Loss of power, juddering, smoke from 2007 Auris

[Brownie123]

Hi, wondering if anyone can help or has experienced similar...

We have a 2007 Auris d4d 2.0, full service history, mileage just under 50k. Last week it seemed to lose low end power, more so in first or second gear until the turbo seemed to kick in and then it was fine - didn't seem much noticeable loss of power once going in higher gears. Also noticed it would judder a bit when putting foot down in first or 2nd gear, almost felt like you were in too high a gear. After reading similar experiences online, we have cleaned the EGR which was pretty blocked up. Felt a bit better though not perfect straight after cleaning, but it now seems a lot worse and there is more smoke noticeable.

There are no warning lights coming up, and there are no error codes showing.

Any advice would be appreciated! 

[fordulike]

Run a can of this stuff through the air airtake and take it for a very spirited drive. Aka Italian Tune-up.

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/engine-oils-fluids/fuel-oil-additives/wynns-diesel-egr-valve-cleaner-150ml

Be sure to follow the instructions on the can. IIRC, you have to hold the revs at 2k rpm and spray the stuff into the intake. The engine revs will rise alarmingly after each squirt, but don't worry, just keep putting the stuff in till the can is empty.

[Brownie123]

Thanks. Is your thinking that it is still a problem related to the EGR then? 

We have been told it was likely to be a problem with either the EGR or DPF but after doing a bit of reading on here do you know if I am right in thinking this model doesn't have a DPF?

[fordulike]

Possibly EGR still sticking a bit, but that stuff actually cleans the whole air intake, which is a positive thing to do.

The Italian Tune-up will blow any crud out of the system and hopefully improve engine performance. When I owned a diesel, I would take it on the motorway for about 20 mins, but drive the car in a gear lower than normal.

The revs would be nice and high for the journey, blowing the system clear of nasty deposits.

The trouble with a lot of diesel engines, is they sound harsh at high revs, thus drivers tend to keep revs quite low. Constantly driving at low revs is what kills diesel engines.

Don't know if yours has a DPF, but if it does, be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations on keeping it clean.

[TomdeGuerre]

I believe that all models with 2.2 2AD-FHV Engines have DPNR which is a Diesel Particulate NOx reduction Filter called D-CAT by Toyota. This includes T180 / SR180 and Auto transmission models

2.2 2AD-FTV engines built from 12/2008 have DPF fitted.

[Brownie123]

Thanks, this is a 2007 2.0 TR, so from what I can work out it might not have one as they seem to have been introduced with that model from 2009 onwards from what I can find online? 

 

[TomdeGuerre]

It's never easy to figure out which Toyotas have and don't have DPF. I found the thread I got that info from and it was for the RAV4 so other models in the range have different intro dates - or something. 

[TomdeGuerre]

Meanwhile on Charlie Farlies excellent thread about the Toyota diesel engines, Anchorman posted this about Fuel Quality, worth a read:

Now let’s think about how fuel quality can affect the 2AD engine. This 2.2 engine was a big step forward from the old 2.0. The term D-4D bears no relationship between the two it only signifies that the engine is a 4 cylinder direct injection diesel – that is where the similarities end - end of story. The design principle was right up with the best in the world. We are looking at a chain driven twin cam 16 valve diesel with a whole host of ultra modern enhancements like twin counterbalance shafts in the block and many other mechanical features. Add to that the electronic control. To bring it right up to date with current emission standards the whole thing is a technological marvel. 

Amongst these features, the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation system) was also fine tuned and instead of previous vacuum designs as employed by Ford in Transits and even RAV 4.2s, the engine was fitted with an electro-mechanical design which was capable of very finely metering the amount of exhaust which is fed back into the engine in order to balance emissions. We are talking about a metering valve in a tube with a very sensitive motor to drive it.Imagine it to be similar to your bathroom wash basin but instead if pulling a plug you can work a pop up waste with a little handle. It will work fine if you use clean water and you could be as precise as you like in letting a measured amount of water go down the drain. 

There are two issues with the EGR on early 2AD engines. One is with the oil consumption. Back to the basin and we are now trying to meter water with the contents of the deep fat fryer and all the crispy bits mixed in. If you consider now burning fuel with low detergent additives and doesn’t burn clean so leaves a crusty charcoal residue on surfaces, we can now compare with our basin and are trying to work a pop up waste with partly solidified grease and hard bits clogging the works. Of course this residue doesn’t just end up in the EGR, it ends up everywhere that the exhaust goes so from the EGR into the inlet manifold which is often scrapped on a rework, the exhaust silencers, Catalytic Converter, DPF if fitted. God knows what the cylinder head looks like but as it is included in the ¾ engine it is a pretty safe bet that it to say the least, unserviceable. 

So! Some down to the engine faults and some down to the fuel (and yes it is partly down to the fuel whether you choose to believe it or not). So now you have dug up your drive and renewed all the drains back to the sewer you need to stop putting crap in the wash basin. In a newer or modified engine you take away the oil but if you still put the crispy bits in with the fuel you can expect problems of some sort sooner or later. 

Meanwhile Toyota are stuck between a rock and a hard place because they cannot impose the use of high grade fuel as the luddites would never accept that level of prohibition and prefer to use supermarket fuel because it is convenient, it is cheaper, just like value beans and because it is part of there very naïve human rights. My last word on that issue is that you do whatever you like but don’t get all indignant when somebody won’t pay the bill to put it all right. At the moment we are in the astronomically lucky position where Toyota are helping but there is a limit and if they are politely asking we use good quality fuel to aid trouble free motoring I don’t think that is unreasonable.
 

[Heidfirst]

3 hours ago, Brownie123 said:

Thanks, this is a 2007 2.0 TR, so from what I can work out it might not have one as they seem to have been introduced with that model from 2009 onwards from what I can find online? 

 

so it's a 1AD-FTV. Afaik that engine in the Avensis (at least for the UK) did not get a DPF until 2010 so I suspect that the Auris is similar.

[Brownie123]

Thanks for the info, some interesting reading. At least the dpf is hopefully one thing ruled out...