2.2 D4D Started Smoking! Please Help!

[Stu Goodson]

I am following this thread with interest as my 2007 176K 2.2 D-4D Avensis has recently started emitting blue smoke that also smells wierd, similar to a burning oil smell. It does it on initial start up, but noticed it was doing it for ages earlier on fast idle when I was having a towbar fitted. When I popped out at lunchtime and got to a roundabout I again noticed a huge cloud of blue smoke that was bellowing out but seemed to disappear when i drove off. The car seems to go fine and pull well. I had recently put some Injector cleaner fuel additive in about half a tank previously but doubt that would cause it to smoke? I was thinking of doing an engine flush and oil change soon, do you think this will help? I've only owned the car since 11 Dec 2017, so still not 100% familiar with it, I'm also not used to diesels. Only had one previously but that was a brand new company car. 

[Wingz123]

Sounds like you are having a similar problem to me. I am in Reading, had plans to drive to Windsor on Saturday but car just became too smokey on the motorway it was ridiculous. Had to turn back in the end as smoking was constant down the motorway. Even tried driving at 60mph to feather it home so as not to bellow smoke out but that was virtually impossible. I have another turbo sat downstairs which is supposedly off a 2015 Rav4 with 20k miles on...who knows if thats true....I am hoping and praying that this rectifies the smoke issue and that it was the seals that were leaking oil into the exhaust. 

I never intended to start trying this and trying that on this car. I haven’t the patience. The whole reason I changed my last car was because I began to have a problem which i threw lots of money at and I’m not about to do it again. I’ve only had my car for a month or so too and done about 300 miles since.

Need this car urgently now - if after the expense of this turbo and the labour to fit it it still isn’t sorted I’m going to hit the roof.

[rdy416]

Mines a bit older I know but I’ve just got another turbo for mine went to a garage today been having smoking issues with mine and he’s extremely sure the turbo seals have had it.

[Wingz123]

Whats the mileage on yours rdy416? Mine is on 197/198k and the majority of that has been done in stop/start traffic in London....

[rdy416]

134k on the chassis 79k on the engine had a new short block at 55k but the life of the car before me is a bit unknown.

[rdy416]

I am following this thread with interest as my 2007 176K 2.2 D-4D Avensis has recently started emitting blue smoke that also smells wierd, similar to a burning oil smell. It does it on initial start up, but noticed it was doing it for ages earlier on fast idle when I was having a towbar fitted. When I popped out at lunchtime and got to a roundabout I again noticed a huge cloud of blue smoke that was bellowing out but seemed to disappear when i drove off. The car seems to go fine and pull well. I had recently put some Injector cleaner fuel additive in about half a tank previously but doubt that would cause it to smoke? I was thinking of doing an engine flush and oil change soon, do you think this will help? I've only owned the car since 11 Dec 2017, so still not 100% familiar with it, I'm also not used to diesels. Only had one previously but that was a brand new company car. 

This is exactly the same as mine with a strange smell but mines not smoking on start up. Only as the engine gets warm.

[Wingz123]

Yes same as mine mate. Only once warm. Keep this thread posted on the outcome of your problem too as I would be keen to know. My avensis is currently with my friend (is a mechanic and is changing it over for me) so we’ll see what comes....

[rdy416]

Yeh ok mate will do no problem

[Stu Goodson]

Are the turbo seals difficult/expensive to replace?

[rdy416]

Are the turbo seals difficult/expensive to replace?

I’ve bought the core for mine which is all balanced and ready to into the housings it cost me with the gaskets about £200

[Wingz123]

I am swapping the turbo out on mine for another turbo

[rdy416]

Little update on mine I spoke to a fuel injection specialist yesterday as my car had one new injector before I bought it and I wasn’t sure if it had been coded or not. Any way he asked what it was doing so I told him he said it could be the dpf if someone has smashed the bricks out of it but it also sounds turbo related. Turbo core and gaskets arrived today as well so I need to go and collect it from my parents and get the car booked in for the rebuild [emoji51]

[Wingz123]

Mines currently being worked on...

[Prokid]

On 24/12/2017 at 9:08 PM, Wingz123 said:

Hello all,

First....a quick introduction....Owned german cars all my life, known the reliability of Japanese cars and like Toyotas (also own a 13’ Prius) but unfortunately am having some problems with my 2010 Avensis...

Not had the car all that long and within a few days, every now and again the car would give a small amount of blue smoking for approx 3-5 seconds then clear up. This would happen once warm and primarily after you had climbed a hill but even did it after 30 miles randomly on m4 flat level surface between j12 and Reading services...

anyway where we are up to now is, once warm, the car is now blue smoking quite a bit when you accelerate. Turbo still boosts (at the moment) but the smoking is now as if the turbo has gone. I guess if I were to continue driving it would go altogether.

Doesn’t smoke on idle at the moment just when underload but I suspect will eventually start smoking on idle too

can anyone verify this is turbo? Turbo sounds fine, spools fine and boosts fine but thats not to say seals are leaking etc etc i just dont think it has got to the stage where it has gone altogether and the shaft collapsed.

just dont want to change it and it not be that...is there anything else these 2.2 d4d’s suffer with? And would a turbo from an earlier 04/05 fit my avensis?

forgot to mention....mileage on this Avensis is 197k...

Thank you in advance,

James

Mine is 2004 d4d is doing the same problem

 

[Wingz123]

Update on this - my guy checked the oil and no oil in the car.... I can tell you I am a stickler for checking the oil so again points towards turbo (fact that it has burnt the oil off through the exhaust)....blue smoke and all. Having all the filters done at the same time and some decent oil put in too.

Look at the state of that pollen filter!! 

He got it off and is transferring various pipework from the old turbo to the new turbo. 

 

[rdy416]

That’s not good hope fitting the new turbo sorts it out.

My pollen filter was like that it seems they don’t get changed on services.

[Wingz123]

Bit more info on progress....

So turbo was removed and impeller shaft was checked for play/movement - there was no movement. So I guess the turbo seal blew?? Anyone able to confirm? 

The car was driven and no smoke emitted - also been freshly mot’d sailed straight through (and being a taxi in London has MOT’s every 6 months)

Collecting the car tomorrow morning so will report back tomorrow. Really hope it is ok and all good as Monday onwards it’ll be on the road 14ish hours a day. 

The initial plan was to have this car last me 6 months then buy myself a 15’ Prius but I guess we’ll see how this does. Before I bought my other Prius I was renting one and doing 2,000 miles a week in that and it was brilliant. I must say, I am done with turbo diesels however and will not buy another. Turbo’s ALWAYS give problems somewhere along the line!

Anyway, shall report back tomorrow hopefully all will be good! 

[Heidfirst]

18 hours ago, Wingz123 said:

Look at the state of that pollen filter!! 

That's the air filter not the pollen filter. The pollen filter lives behind the glove box & looks after the ventilation system.

15 hours ago, rdy416 said:

My pollen filter was like that it seems they don’t get changed on services.

Both the air filter & pollen filter are usually an inspection item with replacement when required rather than replaced automatically every service.

 

[Wingz123]

Just driven back in the car from Birmingham - verdict.....smoking just like before.....

 

Please help I am supposed to be on the road on Monday! 

Smoke is 90% of the times the car is boosting

[rdy416]

Just driven back in the car from Birmingham - verdict.....smoking just like before.....
 
Please help I am supposed to be on the road on Monday! 
Smoke is 90% of the times the car is boosting

Could well be the dpf. I was told by the injection specialist I spoke to the other day about mine that if it’s been gutted it will cause them to smoke.

How true that is i don’t know.

Also if the turbo had been spraying oil in the exhaust it will leave some in the exhaust and will take a while to burn it out. Could be worth a long run up a motor way to get the exhaust up to temperature to burn it out.

[Wingz123]

Just driven 104 miles back down the motorway and it is giving as much smoke out as it did before I had the turbo changed. £400 down the drain I am absolutely livid. This avensis doesnt have a dpf

even had people flashing me to alert me how bad the smoke is from the exhaust....

this car is not drivable

[rdy416]

Just driven 104 miles back down the motorway and it is giving as much smoke out as it did before I had the turbo changed. £400 down the drain I am absolutely livid. This avensis doesnt have a dpf

even had people flashing me to alert me how bad the smoke is from the exhaust....

this car is not drivable

 

 

I don’t know what to say mate other than throw it back at the garage.

 

Would also be worth getting the injection system checked the place I spoke to charges £50 to diagnose injection issues. That would also be to code a injector if it had been changed

[Wingz123]

A further update....

Just unplugged the EGR valve and driven from mine down the M4 to Maidenhead and then back coming off a junction early to drive  A and B roads and not a whisker of blue smoke there or back (45ish miles in total) So.....I now think that this problem is with the EGR valve.... it does of course lack a bit of power and does look like Blackpool illuminations on the dashboard but I can live with that for another week or so. 

Speaking to several more people the smoke issue and my egr buggering up does sound plausible. You remember the pictures I included above and how blocked up it was....

rdy416.... would also be worth you checking this mate before you start on the turbo recon job - just unplug the clipped in plug on the side of it and see what happens. You will have lights come on on the dash and the car will be a bit slower but hopefully it pinpoints that as the culprit. I fear I have just paid to have the turbo replaced for nothing. 

 

[rdy416]

A further update....
Just unplugged the EGR valve and driven from mine down the M4 to Maidenhead and then back coming off a junction early to drive  A and B roads and not a whisker of blue smoke there or back (45ish miles in total) So.....I now think that this problem is with the EGR valve.... it does of course lack a bit of power and does look like Blackpool illuminations on the dashboard but I can live with that for another week or so. 
Speaking to several more people the smoke issue and my egr buggering up does sound plausible. You remember the pictures I included above and how blocked up it was....
rdy416.... would also be worth you checking this mate before you start on the turbo recon job - just unplug the clipped in plug on the side of it and see what happens. You will have lights come on on the dash and the car will be a bit slower but hopefully it pinpoints that as the culprit. I fear I have just paid to have the turbo replaced for nothing. 
 

Cheers for that I did not so long ago take my egr off and gave it a clean because it was blocked solid. But il have a go and see what happens. Cheers for the heads up

[Wingz123]

But so did I mate....cleaning them doesn’t always sort as I have learned. Mine is buggered altogether (i think) and no amount of cleaning will bring it back to life. The electrical parts inside them can die. 

Euros is £155 inc Vat

Toyota is £264.80 inc gaskets inc vat (gaskets are about £1.80)