ZX Black Smoke Sometimes

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
sideshowAnthony
Posts: 5
Joined: 30 Jan 2012, 22:25
Location:
My Cars:

ZX Black Smoke Sometimes

Post by sideshowAnthony »

Car: ZX 1996 1.9TD

Sometimes I get lots of black smoke billowing out of the exhaust on acceleration, and the acceleration is poor.

It does not always smoke, and sometimes only smokes when I really boot it.

It seems to me the turbo does not always work, and that is when the car smokes.

I assume the turbo is working when there is a definite power boost at 1800-ish rpm, and I hear a whirl. Neither seems to happen when it is smoking.
(I have had the car 2 months, and as this is the first turbo diesel I have owned)

Does the car not know the turbo has problems, and is increasing fuel anyhow?

Thank you kindly for any response.
"Homer, when I asked if that dummy was to fake your own death, you said no"
citronut
Posts: 10937
Joined: 29 Apr 2005, 00:46
Location: United Kingdom east sussex
My Cars:
x 92

Re: ZX Black Smoke Sometimes

Post by citronut »

firstly i would check and clean the contacts on the front of the fuel pump, then check they make and break as the cold start wax stat (cylindrical device on the thermostat housing with a cable going to the fuel pump ) comes in and out,
these contacts feed the advance servo with an earth/ground supply when they are in the closed state,

does it happen more when the engine is cold,

is the car used mainly for short runs if so it pays to give it a Mexican tune ( floor it in second gear a few seconds at a time )up every now and then ,

regards malcolm
sideshowAnthony
Posts: 5
Joined: 30 Jan 2012, 22:25
Location:
My Cars:

Re: ZX Black Smoke Sometimes

Post by sideshowAnthony »

Thanks citronut.

All seems to be OK now.But as with all intermittent problems, I shan't hold my breath.
Here's what happened ...

I started out confirming the 2 connectors on front of the pump were OK. They were sound.

The contacts pulled by the cable were in a gaiter.
The gaiter had split, and the contacts full of gunk.
Eventually I cut the thing off, and washed the contacts out with a squirt of WD40.

The cold start wax stat relaxed the cable as it got hot.

re your question "does it happen more when the engine is cold?", I think it could be hot or cold.

Thank you for your clear advice.

Regards,
Anthony
"Homer, when I asked if that dummy was to fake your own death, you said no"
Post Reply