12 and the car was used daily with no clouds of smoke, not that i noticed anyhow.

Thanks for replies and i'll keep you all infromed once i've run the car a few weeks with the new egr valve.

Steve

[alan 71]

Hi all, My avensis has just covered 37,200 miles, and on sunday i noticed i was leaving large clouds of smoke behind me.I've owned the car for just over 2 years and put 36k on the car in that time. Anyhow the car has been smoke free till this morning when i left some poor bloke on a bike coved in a thick cloud of smoke. After about 750 yards or so it stopped.The car drives as normal no loss of oil, i have noticed i'm topping up the coolent every 4-6 months or 6,000 miles or so but only by half a pint, i'm topping up with geniune toyota pink coolent, the car has used coolent ever since i had it in december 2007, and the dealership cannot see any external leaks. I know it sounds like it could be head gasket but i've no other signs, performance is fine, heater works fine, no oil water mixing.

So to summerise

I'm leaving clouds of smoke, not all time not everyday. Smoke is white(ish) grey (ish)

I'd say its not the d-cat system working cos i'd of noticed this before now.

It drives A1

Fully serviced by toyota, the car is looked after i like things perfect and dont like her the car that is to be poorly

The car is booked in at a toyota dealership end of the month, talking on the phone they said they could not say for certain but it could be the start of head gasket, maybe 5th injector problem or EGR valve. They even think the amount of smoke is excessive.

Any ideas, Thanks in advance

Steve

[Steve84]

Hi all well had car back and run it now for a week or so done almost 700 miles. No smoke, also mpg is improving again, the car also seems to have more get up and go than before. Very plesed with the work, also very pleased with the customer service from W r davis in stafford. First off i had a 59 plate auris tr has a loan car. They even delivered my car back to me at my work place has i was unable to collect my car due to work commintments. This is the first time in 6 years of toyota ownership i've recived this level of customer service.

[OldSkoO1]

Thanks for the update;

How are you finding things 2 weeks on? Is the smoking problem still cured?