Volvo XC90 163 D5 Smoke on Startup

[sarkie83]

I've got a 2003 163 D5 that is very smokey on startup. I was hoping that it was a blocked egr or dirty filters. However the egr was very clean, and air/fuel filters look to be very clean/new.

I took a clip of what it's like on startup. White/blue cloud that eventually clears. I had an old v70 p1 tdi that used to smoke on startup but that was only when it had been left overnight. The XC90 seems to do it whenever it's started up.

+ YouTube Video

I did scan the codes and get one that says the egr value flow was too low (but can't remember the exact code).

[47423]

My D5 185 (euro 4) has exactly the same problem, The EGR setup is the next thing for me to check too. It also smells a bit oily but doesn`t seem to use any oil. It also sounds a little rough as mine does when cold, i am hoping the pics of the euro 4 EGR are still on the forum as this system is alien to me.

[brickman]

Most diesels smoke a fair bit for up to 10 seconds, but then they start burning cleaner and it clears, but yours just seems to keep going!

[skyship007]

Originally Posted by brickman

Most diesels smoke a fair bit for up to 10 seconds, but then they start burning cleaner and it clears, but yours just seems to keep going!

The old pre ECU/common rails diesels did smoke a bit on start, but the modern ones don't!

@OP:
When were the air intake and EGR last cleaned ??
Have you checked the crank case vent system is not blocked ??

How much oil is this car burning?
Any coolant loss?
When were the oil & filter last changed and what did you use ??
Have you checked the oil level and done a finger rub inspection ??
,
The engine is also rough running at cold idle, so this does not look good. Wild guess, but HG failure, bad rings, blown turbo or wrong oil in use.

Seriously thin oil caused by gummed up injectors (It won't show a code) and too many short trips or time at idle and a poor quality 0 or 5/30 is in third place, along with a half blown turbo oil seal.

[sarkie83]

It doesn't seem to be loosing any oil or coolant. oil and filter were done ~500 miles ago 5w30 Mobil Semi-Synth. I've never done any cleaning of the inlet, and the EGR seemed clean.

I took it too an independent last week who said that it was injector no2 leaking, but he couldn't get any reasonably priced replacements in. They said it might be worth getting a 2nd hand one and seeing if it's any helpds. I did this the other day, and it still smokes (maybe a little bit less/not quite so lumpy, but still not great), but I don't really know how to validate if that one is just as bad as the one that i removed.

Originally Posted by skyship007

The old pre ECU/common rails diesels did smoke a bit on start, but the modern ones don't!

@OP:
When were the air intake and EGR last cleaned ??
Have you checked the crank case vent system is not blocked ??

How much oil is this car burning?
Any coolant loss?
When were the oil & filter last changed and what did you use ??
Have you checked the oil level and done a finger rub inspection ??
,
The engine is also rough running at cold idle, so this does not look good. Wild guess, but HG failure, bad rings, blown turbo or wrong oil in use.

Seriously thin oil caused by gummed up injectors (It won't show a code) and too many short trips or time at idle and a poor quality 0 or 5/30 is in third place, along with a half blown turbo oil seal.

[cheshired5]

I'm sure I've read that white smoke means unburnt fuel, so in my eyes that would point towards a poor injector spray pattern or faulty glow plug(s) which, as well as aiding very cold starting, also help to burn fuel shortly after start up.
The poor spray can be caused by carbon build up on the injector tips preventing a fine enough spray being produced.
Luckily, injector removal and glow plug testing are both very easy, as is an injector leak test.

[5cilinder]

Its indeed unburned fuel , no wonder when you hear the crappy idle
Try the suggestions i gave in the leakoff thread
-readout the fuelcorrections /balance in vida
-check compression of the cilinders of the overcorrected injectors first
-If the compression is ok , take out the injectors and let a boschservice check them on a testbench

[sarkie83]

Where abouts in vida is the fuel correction info?
Thanks

[5cilinder]

Software-->Diagnostics-->vehicle communication-->Ecm--> Advanced tab

Expand the "+" under ECM in the menu
Press checking injectors

Press vct 20000 symbol with idling engine

Note that this wont work with a "illegal" vida copy
I tried it with one several times no readout
At the dealers no problem


Probably a ktm box at a bosch service will also do the job

[Shadeyman]

Originally Posted by 5cilinder

Software-->Diagnostics-->vehicle communication-->Ecm--> Advanced tab

Expand the "+" under ECM in the menu
Press checking injectors

Press vct 20000 symbol with idling engine

Note that this wont work with a "illegal" vida copy
I tried it with one several times no readout
At the dealers no problem


Probably a ktm box at a bosch service will also do the job

I think you should check your "illegal" version of VIDA because they will check fuel correction and combustion perfectly.