Smoking under hard acceleration

[Robdrums]

As mentioned in another thread, I have a new FR TDi 150 Leon, 55 plate, which now has 1200 miles on (so is starting to loosen up nicely).

I love the car, and it performs brilliantly, but just have one concern. Some people say it's normal, others don't (like my Dad, who's just jealous that his Galaxy only has a 130 TDi engine despite being the size of a bus ), but when you boot it (seemingly in any gear, but especially second or third), is it normal for the exhaust to puff out quite a bit of smoke?

I've read one explanation that says it is normal, and might lessen with age/miles, but if it is, what causes it?

Is it because the 150PS engine is tuned for performance, so it runs richly, and maybe until the turbo kicks in, when a leaner mix of air whooshes in, smoke is a natural by-product? I assume this because it only puffs when you put your foot down, and it'll then scream up to 4000 revs with nothing else out of the exhaust, and won't do it again on the next gearchange (I think). I've seen cars puff out a bit of black smoke, especially on motorways, and though it's hard to be too concerned with what's behind you when accelerating that hard, it looks like quite a bit. Oil levels seem fine.

Or is it a bad sign?

Cheers

Rob

 

[stoneyfordNI]

ive seen both clean ones and smoky ones on the roads, i take it ur not having any boost leaks and such , id try a few tanks of ultimate and possibly a fuel treatment as well see wat that does , its probably just a trait of the fresh engine as they dont loosen up proper to 10k-20k miles

 

[Robdrums]

As far as I know, the car is working fine otherwise, and I average 40-50 mpg with no performance issues that I can see, so unless someone says I should definitley be concerned, I'll live with it

Cheers

Rob

 

[dmjw01]

The explanation I've read is that the turbo bearing constantly weeps a tiny amount of oil mist whenever it's not producing boost. This minute amount of oil collects in the intercooler when the car's being driven slowly or idling. Then when you put your foot down, the surge of boost blasts some of that oil into the engine, causing a momentary puff of smoke. We're talking tiny amounts of oil though.

Other explanations talk about soot accumulating in the exhaust.

Either explanation sounds plausible to me, and this would explain why you only see it once each time.

 

[stuart_hatch]

Not one problem at all, i had a n/a polo diesel that smoked under hard acceleration, and my dads C250 td merc does it too, nothing to worry about

 

[willisthm]

Got the Fr TDI as well mate and mine does the same. I can tootle along without any smoke then when I get the chance I hoof it I get that puff of black smoke - great when the bloke behind thinks he can keep up with you.

 

[Robdrums]

I've never noticed it being black, but I haven't really had the chance to drive it in many clear days. Glad it's seemingly normal though, I shall not worry anymore

 

[Paul TDI]

I rarely notice it in the day time. Was playing with a bug eye impreza last year though, one night, he was behind and staying with me, accelerated out of a roundabout on a national speed A road, and in my mirrors I could see loads of diesel smoke in his headlights.

 

[Fez boy]

I get smoke when I boot it!
You don't see it much in the daylight but at night it is there somewhere in my rear view mirror

 

[micky 32]

The smoke you see in headlights is not usually visible in daylight, for some reason halogen show up diesel particles thats not normally visible.

 

[Arctic]

Same normally seen at night, looks like a truck!

 

[225]

Should have bought a car with a proper petrol engine in then..

 

[S14A]

Petrol are has beens Diesel is the future! ) Performance and Economy

Mine smoked under hard acceleration using Tesco/Sainsburrys diesel started using BP Ultimate and after 3 tank fulls I hardly get any smoke now even when flooring it huge improvement!

 

[redkite]

Hi, just like to add that my Leon 130 does the same, smokes under hard acceleration, i notice it in the mirror when its dark. No drop in oil level and fuel economy good eg 48 mpg..

 

[devonutopia]

Smoking under hard acceleration? Nah mine doesn't do it.

Right click, save as.

http://altarmoore.com/jason/SOOTY.wmv

 

[muddyboots]

That's more like it
A pretty impressive pull away there too...

 

[Ant FR]

yeah no metallic clang clangs and bits falling off this time,

sure thats the car i saw on saturday being towed off the strip

 

[devonutopia]

yeah no metallic clang clangs and bits falling off this time,

sure thats the car i saw on saturday being towed off the strip

Could very well have been.

Blew my inner CV joint on the nearside driveshaft. Funny how the chavs in attendance found it cool that a Skoda could break a driveshaft.

I should say, since the straight through pipe was fitted last week, it smokes marginally less. I was using mostly oem exhaust before with just a backbox and decat pipe. I think it was a bit restrictive leading to inefficiencies somewhere and the extra smoke.

 

[Ant FR]

There were about 3 breakdowns in the space of 10 minutes. First you, which was a pisser cos i said to my mates, " here we go, here comes a quick diesel" and all looked good till we here Clang clang cling, Doh, so much for me pushing the TDi bug to my mates.

Then my mate in his 206cc went up against an RX-7, this was so funny as in the queue the guy was giving it the big un and saying to my mate yeah should be able to get a high e12 low 13, then off th eline he blew his diff,

all this by 11 am , wow.

 

[craig-pd130]

**cough, splutter**

Love the way you get the cloud of smoke and the Fabby is suddenly 50 yards further ahead than it was before