C5, clouds of white smoke except in limp-home mode

[pseud]

Hi Folks

C5 Mk1 Exclusive 2.2l diesel, 2002

I should have posted a couple of months ago when I bought the car, but... I've been in the UK 2 1/2 months from NZ where I've had 3 Xantia's in the past 5 years and was sorry I couldn't pick one up here in reasonable condition - but cars age quicker here. So, all my tools are in a box on the oceans somewhere...

Now, I'm in a crisis... This post should probably be divided up into a few single issues, but I'll just start with the most important.

The car started blowing clouds of white smoke on Thursday when my wife was driving it home from a moderate length day trip. Hmm, I thought - took it for a test drive and after few hundred meters returned home as completely undrivable (legally; during the day). Suspicious that clouds of white smoke didn't indicate that the engine had shat itself, the night before last early in the morning when the cops aren't looking I took the car for a fast run in the country to see if I could blow out what ever was in it... Sure enough, after about 500 meters clouds of white smoke started billowing from the exhaust - so I drove faster! And, kept on driving... And, then the idiot light that indicates the ASP/ESP system had malfunctioned came on, the car went into limp-home mode, and - while hurtling in a forward direction with my eyes glued to the rear vision mirror - the clouds of white smoke vanished at precisely the same time!

Clearly something's up with the engine management system and I suspect the way the exhaust filtration system functions (malfunctions). But, what?

Other symptoms (idiot light tell-tales):
* Engine anti-pollution system faulty
* ESP/ASP system faulty
* Clean diesel filter as soon as possible
* 1 tyre pressure sensor
* Damaged tyre detected - STOP
(Last 2 as a result of my having the tyre-pressure sensors removed)

Of course, as soon as I get my tools I'll give the car a thorough service.

But, right now - it's undrivable and the family needs it!

Any ideas and thoughts would be really appreciated (including how to make the car run in limp-home mode, which seems to fix the clouds of white smoke).

Many thanks.
Regards,
Morgan.

[cachaciero]

Oh dear!
O.K easy one first "Antipollution" message is saying that the engine management has a problem THIS IS NOT THE FAP.
BUT Clean Diesel Filter is the FAP and is saying that it needs a regen cycle.
LIMP mode confirms that it is something serious and engine life threatening,
ESR/ASP follows on because they are no longer getting good data from the engine ECU.
White smoke rather suggests lot's of unburnt diesel, though once when I had a turbo bearing fail on a CX looking at the cloud of smoke behind that looked white from inside, the smell is the clue here.
Lots of crap going down the pipe could be the reason for the Clean Diesel Filter message it could be clogging the filter.
Once in LIMP mode engine speed is regulated to not exceed 2300 rpm and it achieves this by limiting fuel through the injectors.
Really need the engine ECU fault codes to be read that would tell us if it was fuel or something else.
Best guess would be something injector related.

cachaciero

[pseud]

Hmm, ECU fault codes = trip to dealer...? I don't like them. I'm in Leeds, is there anybody local that's not a dealer or can be recommended?

I was about to join the list for a "Lexia group discount through moderator" as they seem like a necessary piece of kit with these things - but, perhaps I won't be needing one...

The note on smell is interesting - both my wife and I noticed it had a "burnt" smell (well, I know, obviously it's a burnt smell - but not the normal fuel burning smell).

White smoke = diesel?

Engine life threatening - water in fuel; new fuel filter?

Regen cycle for the FAP - take on a fast drive in the sticks? But this has been saying that since shortly after getting it - I drained off any water I could from the diesel filter filter before a weekend run down to London and back (about all I could do with no tools). It was on that run down that the ESR/ASP fault showed and it went into limp-home. On the run back up it didn't...

Next step? Pay money to dealer? Hope not...

Many thanks,
M.

[pseud]

I think the above can be summarised as:
Who can be recommended in the Leeds and West Yorkshire area?

Thanks,
M.

[cachaciero]

Hmm, ECU fault codes = trip to dealer...? I don't like them. I'm in Leeds, is there anybody local that's not a dealer or can be recommended?

I was about to join the list for a "Lexia group discount through moderator" as they seem like a necessary piece of kit with these things - but, perhaps I won't be needing one...

The note on smell is interesting - both my wife and I noticed it had a "burnt" smell (well, I know, obviously it's a burnt smell - but not the normal fuel burning smell).

White smoke = diesel?

Engine life threatening - water in fuel; new fuel filter?

Regen cycle for the FAP - take on a fast drive in the sticks? But this has been saying that since shortly after getting it - I drained off any water I could from the diesel filter filter before a weekend run down to London and back (about all I could do with no tools). It was on that run down that the ESR/ASP fault showed and it went into limp-home. On the run back up it didn't...

Next step? Pay money to dealer? Hope not...

Many thanks,
M.

You hav'nt got your mind around the vagaries of the warning messages have you "Diesel Filter" does not refer to the diesel filter as in diesel it is the French name for the FAP in the exhaust I suspect that it will need a full regen cycle for which you need a Lexia to kick it off. Your are correct that a Lexia is pretty well essential for diagnosing most anything that is not immediately obvious.
Atomised unburnt diesel will look like white smoke but smell like diesel, atomised half burnt oil could also look white but usually bluey grey smells different too.

cachaciero

[myglaren]

I think the above can be summarised as:
Who can be recommended in the Leeds and West Yorkshire area?

Thanks,
M.

Have a look through this thread and contact the owner closest to you.

[pseud]

I'd just like to say a BIG thank you to Ben Cowell in Baildon.

First up: after it stopped blowing smoke - it didn't do so again... So, my firm belief is the clouds of smoke were some how tied up with the FAP that needed sorting out.

Second up; FAP sorting: Ben was able to stick a Lexia on the beast and do the full regen cycle on the exhaust FAP (am I doing OK with the jargon?). It reved away like a bat out of hell and blew a whole lot of stuff out the back.

Also, cleared up the flat tyre rubbish so I'll get past the next MOT

A whole bunch of other errors that'll need looking at before to long, but...
For the first time since a couple of weeks after I bought it, I drove it yesterday without any warning tell-tails glowing!!!

It seems the problems may be explained by:
Anti-Pollution Fault - Replacement of the Swirl Valve Actuator / Diaphragm Valve
Which will get done in due course...

Many thanks all,
Morgan.

[cachaciero]

Failure of the swirl valve actuator and or rubber pipe joiners in the vacuum lines is almost a given on a 2.2 of that age, much has been written on this forum. The give away is getting LIMP mode and then finding a Turbo Overpressure fault locked into the ECU.

cachaciero