Sooty lid

[Ceecee85]

Done about 250 miles on a trip with the van recently and over that time I've noticed an increase in the amount of soot collecting on the underside of the engine cover. Not sure where is actually coming from and if I should be concerned. Do they all do this?
It's a 1985 1.6d T25 Transporter.

[123-jn]

Do you have any exhaust leaks perhaps at the manifold or the turbo to exhaust joint? Is the soot above any particular part of the engine. Diesels do throw out very fine particulate matter all the time expecially under load. Make sure you havent got any inlet leaks either at the manifold or pipe joints after the turbo as a lack of inlet air would cause overfuelling and more soot. I dont have a diesel T25 but my LDV pilot 1.9 (turbo D from a peugeot 306) had a side exhaust outlet which constantly caused a film of black dust on the side and back wheel arch of the van. When I had an exhaust leak at the turbo flange my power steering box got covered in soot!!!

[Ceecee85]

Thanks for that. It's all to the left hand side looking from the back of the van. It's even blowing up past the seal and is slowly but surely marking the boot floor liner and the underside of the cushion over the top.
There's no turbo but I'll check the exhaust for leaks. It might be time to invest in that stainless system!
I want sure if it was just the nature of the beast (that's as metaphorical a "beast" a naturally aspirated 1.6d can be)

[123-jn]

I guess you have an exhaust leak by the sounds of it, poor thing has to work so hard to pull the van along!!!

[Ceecee85]

That it does but it does a fab job nonetheless. I'll have to do the old rag over the tailpipe and see where it's coming from. By the looks of it the whole system must be decades old so I can forgive a little leak here and there. Still needs sorting tho.