ZX TD Grey/White smoke

Dave40 · Unread post by **Dave40** » 24 Jun 2004, 01:23

Drove my recently acquired ZX TD through Manchester this morning. It seems the whole city center has been dug up hence lots of waiting at traffic lights. After 60 seconds or so at tickover, pulling away resulted in the car behind being 'smoked'. Can't recall my non turbo ZX doing this. Should I be worried?
Starting from cold a small amount of smoke can be seen.
Car has dome 48k miles. Tickover rock steady at 750rpm.
Keeping the revs at about 1250 while waiting at lights results in no smoke at pullaway.
Exhaust tailpipe has a lot of black soot deposits.
All comments gratefully received.

Kowalski · Unread post by **Kowalski** » 24 Jun 2004, 15:29

Could be turbo bearings leaking oil into the exhaust, at tickover the exhaust won't be hot enough to burn it, but when you boot it away from the lights, the exhaust gets hotter and burns off the oil.

bxbodger · Unread post by **bxbodger** » 24 Jun 2004, 17:54

I wouldn't worry about it[8D]-relax!!! Follow any diesel, even almost new ones, and you will quite often see clouds of smoke at odd times-accelerating, on the over-run, idling, etc!!You should only be bothered if its pouring out all the time under all conditions.
The puffs you get on cold start are normal- they are just unburnt fuel being pumped out for the first couple of engine turns when it doesn't fire- get someone else to start your car, watch, and you will see- it will stop as soon as it fires.
Diesel smoke is one of those things that once you see it from your own car you start getting paranoid and looking for it all the time- if you are looking for it you will see it.