Engine problems.

[sean1]

Hi, advice needed!

My car is a mk3 berlingo 1.6hdi 90hp 2009 model year 61k miles.

I was driving it yesterday when I noticed a subtle hesitation in accelerator responce. A few seconds later it started revving at absolute max revs uncontrollably and black smoke started billowing out from under the bonnet. I stopped the car turned off the ignition before the engine revved itself to destruction and called the AA.

The car will not start now and had to be towed home. The AA chap said he first suspected the turbo but found that the bearings and oil supply seemed ok. He then thought it could be the injector pump.

I had filled the tank with diesel the previous day and had slightly overfilled it. After that the car smelt of diesel outside and i noticed spots of diesel on the road behind the car after I broke down. I didn't think much of overfilling the tank at the time
but having since read the handbook I note it says that this can cause problems.

Has anyone any ideas? Sounds expensive whatever it is!

[brodfather11]

Is your oil level ok? They can sometimes run away using their own engine oil when the engine oil gets burnt as fuel.

There have been posts here before about it , try a search

[sean1]

Yes engine oil seems ok. Recently serviced by Citroen.

[finny]

I have read about Renaults and bmws doing this when there turbos have gone

[sean1]

Hope its not that. I understand from reading up that these engines are quite delicate if they are not serviced on the dot. Apparently the oil galleries get clogged up with heavy oil deposits which then carbonise and this breaks up inside the engine and ruins the turbo.

I have read of people having turbo after turbo fitted because the carbon build up cannot be shifted even by multiple flushes.

Seems like citroen diesels are not bomb proof like they were years ago.

I'll just have to see what the dealer says.

I just didn't expect this grief and likely expense at what is a fairly average mileage for a 4.5 year old car!

[Muppet1]

Black smoke is unburnt fuel isn't it?? I always thought that once a engine was running on its own oil unless you starve it of oxygen you won't stop it until is self destructs. And also I thought the smoke was white/grey colour too.

This has come up as my car is coming up to 61,000 miles so I'm hoping mines not next.

[sean1]

I hope yours isn't next too! I'll post the dealers diagnosis. Often these things aren't clear cut so if anyone has any ideas they would still be gratefully received!

[demag]

Did you get any fault or error warnings?

Mine is in the dealers at the moment for turbo replacement. I bought it in late June and have driven a gentle 3k miles since then. Serviced by the dealer just before I bought it as well. Mine hesitated a few times but I also got a low oil pressure warning on the dash. When I took it in they confirmed the turbo was shot. Luckily its under warranty. There are a lot of threads about this on FrenchCarForum.

What I have learned is this:- The turbo oil feed pipe is very small diameter and has a gauze filter in the end. If the oil changes are neglected or the wrong oil is used then you will have trouble (expensive) because the gauze filter will clog with sludge. This will then starve the turbo bearings of oil and the turbo will be wrecked. When the turbo is replaced you (the garage) must follow a very strict cleaning/flushing program. Then what you MUST do is have the small gauze filter removed from the turbo oil feed and bin it. Another MUST is to revert back to 5-6000 mile oil and filter changes like in the good old days. You will then have many happy miles of motoring ahead of you. The reason that most turbos fail so quickly is because the cleaning/flushing procedure wasn't adhered to and the gauze filter wasn't removed so the whole cycle immediately repeats itself.

However afaik when engines run away with themselves it is usually due to worn rings and/or valve guides. Excessive oil then gets sucked into the combustion chambers and ignites and is used as fuel by the engine. This usually shows as blue/white smoke. But if you say you had clouds of black smoke it sounds like a pump fault to me. Talking to the nice man at Citroen he said the turbo job comes out at £1300! Ouch.

[sean1]

Just got prices from Citroen on the assumption that its either the turbo or injector pump.

Just about £1700 for a turbo fitted with flushing and filters, £1100 for the pump fully fitted. Both items being exchange rather than new!

Not exactly sure what the problem is yet of course because I wanted to get ideas of cost before getting the car towed to repairers. Needless to say I doubt i'll be buying another Citroen any time soon.

Please everyone make sure you change engine oil regularly and never overfill the fuel tank!

[demag]

Wow those are mind blowing prices. You could get exchange for a lot less than that. My turbo job is coming out at £11-1300 max. Presumably you won't be leaving it with them for the job? I would imagine there are good Independant garages your way? I know Medway Garage are in Kent and they have had good reviews in the past. I've bought spares from them but never used them for work.