Technical My engine problem

[Brian peter]

Good morning everyone can you please help I have a 1993 ducato campervan with a 1.9 TD the start okay but you have to do the heater plugs three times but then it starts on the first turn of the key blue smoke for about a minute and then all it's clear and will happily rev and rev out on the road drives fairly well not fast but then they never were problem is I get a lot of engine vibration and the gear state is trying to shake itself out when engines on the load going up hill it will clear by going down a gear and using lots of revs had the engine and gearbox mounting changed that didn't make a difference no leaks in the fuel lines although I had three to sort out no overheating issues only happens when going uphill under load going downhill is fine should I even do 70 mile an hour and put in the clutch in when they have lots of engine Judah she just goes back to taking over fine help any ideas

 

[bugsymike]

Good morning everyone can you please help I have a 1993 ducato campervan with a 1.9 TD the start okay but you have to do the heater plugs three times but then it starts on the first turn of the key blue smoke for about a minute and then all it's clear and will happily rev and rev out on the road drives fairly well not fast but then they never were problem is I get a lot of engine vibration and the gear state is trying to shake itself out when engines on the load going up hill it will clear by going down a gear and using lots of revs had the engine and gearbox mounting changed that didn't make a difference no leaks in the fuel lines although I had three to sort out no overheating issues only happens when going uphill under load going downhill is fine should I even do 70 mile an hour and put in the clutch in when they have lots of engine Judah she just goes back to taking over fine help any ideas

Some of your symptoms concern me, so when engine is warm and idling if you are able safely, can you slacken one injector union at a time and retighten , noting the difference in the engine speed on each cylinder.
It should drop off equally on each one, much the same as if you pulled the plug leads off a petrol engine.
Note this trick doesn't work on modern "Common Rail" diesels as if one union is slackened the whole engine will die, but yours predates them slightly.

 

[varesecrazy]

Sounds like several faults..

Cold cylinder Is probably likely..

But should idle smoothly when hot

Are the valve clearances all good?

 

[Brian peter]

Some of your symptoms concern me, so when engine is warm and idling if you are able safely, can you slacken one injector union at a time and retighten , noting the difference in the engine speed on each cylinder.
It should drop off equally on each one, much the same as if you pulled the plug leads off a petrol engine.
Note this trick doesn't work on modern "Common Rail" diesels as if one union is slackened the whole engine will die, but yours predates them slightly.

Thank you for your advice have performed a test will the engine that normal operating and from the pulley end of the engine one three and four all drop off equally however number two still drops off but not quite as much so I think it is working but may struggle when on load uphill and just to add it starts first time and we'll almost tick over immediately and as I said before blue smoke for only a minute and then clears and I have to drive 130 miles tomorrow to get power steering fitted do you think it will be safe if I take it gently and we'll get new injectors if you think that will solve the problem

 

[bugsymike]

Thank you for your advice have performed a test will the engine that normal operating and from the pulley end of the engine one three and four all drop off equally however number two still drops off but not quite as much so I think it is working but may struggle when on load uphill and just to add it starts first time and we'll almost tick over immediately and as I said before blue smoke for only a minute and then clears and I have to drive 130 miles tomorrow to get power steering fitted do you think it will be safe if I take it gently and we'll get new injectors if you think that will solve the problem

Not sure if injectors the answer, blue smoke is usually burning oil, white smoke smelling of diesel on cold starting can be heater plugs etc. but also low compression as other name for a diesel engine is CI as in Compression Ignition, so no or low compression = no ignition
If you do have the injectors out for testing I would advise a good compression test, ideally they should all be even and probably around 300psi (ish)
If only heater plugs causing slow starting , then once warmed up engine should run smoothly, so a bit concerning the "engine vibration shaking side".
However it may be worth testing the heater plugs, if one or two are not working, that may be why giving extra time on "heat" when starting gets it going.
Re the injectors generally as they get old and worn they dribble or allow more fuel through causing black smoke from excess diesel being burnt compared with the amount of Oxygen/air.

 

[jackwhoo]

The heater plugs should not need operating 3 times to enable engine start.
Get cylinder compression tests done.
Have heater plugs and wiring checked , make sure all working.

Keep close eye on oil level.

Parts for these engines are becoming very hard to find . For instance if the timing belt breaks it could prove impossible to repair.