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[Andy B]

...
After removing the air filter and driving the car with the top of the filter casing lifted off, not recommended I know but  ......

Last year as I was getting my diesel  Astra road going I took out the horrible scabby air filter with the intension of getting another at some stage ...... Several months later & the car was getting more & more lethargic I had a look round the induction. The fine gauze filter in front of the MAF sensor was all but blocked with crap. It was amazing how much better the car ran when I cleaned it & the car could breathe.

[perfferle]

As a general guideline - Black smoke from diesel engines is a sign of a rich fuel-air mixture for combustion. This and can occur in the following situations:
- Low engine compression caused by wear or defective/worn Turbocharger(if Fitted).
- Defective/worn fuel injection pump / injectors (as mentioned earlier).
- An obstruction in the air inlet system - Clogged air filter, or blockage before inlet manifold.

Hope this helps .

regards,
P.

[platty]

An update on this then.
After removing the air filter and driving the car with the top of the filter casing lifted off, not recommended I know but it's do or die, there was a marked improvement both in smoke output and performance. After some initial smoking it cleared completely.
I could find no blockage in the inlet piework going to the air filter housing but the flexible pipe was detached completely (2" gap) from the plastic inlet tube behind the grille. Could this be the problem ?
Before I found the pipework problem I fitted a new air filter and it went back to how it was.

Have you tried it with the new filter in and the pipe re-connected?

If its still the same I would rip all the induction parts out and check them all. If theyre all clear, at least this eliminates something.

Mine smokes a bit - but only when I really boot it, the power seems good but I haven't ever driven another TD to compare it with.

Maybe we should compare some 0-60s?  

[Omegatoy]

if your running supermarket diesel it will smoke!!! and please dont think a tankfull of proper diesel will clear it , you need to run the real stuff permanently to see the smoke ease off and proper servicing as well, it will take at least 3tanfuls to see a major improvement
Omegatoy

[cdbdiis]

An update on this then.
After removing the air filter and driving the car with the top of the filter casing lifted off, not recommended I know but it's do or die, there was a marked improvement both in smoke output and performance. After some initial smoking it cleared completely.
I could find no blockage in the inlet piework going to the air filter housing but the flexible pipe was detached completely (2" gap) from the plastic inlet tube behind the grille. Could this be the problem ?
Before I found the pipework problem I fitted a new air filter and it went back to how it was.

Have you tried it with the new filter in and the pipe re-connected?


Maybe we should compare some 0-60s?  

I'm going to use it for work Tomorrow with the pipe re-connected, I'll let you know how it is.
As for 0-60.... wait 'till the end of the month I may be able to afford the fuel when i get paid again  

[Pitchfork]

if your running supermarket diesel it will smoke!!! and please dont think a tankfull of proper diesel will clear it , you need to run the real stuff permanently to see the smoke ease off and proper servicing as well, it will take at least 3tanfuls to see a major improvement
Omegatoy

I run mine on Sainsbury's City Diesel
It had an MOT last week & emissions were 0.69 (3.0 is limit) so I do not understand why you should advise against Supermarket Fuel.

[platty]

I use supermarket fuel the majority of the time and find that its ok, but on a few occasions I have used "proper" fuel then it does seem to go a bit further and run slightly nicer. Although this could be me just thinking it.

I do think supermarket fuel is inferior, just not by much.

[TheBoy]

I have to agree with Omegatoy here, after a couple of tanks of normal shell, mine goes a little better, and smokes a lot less (watching it in car headlights at night with foot pinned to floor)

[cdbdiis]

Another update.
The pipe was the problem  
Smoking is much reduced and the car is using far less fuel now... it goes better too.
So if you are having similar problems, check that pipe connection
Thankyou to everyone