Fabia 130 VRS Juddering Issue & Smoke

[MrPomeroy]

Hello

 

I have an odd problem with my 06 plate VRs Diesel.

 

For about a year now I knew I needed at least CV joint replaced to the clicking when I turned and accelerated.

 

Then about a month ago whilst driving I noted that when i accelerated and put the engine under some load I got a juddering that I could feel through the pedal, wheel and seat. Having looked into it a lot of websites said it could be the inner CV joint as these can judder when on their way out.

 

Yesterday I have two complete drive shafts and CV joints fitted.

 

Still the problem persists (but no clicking).

 

In lower gears it is not so noticeable but from 3rd onwards it can be bad, especially when accelerating to a motorway or when you go up a hill. Once at speed it is not too bad.

 

We have also noticed that when the juddering occurs there is a lot more back smoke.

 

Could it be a misfire? Doesn't seem like clutch as that would surely not cause black smoke? it has always smoked a bit being a diesel, but this is odd.

 

My fault code reader says no codes are stored.

 

Mechanic was scratching his head too. He thought maybe flywheel but that would not explain the extra smoke.Goes into all gears totally fine.

 

Any expert advice or experience of such and issue would be very welcome, as the VRs is on 270,000 miles and I want to keep it going!

 

Thanks

 

Mr.P

[MrPomeroy]

Now thinking it is an injector issue

[sepulchrave]

Sounds more like a sticky VNT to me.

[MrPomeroy]

VNT?

[sepulchrave]

10 minutes ago, MrPomeroy said:

VNT?

 

It's part of the turbo.

[MrPomeroy]

ok.

 

is it a newt turbo job or is that fixable?

[sepulchrave]

Just now, MrPomeroy said:

ok.

 

is it a newt turbo job or is that fixable?

 

Some people have claimed some success using Mr Muscle cleaning fluid to clean it internally, personally I would strip it and clean it properly but you may want to get it rebuilt if you don't feel up to the job.

[MrPomeroy]

when the car is on the drive and in neutral and you gibe it some welly is revs fine and you can hear the turbo whistle normally, so I thought it had to be something else other than turbo

[sepulchrave]

The VNT mechanism is responsible for regulating boost, if it sticks you lose some boost, the symptoms you describe suggest it's sticking. You can't tell by revving the engine on the drive!

[vindaloo]

Could be the VNT. Though it could also be a boost leak where the intercooler or a pipe has holed and is getting worse.

 

Either way the engine management will **** about and you'll lose power. In my case with my boost pipes, pushing harder got the car up hills and home but with apocalyptic black smoke clouds.

[MrPomeroy]

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

I am fairly sure now it is not an injector, runs too smoothly and I can still cruise at 80+ (not in UK obviously), should I wish to do so without juddering (probably).

 

It makes sense now after the advice from Sepulchrave that when I am in low gears about town I dont notice it. But after 3rd or so it can be quite bad with lots of smoke. The turbo isn't audible at that time but in the drive with no load you can hear it perfectly.

 

I am struggling to find a decent diagram online of what pipes do what and what is connected to the turbo, does anyone know of one?

 

Thanks

 

P

[StevesTruck]

It's worth doing a scan to see if it is a misfire and whether it's on one cylinder or wandering. 

 

I've had an issue on both my facia and the ibiza pd130 I had before it where the injector loom under the cam cover perishes causing wires to go brittle. I found it got worse as the car warmed up and with more throttle. 

 

The part wasn't cheap, £70-80 iirc, so diagnose properly before changing on spec. The job is easy though, just a basic little socket set is fine. Do clean up around the cam cover before removing it though.

[MrPomeroy]

I have done a scan but nothing appears so have ordered a much better reader a mate of mine has and I was impressed with. See if that shows anything.

 

Tried some seafoam through the induction system yesterday which was entertaining but so far no luck. Will try a engine flush and oil change on weekend.

 

Failing that it is going to my mechanical so he can try and find what the issue is before it fails MOT in January due to emissions.

 

He also said it could be the injector loom that sits in oil that could be brittle, or blocked/knacked injector or turbo.

 

Will see what happens in the next few weeks. Would like to keep my VRS though.

[sepulchrave]

Yeah, so a cocktail of snake oils really isn't likely to make any difference other than burning through the contents of your wallet needlessly.

[MrPomeroy]

Last weekend I put new oil and filter, plus ran some sea foam though it on motorway for 200 miles before hand.

 

Just after servicing it felt better and ran better, but after a few days it is back to normal.

 

Will give it to my friendly mechanical to diagnose in the next 2 weeks and see if it is terminal or not. It is now on 272,000 miles. Until this issue always ran sweet and I services it 3 times a year with good oil, Bosch filters etc.

 

80% of mileage is on motorway since I got it 210,000 miles ago.

 

Scanner turned up but need an adapter for VAG cars, typical, despite what manufacturer says. Still, reset the engine light on my colleagues mondeo prior to MOT, so at least someone is happy :-)

[sepulchrave]

WTF is 'Sea foam', some kind of weird American snake oil I'm guessing.

[bspman]

Hate to ask.. but when did you last do your fuel filter?

[sakta]

On 09/11/2019 at 22:03, sepulchrave said:

WTF is 'Sea foam', some kind of weird American snake oil I'm guessing.

It’s actually a cleaner that will clean carbon deposits inside the engine. Not miraculous but certainly not snake oil and it definitely does work

[sepulchrave]

8 hours ago, sakta said:

It’s actually a cleaner that will clean carbon deposits inside the engine. Not miraculous but certainly not snake oil and it definitely does work

 

It's a turbo diesel, so carbon deposits are a permanent feature of the inside of the engine and they do no harm at all.

 

So it's a solution looking for a problem and therefore is in fact, snake oil.

[Damo152003]

When was the fuel filter changed?

Could be a sticking injector

Does the engine sound normal? These are prone for cam wear. 

I would of thought it might  flag a under /overboost code if the turbo was sticking 

But im not 100% sure on the set up on these. 

If the turbo was sticking it would be holding back then surging a bit

[MrPomeroy]

Right.

 

After many weeks of faffing about with it my mechanic has told me to get rid of it.

 

He took the turbo off, pipes etc. and said turbo was blowing and not compressing properly, pipes and egr full of carbon and intercooler and pipes very oily.

 

Has MOT january and he said it wont pass.

 

Still drives ok if you stay off the turbo otherwise there is juddering and smoke.

 

Shame, as i love that car and was hoping to get 300000 out of it 😞

 

[Titanium_Man]

Take the egr off and give it a clean with brake cleaner. The oily pipes are common place. I have them on mine. 
 

May not make a difference, but for a couple hours of your time it’s gotta be worth a go if you wanna keep the car. 

[MrPomeroy]

I did that 2 weekends ago, helped a bit for a day or so but now the same

[MrPomeroy]

given the mileage and the cars I am looking at replacing it with I cant part-ex it, so it may have to be scrapped.

[StevesTruck]

If it's going that way, drop me a message and I'll give you better than scrap value for it.