1.9 td lackiing power

Synergietom · Post by **Synergietom** » 21 Mar 2010, 18:42

Hi im in desperate need of some help my 1.9 td synergie was towed back today after suffering with serioius lack of power it was running fine i got ten minuits down the road and it started to nock really load and lost what little power it had so i pulled over and switched it off gave it five minuites ( ive been having problems with imobilser and this ussually works ) but when i started her up again it was running really rough and really loud so we limp to my inlaws place ten minuites down the road ( originall destination ) and were there for at least 2 hours and we started her up again to come home she was still running rough and loud and chuffing out loads of black smoke some we started to limp home but we only made part of the way and got stuck at traffick lights. That was it when i tried to pull off it just cut out and wouldnt start again so we called the man in yellow (AA) who said it sounds like diesel knocking ( Fuel injecter sticking open ) which would explain the exessive black smoke now i know im supposed to be a quallified mechanic but that meens nothing when all youve been taught is that a hammer is your best friend. on closer inspection and after taking off a couple of pipes i found oil in the pipe that connects the intercooler ( small rad right at the very front ) to a manifold of srts right at the back of the black. Im probably worying abouth nothig but can someone confirm that this is normall before i go ahead and remove the injectors and glow plugs
Thnks
Tom

Synergietom · Post by **Synergietom** » 21 Mar 2010, 18:44

Sorry forgot to mention that theres oil everywhere all up the back of the engine and on the sump around the sump plug.

Old-Guy · Post by **Old-Guy** » 22 Mar 2010, 10:21

Synergietom wrote: there's oil everywhere all up the back of the engine and on the sump around the sump plug.

If the oil is all over the outside of the engine and there's none left in the sump, then that'll be the cause of the dreadful knocking - all the bearings shot from lack of lubrication!

Perhaps the previous owner disconnected the low oil and oil pressure warning lamps? Do they light when the ignition is turned on?

Synergietom · Post by **Synergietom** » 22 Mar 2010, 15:23

Yes the lights come on when the ignition is turned on and the oil level isn't much lower now than when i bought the car allthough it is very black and desperately needs changing which im planning on doing this weekend along with being filthy its very thick i would have said that it looks like the head gasket has gone but theres no sluddge in the coolant and oil is black not creamy.

scratcher · Post by **scratcher** » 22 Mar 2010, 15:27

Hi, I had a BX which sufferesd from exessive pressure in the crancase which causded the crancase seal to 'blow out' and leak very profusely leading to a complete engine collapse beaause of lack of oil. Check. Gerry

Synergietom · Post by **Synergietom** » 22 Mar 2010, 15:34

Well would it be worth removing then checking all glow plugs first to see if theyre working correctly as allthough i know they only glow for a short period of time something is telling me that if they don't glow at all on start up then the deisel will not burn properly on start up hense causing it to run rough and to be totally honest i first noticed a small amount of black smoke a few weeks ago after i had to get a push start but then that cleared after a while unless i kept the revs quite high and it was allready lacking in power just not this bad ive just been out to try and start her up be shes not having it even off my booster pack allthough she is turning over but then running flat.

Gammy leg · Post by **Gammy leg** » 22 Mar 2010, 20:24

Tom,

Could be air in the fuel supply. Have you checked the primer bulb to see if it is soft or hard when squeezed.
I'd start with the easy stuff before looking into the glow plugs as 2 of them are buried behing the fuel pump and are a b*gger to get at. The injectors are not that accessible either.

Good luck

Gammy

Synergietom · Post by **Synergietom** » 22 Mar 2010, 22:46

Yes i checked the primer bulb and i wouldnt say it was rock hard but it wasnt exactly soft either. I allso took a look at the filters and oil the fuel filter isnt too bad but does have a little muck on it right at the bottem however the air filter is filthy dont think ive ever seen one this bad and the oil well if i didnt know any better i would've said the head gasket had gone its thick and congeeled all inside the filler spout and jet black so tomorrow im going take the sump off and clean out both the sump and oil pick up pipe im picking up the service parts on friday allong with a new alternater and a few other bits.
If there is an air leak where is it most likely to be so i can check because a few have said this now but it must be quite a bad one for this amount of black smoke.

Synergietom · Post by **Synergietom** » 30 Mar 2010, 11:19

Hi all ive been having nothing but problems with this car but we finnally managed to find what we think is the problem we think the timing belt has slipped a tooth which would cause the knocking lack of power and cause the fuel pump to over advance causing the black smoke ( unburnt fuel ) but as i was trying to remove the bottom pully i felt it slip another three teeth so there was definatelly a problem there only now i cant remove the bottom pully even after buying an impact driver so now i'm having to pay a mobile mechanic to come and remove the belt, water pump and re-time it i,m conssidering just telling him to get it all fixed so we can away in a fortnight and just paying the bill because now i have no energy left and i'm still having to go work an afternoon shift.

Post by **CitroJim** » 30 Mar 2010, 11:32

Hi Tom,

That'll answer it then. Sounds like the tensioner is loose or was not correctly set-up.

There is a method of undoing the crank bolt and your mobile mechanic will likely use it.

Jam a 22mm socket on a stout "T" bar against the suspension wishbone and after making sure the engine cannot possibly start, is in neutral (not in P if it's an auto) and NO timing pins are in place, flick the starter. The torque from the starter motor will release the bolt in a jiffy.

Sounds brutal but it works a treat. It's quite safe too as long as the "T" bar is well anchored and cannot fly off. It only takes a flick of the starter, no more! Although a couple of flicks may be needed if the bolt is particularly stubborn

I trust this will mark the turning point in your troubles

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 30 Mar 2010, 11:46

Tom, also, its quite normal for the TD to get caked in oil over time, a small leak can go unnoticed .. also same for oil in the intake area, as long as its not a huge amount, I would not worry to much at this stage

finally, TD oil goes black within seconds of being in the engine, in my experience, so dont worry about this either

just my thoughts
John

Synergietom · Post by **Synergietom** » 30 Mar 2010, 11:49

Thanks Jim i did think about trying this however now that the timing has slipped another three teeth i didnt whant to risk smashing the valves because if you turn it over by hand you allready feel the pistons locking up on the valves which is one of reasons i opted to pay someone who is insured if anything goes wrong.

Post by **CitroJim** » 30 Mar 2010, 11:51

Good thinking Tom

With slipped timing, that procedure is very risky. Your mobile man will need a big rattle gun now...

Synergietom · Post by **Synergietom** » 30 Mar 2010, 12:10

Yep heres hoping !!!!!!!!!!!

Synergietom · Post by **Synergietom** » 31 Mar 2010, 10:50

Hi all the mobile mechanic managed to get the bus running and she sounds a lot better but she is still a little lumpy and there is quite a bit of smoke coming from the exhaust only now its white rather than black would it be worth taking it for a run to see if it clears or could there be another problem that we've missed.