LOTS of smoke, high revving, dead engine! 1.6td

[danh1982]

So... 15 miles in our first proper trip away in our bus (has been used 2x weekly for short runs) we were cruising up the old A1 at a comfortable 85km/h and suddenly the engine started revving its "Balls" off accompanied with Large quantities of smoke coming from behind... Now the engine is dead... RAC on route but anyone have any idea so I can point my mechanic in the right direction?!?!

Your help would be much appreciated!!

[lloydy]

Sounds like a runaway, (meaning it's running on its own oil)

[California Dreamin]

The 'revving' is undoubtedly a result of burning its own engine oil, given that revs are controlled by fuel delivery amount and not by air amount (butterfly).
Diesels will use engine oil as fuel, hence the uncontrollable nature of the revs......

So
you need to determine why/where the oil is coming from...possible just overfull? or blowing oil into the air filter through the breather. This could be 'overfill' as I said or crankcase pressure build up...


Martin

[CovKid]

If this ever happens to a diesel owner - block the air intake in the engine bay and it will stop. I'll admit, easier said than done when it sounds like its going to explode, but starve it of air and the oil/fuel can't burn.

[danh1982]

Thanks for the info guys. RAC man sem to think she was onky firing on 3 cyclinders...

worst case senario and I need an enginge replacement... what do you reckon i do... straight swap for another 1.6td or look to upgrade to 1.9td or tdi or scooby... current mileage of the engine 280 000km. This van is supposed going to be a keep hopefully so wuld be happy to spend mre if it's worth it...

any idea of approximate cost for each option?

any recommended mchanics who would do the engine swap in west yorks?

cheers

[RogerT]

The other way to stop it if you are driving when it happens (which can be pretty scary in a higher powered diesel - ever felt a Discovery 2 start reaching for the horizon when you are already doing 80?) is to keep it in a high gear and stand on the brakes. Lowering the revs this way stopped my disco fuelling itself, and we gingerly drove home. A CO2 extinguisher is also reported to work when aimed at the air intake. Not sure if foam/powder/water would work but I wouldn't hesitate to try. If you have a proper air intake snorkel fitted tho it could be too awkward an airflow for this to work, and I wouldn't fancy calmly removing the engine cover and disconnecting the air intake while this was going on. I think I'd just stand back at that point and keep safe.

[danh1982]

I just put it in gear and stalled it...

[danh1982]

Hi all, so mechanic has had a look... Turbo is knackered and low pressure on cylinder 2 & 3... Recommending a new engine... What do we think? Go for a recon 1.6td and slot straight in or go for a 1.9 upgrade?

Thoughts and musings appreciated as always... Of any recommendations re garages to complete the work.

[123-jn]

If you can find one get a 1.9 td to which you can attach your manifolds and bits , but it needs to be the old style High pressure pump diesel not a later TDI.
Or the alternative if your engine has a nice bosch pump is to have yours repaired and add an intercooler in the left hand air intake behind the wheelarch. A good mechanic can then increase the fuelling and get you a few more horses. I'm told 90 bhp is easily possible.

[danh1982]

Tbh I didn't have any issue with performance before it broke! Slow and steady suited me! I'm not sure I can risk buying an old 1.9 for it to break in the future...

Thanks again.

[kevtherev]

Tbh I didn't have any issue with performance before it broke! Slow and steady suited me! I'm not sure I can risk buying an old 1.9 for it to break in the future...

Thanks again.

OK so you'll have to buy an old 1.6 then.

[Oldiebut goodie]

fully reconditioned engine: (1 left )
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-T25-1-6-JX ... 2c70a1f071