Jan 2012 Avensis 2.2 Tr D-4D Head Gasket Blown!

[Devon Aygo]

That bolt is a banjo bolt holding the 5th injector fuel feed pipe, the 5th injector is at the far end of rubber pipe that drops down to the side of the cylinder head, if fuel if leaking from here then it it quite likely that the DPF is not being regen'd because the 5th injector is not supplying sufficient fuel at high enough pressure to allow a regen

[Simy123]

Thank you so much oh masterful one! :)

I'm liking the sound of that, could this be causing all the problems? I've got everything crossed!

The leak is coming through here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSOVh5NS03UnVaRGM/view?usp=sharing

Will Toyota sell a seal set?

[Simy123]

I've just found this bulletin which I think relates to the 5th Injector. I am wondering if this is something which will already have been addressed when Toyota carried out the work on pages 2,3&4 of the second attachment.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSb1hZWWdvSC1JOWM/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSSmk2X0tieXNhaFk/view?usp=sharing

Would the 5th injector/ banjo bolt have been removed when they carried out all the work?

Edit: sorry just seen that the bulletin maybe for earlier models?

[Simy123]

Just found this fantastic video about the 2.0 D-4D engine and dpf system and thought I would share it here for anybody reading this in the future: (I'm guess it very similar to the 2.2)

[Simy123]

My mechanic has fixed the diesel leak. It turned out to be the bottom bolt which screws directly into the pump, the one which the banjo bolt screws into. It was leaking heavily.

After, He let the car tick over for 20 mins without any smoke and once it was at working temperature when went for a slow drive (30 -40mph) and again it was fine, although a "check vsc" error message came up which has now disappeared.

Unfortunately, once on the dual carriage way at 50-60mph the heavy smoke started again. It stopped within a minute of coming to a stand still and did not reappear whilst driving slowly but it did come back once hit 50-60mph again.

The coolant has not moved once and a the oil level appears ok. I am going to keep an eye on it over the next couple of days to see if it's a build-up which needs to clear through the DPF.

[Heidfirst]

Give it a good long blast at high rpm. If it hasn't had a chance to do a regen for a long while it will need one (hence clouds of white) & you need to give it a chance to complete. Alternatively, I believe that a dealer can force a regen but no doubt will charge you for that.

[Simy123]

Thanks Heidfirst, will go out and give it a good blast as soon as the little ones have gone to bed :)

[Mr.D]

A new point of view if you interested :)
1. EGR has no influence to these smokes and it is easy to check, just disconect plug from it and go on freeway, after 6 miles or even faster there should be a light coming up for this "trick", but it doesn't influence the rest of the engine except EGR is not opening at all. However EGR might be the cause of problem4,as TSB issued for headgaskets always say "carbon buildup", which damaged all: pistons, rings, gaskets even inlet manifold looks terrible, since EGR lets exhaust back in, this is where it starts, and Toyota didn't fixed this as they can not elimnate EGR, since without it EURO4 standart is not reached and solving it otherway requires to remodel engine block. But many manufacturers do come up to same problem and for quite some time now.

2. Bad fuel injector/injectors, this causes fuel being not spayed in little partikles, but more being squirted (if that's the word), therefore fuel is not burned in a right way therefore it cleans oil from walls of cylinder/cylinders and therefore is a smoke ( check oil level constantly). Try to check injector compensation ratio during diagnostics ( it can be shown even with chinese cable and toyota techstream software), needs checking for both cold and hot compensation, it has to be within -3 to +3, but this will not be 100% accurate, as mechanical damage to injector is different thing.

3. Might be DPF, although if it is cloged then smoke coming from more than 2000 rpm is strange as well as stoping at around same rpm. I don't know for how long regeneration lasts, but the key thing is that it is counted by kilometers/ miles driven since last regeneration, i haven't heard about exhaust backpreasure sensor or other sensors for DPF, so if you start driving in the morning, get to freeway and spin it to over 2500rpm ( not too much, since car should be more or less not in wroking temp), if smoke comes up, then i strongly doubt about DPF being the problem in here.

4. The worst of the things- head gasket. Smoke is either coolant being burned litle by little, or oil being burned and if oil is at level, then cooland might get to oil ( this might be seen if oil filler car has slugish deposits on cap itself).

IT was writen that EGR was changed, but the reason is that EGR itself isn't changed, so this wasn't FIX, just POSTPONE for some time. Strange how rebuild engine still has these problems or even head gasket error. Sorry if this long post is no help or no chear up for you, just my opinion in case it will help in any way.

[Simy123]

Hi Mr D, many thanks, I'm definitely interested. I am going to have to re-read you post a few time to get it clear in my head as I'm not very technical.

Unfortunately, last nights run hasn't solved the problem. :( I did 55 miles on the dual carriage way at 60-65mph in 5th gear, it smoked all the way.

This morning it started smoking at the end of my 9 mile round trip school run, I'm certainly getting a lot of funny looks!

I've now done 215 miles in total and I believe it's used 300mls of oil. I am going to keep monitoring this just in case the car wasn't totally level when I checked the oil at the outset.

I was really hoping it was going to be the DPF so will give Westover Toyota a call to find out the cost of a forced regen. I view of the oil consumed I am wondering whether this would be a waste of money though.

[Simy123]

OMG thank you Mr D! Wish I could buy you a pint...

Just tried unplugging power to the EGR valve and to my amazement not a hint of smoke, did 20 miles at 60mph perfect! Plugged the power back in and within 200 yards smoke everywhere! Unplugged it again to try and it was fine etc.

Took the EGR value off and it was heavily carbonized so cleaned it all up and put it back on but unfortunately it hasn't solved the problem when it is powered up.

What next...

[Mr.D]

Hi,

SInce i'm not living ir Britain actually, i'm from one of baltic countries, so this pint thing would be way too difficult :)

Question regarding disconecting EGR? How fast car noticed this change? Instantly? After some miles? Also when powered back, how fast it was noticed? In order to avod carbon buildup in my 2007 T25 1AD-FTV, i placed metal sheet between EGR and engine block. Keep in mind EGR works like this: exhaust->EGR->EGR cooler ( in my case it is inside engine clock)-> inlet manifold, so i took gasket from between EGR and EGR cooler, made blanking plate from 3mm metal sheet ( no hole for exhaus circulation) and put all back together and for more than 1 year no light for me. If light comes up, take blanking plate out, connect EGR as ussual,drive until light is off, drill 10-15mm hole in the middle of blanking plate for some flow to fool the car and put it back before EGR cooler. Just keep in mind i don't know requirements by technical inspection (forgot the word), but many fellows in Britain did this with no problems.

Also one more idea poped to my head while writing this post. How about that oil use? Since it doesn't come up to me why EGR work influences smoke. If oil is lost and it isn't burned in engine ( if it was, EGR wouldn't be doing any influence as exhaust would already have oil vapor), then only 2 things i can think of: turbo or intercooler. Turbo is lubricated with the same engine oil, if seals of turbo are on the way out, they might leak some oil while exhaust gases travels trough compression part of turbo, then exhaust and oil is mixed, travels through EGR back to engine and whoola white smoke. RPM range also grounds my thinking, as turbo in my engine spools at 1800rpm, while engine has best torque aroung 2000-2100rpm, so turbo works the most hard from this range up and this might increase oil leak. This would be really logical in my mind. Also intercooler being dirty might influence smoke, but so far couldn't retrieve how EGR would influence in this case.

We have companies in our country that do make checks on turbos for seal leak and other problems, there are many videos on youtube for basic turbo rebuild where seals and bearings are changed to fix oil leak, these changing parts can be found on eBay according to turbo you have, doesn't look like too big job, but some knowledge and skills are required.

[Simy123]

Hi Mr D,

Thanks again for taking the time to reply so fully :-) I need to spend a little time reading though your post as I'm not very technical!

The ECU never detected the EGR had been unplugged. I stared the engine and let it get up to temperature for 10 mins then I unplugged the power to the EGR as per the picture below, then I set off driving. After 20 miles at different speeds and revs no smoke so I pulled over and plugged the EGR in again and within 200 meters there was lots of constant smoke. After a few miles I pulled over and unplugged the EGR again and restarted the engine and drove off with no smoke... Unplugging the EGR never produced an engine warning light or error code.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSbGVRbzVqSzQ1cE0/view?usp=sharing

This is what the erg was like when I took it off.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSdmdja3dMeGI4dE0/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSbC1vbDl0YkpHQWs/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSbTFfelc3ZDRWZEk/view?usp=sharing

I believe the EGR valve must be programmed to open at a set speed and rpm. As soon as the valve opens the smoke starts.

P.S if anybody every tries to do this make sure you take the lid off the coolant tank first!!! I learnt this at my cost, I got a face full coolant when I pulled the coolant pipe off the ERG :-)

[avensis rob]

Hi

Using my phone just now so not easy to navigate links to posts etc.

Read my post regarding "just past mot again"

Ive got 1cd engene but same theory.

Then look back through the search for when i first blanked my egr

I was user +robster+ back then

Topic was " egr blanking trial"

[Simy123]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the post. Will look them up in the morning.

Cheers

[Simy123]

Not had a chance to read through your stuff yet Rob but just wanted to post an update.

I've now got 2 warning messages. "CHECK VSC SYSTEM" & "CHECK PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM"

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSLVpiM2pVX0NZU28/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSYVRNUDBoTmkxSjg/view?usp=sharing

I haven't figured out what the Obd2 codes below are yet but I guess they must be linked to VSC & Brake & EGR

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMScGF0ZnVSLTkteVk/view?usp=sharing

[Simy123]

For test purposes I disconnected the Battery for 15 mins, plugged the power back to into the EGR and then reconnected the Battery. Guess what? No more error codes but lots of smoke!!!

I am totally amazed that this EGR valve is causing so many problems, "fit for purpose" springs to mind! Looking through the warranty claims here, it shows that work was done on it 05/07/2013 at 60837 miles, 06/09/2013 at 67864 miles and again on 17/07/2014 at 98185 miles when the engine had a major rebuild (this was six weeks before the car was taken of the road).

If I have understood this correctly, which I believe I have, this EGR valve has been causing the engine to become carbonated which resulted in the blown head gasket. Surely the engine and EGR should have been fully decarbonized when they carried out the rebuild?

[Simy123]

Still on my quest...

so EGR plugged = smoke everywhere / EGR unplugged = no smoke but VSC and parking break error codes.

In order to try and resolve this I bought a new ERG.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSMTBUWTNsaGR3UG8/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSRzFtZFM0UnV0V2M/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSTVFNMDhhTHpOQ2s/view?usp=sharing

Once fitted and plugged in it solved the error messages but not the smoke! (so no different to the old one)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSYmhHRlpKWlZIeEE/view?usp=sharing

Back to the drawing board. When the EGR is plugged in and in the open position it causes the smoke problem. But the EGR is not faulty, what else could it be?

Is the diesel not combusting as it should when the EGR is open and lowering the engine temp? Would have thought this would have caused an error code though?

[Mr.D]

Hi,

It isn't EGR that makes smoke and errors were due to unpluged power to EGR. Yes, EGR was "invented" in order to lower combustion temp., since around 1800 deg. celsius and up NOx gases are produced, therefore if EGR lets in some exhaust gases, burning proces will slow down and burn less fuel, although injectors will still inject as much as when EGR is closed.

WHen you took picture of EGR it is totaly different than mine, mine doesn't have cooling with antifreeze, the question is do you loose antifreeze or oil? If it was oil it should be more bluish smoke, then i would think for antifreeze. If we are looking at antifreeze and into exhaust>EGR>EGR cooler>Intake path then you narrow down all possible places where antifreeze might be leaking. It isn't headgasket as then smoke would be there all the time, no matter what EGR does. Also consider turbo, in T25 D-cat turbo was cooled by antifreeze, your's might be too, therefore it is +1 place where you could look for problem. I'm not familiar with antifreeze cooled turbos, so can not help more detailed. I would check intercooler for any leaks or fluids being inside it, although in logical thinking this would also cause smoke all the time.

If levels of fluids do not drop down at all ,then no idea what is wrong.

[Simy123]

Thanks Mr D,

When I changed the EGR I was wondering if there could be a very small coolant leak inside the EGR, but the coolant level has not moved since day one. I keep checking the oil and I don't think it has moved either. Done 500 miles now.

I almost wish the coolant level or oil were moving so that I could identify the problem. I'm confused...

Thanks again for your suggestions

[baba_metca]

You have changed the EGR , just like Toyota and nothing. So this is not the problem. And this will mean that they have not finished the job on the first place. So you may have a chance for a warranty claim for the unfinished work. Is there any difference in the data when running with and without EGR. May be some expert on this should hookup to the Ecu and give it a look.

[Simy123]

Hi guys,

Just thought I would post an update as to how I've been getting on with my EGR/smoke problem and see if anybody has any suggestions with a new problem.

I've now done 5000 miles since buying the car and as long as the I leave the EGR lead unplugged I've been having no problems at all apart from the light on the dashboard, no loss of oil. On a couple of occasions I have reconnected the EGR just to seen if the smoke would reappear and unfortunately as soon as I get above 2000 revs the smoke comes back. Although maybe not as much as before. It went though the MOT fine with the EGR plugged in. (I drove there at low revs with the EGR plugged in).

This morning, after just getting onto the dual carriageway, I had few seconds loss of power on acceleration at about 55mph, power came back and accelerated but then happened again 10 secs later. I lifted off the throttle and it cruised along ok, I looked down and realised I was running on reserve. I don't know for how long I'd been on reserve but it felt like I was running out of diesel so I pulled off at the petrol station 2 miles down the road. I stopped and the engine was running fine, turned off the key, refilled ok but when I went to restart the engine it wouldn't fire. The starter sounded normal and it felt like it was going to start. I tried about 4/5 times in case the diesel hadn't got through the system but nothing. I've got a new light on the dashboard shown in the picture below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-U_0rdHTOMSX1ZrR0t3Ul9Ba0k/view?usp=sharing

I'm probably going to get the car towed to the main dealer but unfortunately they can not look at it until Tuesday. Anybody got any ideas what it could be?

Thanks for reading.

[Heidfirst]

which new light on the dash board? the steering ?

[Simy123]

The one on the bottom left. The red steering wheel with the exclamation mark. Just found what that is here: http://www.toyota.com/owners/resources/dashboard-indicator-details?iconId=COMMCOMMON-1001

It's something to do with the EPS.

Edit 17:19

Been back to my car this afternoon. Unplugged the Battery for 2 minutes to clear error codes, primed the fuel pump and just kept the started going for about 30 seconds and it started. Looks like I must just have run out of diesel as I pulled into the service station.

Back to just monitoring the EGR/smoke situation.

Is there anyway to change the title of this thread to "2012 Avensis 2.2 TR D-4D smoking solved by EGR Blanking" rather than

"Jan 2012 Avensis 2.2 Tr D-4D Head Gasket Blown"?

[Heidfirst]

think that steering wheel light can come up just with the steering lock being on.

I wondered if you had actually run it dry & needed to prime it.

[Waseem1]

Hi Hows progress with your car