Hi I've decided to join this group as i was failing to get any help or support from the skoda groups on Facebook. I recently purchased a 2012 Skoda octavia 1.6 tdi, so far I've spent nearly £900 trying to get it back to a drivable state, full service, yesterday a brand new clutch but my main concern is that driving through town and in lower gears, mainly 3rd and 4th when I put my foot down it chucks out an unhealthy amount of black smoke. Now, I've had it in two garages, the first garage had two mechanics take it out and saw no smoke, no fault codes, no lights on the dash. I've just had another garage install a new clutch and I explained the issue to him, he saw what was happening ( so I wasn't going mad ) and said it may well be a faulty injector. But again nothing showing up on his machine no fault codes or anything. Please anybody who can offer me some help with this before I sell it for a huge financial loss. Regards Gary

Hello, welcome to the forum.

Your second mechanic is possibly right, black smoke from a diesel will be unburnt fuel. My first suggestion would be to have the injectors tested.

Does the turbo appear to be working? - does your car appear to accelerate normally under high load?

Why was the clutch replaced? Was the old one slipping under load?

Edited 23 August, 202523 Aug by Warrior193
question

Hi many thanks for getting back to me so quickly, I really appreciate your quick response and help. Where would be the best place to get my injectors checked? The clutch started slipping when I let the first garage look at it. It's been a bit of nightmare if I'm being honest cheers Gary

I'd suggest asking the mechanic at the 2nd garage you took it to, but any reputable diesel service workshop should be able to supply this service.

Black exhaust smoke aside, are you able to gauge performance of the engine power under load, does the turbo appear to be supplying boost?

You say it has had a recent 'full service' was the air filter replaced then?

Hi yes new air filter fitted

9 hours ago, Warrior193 said:

I'd suggest asking the mechanic at the 2nd garage you took it to, but any reputable diesel service workshop should be able to supply this service.

Black exhaust smoke aside, are you able to gauge performance of the engine power under load, does the turbo appear to be supplying boost?

Yes I'm going back to him next week other than the black smoke it runs really well

10 hours ago, passthepointofnoreturn said:

Hi I've decided to join this group as i was failing to get any help or support from the skoda groups on Facebook. I recently purchased a 2012 Skoda octavia 1.6 tdi, so far I've spent nearly £900 trying to get it back to a drivable state, full service, yesterday a brand new clutch but my main concern is that driving through town and in lower gears, mainly 3rd and 4th when I put my foot down it chucks out an unhealthy amount of black smoke. Now, I've had it in two garages, the first garage had two mechanics take it out and saw no smoke, no fault codes, no lights on the dash. I've just had another garage install a new clutch and I explained the issue to him, he saw what was happening ( so I wasn't going mad ) and said it may well be a faulty injector. But again nothing showing up on his machine no fault codes or anything. Please anybody who can offer me some help with this before I sell it for a huge financial loss. Regards Gary

Fill the car up with good quality fuel and some injector cleaner.

Fill the car with people and luggage. Go for a good drive on a road where you can get the revs up, ideally with a good uphill run so you're working the car hard.

See what the smoke situation is during and after the drive.

If it doesn't help at all, do what @Warrior193 suggested.

A good hot work-out under load can do smokey diesels the world of good.

This is good stuff, but other products are available.

^ aka "Italian Tune-Up" :)

23 hours ago, passthepointofnoreturn said:

Hi I've decided to join this group as i was failing to get any help or support from the skoda groups on Facebook. I recently purchased a 2012 Skoda octavia 1.6 tdi, so far I've spent nearly £900 trying to get it back to a drivable state, full service, yesterday a brand new clutch but my main concern is that driving through town and in lower gears, mainly 3rd and 4th when I put my foot down it chucks out an unhealthy amount of black smoke. Now, I've had it in two garages, the first garage had two mechanics take it out and saw no smoke, no fault codes, no lights on the dash. I've just had another garage install a new clutch and I explained the issue to him, he saw what was happening ( so I wasn't going mad ) and said it may well be a faulty injector. But again nothing showing up on his machine no fault codes or anything. Please anybody who can offer me some help with this before I sell it for a huge financial loss. Regards Gary

OK, is it suffering from a lack of power, or just black smoke? My thoughts on the likely issue depend on this answer.

I agree. I put a tank of premium diesel through mine every month or two. Reckon it keeps engine cleaner. Might be worth swapping air filter for another brand if it doesnt work. Have read that some brands arent so good. I use mann or febi on mine and no probs.

Alasdair

3 hours ago, Alasdair1 said:

I agree. I put a tank of premium diesel through mine every month or two. Reckon it keeps engine cleaner. Might be worth swapping air filter for another brand if it doesnt work. Have read that some brands arent so good. I use mann or febi on mine and no probs.

Alasdair

I put a can of DAF injector cleaner through mine and its made a difference , as well as a full filter service apart from fuel which will be done next service

mine needs a clutch soon

Wonder if its been remapped before you got it. Have seen a few octavia diesels remapped (obviously badly) and they all have black soot on the tailgate. Not sure how you would be able to tell but someone on here may know.

Alasdair

I wonder if it had The Fix sometime since 2017 so new Engine Management and a flow device in the air intake.

Then a roll back and the flow device removed or not.

& DPF delete, and an EGR / blank or removal.

So much that can have happened other than just being as it left the factory and not running well.

8 minutes ago, Alasdair1 said:

Wonder if its been remapped before you got it. Have seen a few octavia diesels remapped (obviously badly) and they all have black soot on the tailgate. Not sure how you would be able to tell but someone on here may know.

Alasdair

Driven right the 1.6 is a sprightly diesel , I had a ton out of mine on the way back from picking it up , but I'm having to drive it more carefully as clutch is starting to go slowly

They are wonderful.

Tens of thousands, millions even. Taxi,s Family cars. Business & Commercial use.

But the OP,s is not right sadly. Needs someone that knows them to get it fixed.

43 minutes ago, Redestate said:

Driven right the 1.6 is a sprightly diesel ,

I know what you mean. I went from a 1.9tdi bxe to a 1.6tdi. Same horse power but took me a while to get used to 1.6tdi. I find you need to keep revs higher to get power unlike the torque from the 1.9tdi. Same here got nearly 100mph just to see and it still had a bit more to give.

Alasdair

6 hours ago, Paws4Thot said:

OK, is it suffering from a lack of power, or just black smoke? My thoughts on the likely issue depend on this answer.

Hi no loss of power but at around 70 / 80 mph it did start to shake and vibrate, cheers

1 hour ago, Alasdair1 said:

I know what you mean. I went from a 1.9tdi bxe to a 1.6tdi. Same horse power but took me a while to get used to 1.6tdi. I find you need to keep revs higher to get power unlike the torque from the 1.9tdi. Same here got nearly 100mph just to see and it still had a bit more to give.

Alasdair

Hi I really wanted the 1.9 but couldn't find a decent one, took it up to 80 mph but its was smoking and vibrating so I backed off

1 hour ago, Ootohere said:

They are wonderful.

Tens of thousands, millions even. Taxi,s Family cars. Business & Commercial use.

But the OP,s is not right sadly. Needs someone that knows them to get it fixed.

Cheers

2 hours ago, Redestate said:

Driven right the 1.6 is a sprightly diesel , I had a ton out of mine on the way back from picking it up , but I'm having to drive it more carefully as clutch is starting to go slowly

I took mine to 80mph But it started to smoke and vibrate badly

2 hours ago, Ootohere said:

I wonder if it had The Fix sometime since 2017 so new Engine Management and a flow device in the air intake.

Then a roll back and the flow device removed or not.

& DPF delete, and an EGR / blank or removal.

So much that can have happened other than just being as it left the factory and not running well.

Hi I don't think it has it seems pretty standard no messing around with deletes ect

Hi update: The car is still smoking only in the lower gears. The mechanics suggests drive it faster or ignore the smoke. Now I've taken delivery of the car with a brand new clutch, the clutch judders on low revs when pulling out of a junction or my drive. I asked the mechanic if there was a problem he said "rev the engine higher it'll go away". Now I know that a brand new clutch shouldn't judder but I'm so stressed out right now. I'm thinking what should I do

19 hours ago, EnterName said:

Fill the car up with good quality fuel and some injector cleaner.

Fill the car with people and luggage. Go for a good drive on a road where you can get the revs up, ideally with a good uphill run so you're working the car hard.

See what the smoke situation is during and after the drive.

If it doesn't help at all, do what @Warrior193 suggested.

A good hot work-out under load can do smokey diesels the world of good.

This is good stuff, but other products are available.

I think I'll try it but I've all but given up hope with this car at the moment. It feels like a money pit.

I had periodic black smoke under load (say, a hill start and four passengers) last year and periodic vibration starting on acceleration. Restarting cured that... for a bit. No errors/dash lights.

They were signs of a failing injector, which went just before Christmas. There was finally a dash light once the injector actually died.

Diagnosed by a Skoda/VW specialist swapping the injector (one) with injector two and seeing if the error followed, which it did.

ONe new injector later, good as new.

22 minutes ago, passthepointofnoreturn said:

Now I know that a brand new clutch shouldn't judder

I did my sons and it took a while to bed in properly. First I thought it was slipping and what had I done wrong and had a bit of judder but after a day or two was smooth. Was a fair bit of smoke from front of car at first but reckon it was the old clutch fluid burning off as I replaced the slave cylinder as his was leaking slightly.

Run the car for a few days and if it doesnt improve speak to mechanic again.

£900 for a new clutch and full service isnt a bad price at all these days. Was quoted £700 plus vat just to do the clutch on his fabia so I did it myself.

Alasdair