TD4 Freelander - White Smoke from Exhaust

Hi Landy Zone Members

I'm new here, seeking help with a problem with a 2003 Td4 Freelander.

My Freelander starts first time and runs well until it gets up to temperature after about ten minutes (its winter time in New Zealand). Then, almost like flicking a switch, it starts billowing clouds of white smoke out of the exhaust which smells of diesel......... no visible discharge from cold until the engine gets up to temperature. Seems to smoke profusely for a while then sometimes stops and starts.................

Typical scenario is that it starts first time, I get onto the motorway, come off after about ten minutes drive... no worries... then cruise along OK on a side road then stop at the first set of lights............ hey presto as regular as clockwork there are clouds of smoke as soon as the engine revs drop down to idle...... and clouds of smoke thereafter...

Any clues?

Thanks

John from New Zealand

JEM13270 said:

Hi Landy Zone Members

I'm new here, seeking help with a problem with a 2003 Td4 Freelander.

My Freelander starts first time and runs well until it gets up to temperature after about ten minutes (its winter time in New Zealand). Then, almost like flicking a switch, it starts billowing clouds of white smoke out of the exhaust which smells of diesel......... no visible discharge from cold until the engine gets up to temperature. Seems to smoke profusely for a while then sometimes stops and starts.................

Typical scenario is that it starts first time, I get onto the motorway, come off after about ten minutes drive... no worries... then cruise along OK on a side road then stop at the first set of lights............ hey presto as regular as clockwork there are clouds of smoke as soon as the engine revs drop down to idle...... and clouds of smoke thereafter...

Any clues?

Thanks

John from New Zealand

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Hi John just back from NZ 2 mths ago indeed was a nice place to drive around.Could not help you on this matter anyway there are lots of guru here.

Hi John,

The smell of diesel along with white smoke are classic symptoms of fuel leaving the cylinders unburnt.

Whilst the vehicle is smoking is there any sign of the engine misfiring or losing power?

Some folks have cured this type of problem by changing the crankcase breather filter (always worth doing on a TD4 anyway)

Other causes which may give this problem:

Fuel contamination

Faulty injector/s

Dann..

Dann said:

Hi John,

The smell of diesel along with white smoke are classic symptoms of fuel leaving the cylinders unburnt.

Whilst the vehicle is smoking is there any sign of the engine misfiring or losing power?

Some folks have cured this type of problem by changing the crankcase breather filter (always worth doing on a TD4 anyway)

Other causes which may give this problem:

Fuel contamination

Faulty injector/s

Dann..

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Dann you mean this breather stuff will cause multiple problems on our TD4 exp oil leak from turbo unit.

Hi Dann....

Thanks for your reply. There are no signs such as misfiring or loss of power when the smoking starts.

Would have thought if it is a contaminated fuel problem then it would smoke all the time rather than "switching on" when the engine gets up to temperature? Similarly with faulty injectors? I can predict (almost to the second) when the smoking is going to start as on my way to work it always starts when the first set of traffic lights is on red, otherwise about 2 minutes later.....


Will check the crankcase breather filter as you suggest. Looking at the Hayes manual it talks about ERG faults as a possibility...????

Thanks from NZ.

John M.

O.K. John
I personally don't think the crankcase breather is the problem, but as some of the folks have reported improvements in situations like yours I thought you might check it out anyway and change it if it's clogged up, they can cause very expensive engine damage.

So, back to the white smoke: Engine running normally and no smoke until engine warm and you hit the first traffic signal, at which point you lift off the throttle and then the smoke starts.

As the engine runs ok my guess is that a sensor may be out of spec and telling the ECU to inject slightly too much fuel. I have my suspicions re the throttle potentiometer but I suggest you have a code reader plugged in and see what stored faults there are.

The EGR valve may be gunked up and jamming open but I doubt it as the symptoms don't fit.

Good luck.Dann..

Hi Dann

Decided to check out the crankcase breather - scoured the Haynes Manual from start to finish and no mention anywhere about this........ Sounds like a simple thing and well worth checking as I've never changed it since the car was new and the engine has gone about 130,000 Km. Would have thought it would get a mention in the service manual somewhere or other?

Thanks

John M.

JEM13270 said:

Hi Dann

Decided to check out the crankcase breather - scoured the Haynes Manual from start to finish and no mention anywhere about this........ Sounds like a simple thing and well worth checking as I've never changed it since the car was new and the engine has gone about 130,000 Km. Would have thought it would get a mention in the service manual somewhere or other?

Thanks

John M.

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Hi John,
It's proper name is 'Crankcase depression limiting valve' and it sits just behind the injectors on top of the engine. You need to lift off the acoustic engine cover and then the air filter housing etc. But do a search on the forum as there's lots of good info on this subject. Haynes is O.K but you need to get a proper manual: go to 'greenoval' website and download 'RAVE' .D..

As you seem to notice this when stopped at the lights I have to ask..........Are you certain the smoke is coming from the vehicle/engine exhaust and not the exhaust of the fuel burning heater??

JEM13270 said:

Hi Dann

Decided to check out the crankcase breather - scoured the Haynes Manual from start to finish and no mention anywhere about this........ Sounds like a simple thing and well worth checking as I've never changed it since the car was new and the engine has gone about 130,000 Km. Would have thought it would get a mention in the service manual somewhere or other?

Thanks

John M.

Click to expand...

John you are lucky mine change at 80,000kms no signs of leak from the turbo unit till today.Guys what do you use to clean the EGR valve.

Thanks guys for the invaluable advice. Took the lid off and removed the filter and valve housing. Filter was completely "gunked up" with black guey oily mess - looks like engine oil. Was hesitant to fit the replacement filter that I got from the local Landy parts specialist - it looks a lot different than the existing filter and I did not want to open the bag to examine and check further as he won't take back parts once the bag has been opened..... Local cost is NZD100 which is about GBP40 ..... surely a rip off price for a small cylindrical fileter that must cost 50 pence to make on a bad day at the factory? Anyway, rather than risk that the suspicious looking crown jewel might be the wrong one....... I soaked the old filter in petrol ....... allowed to dry........ refitted as a "quick fix" trial......... and hey presto ........ the clouds of white smoke from the exhaust seem to be no more (touch wood). Presume the crankcase was being pressurised leading to unburnt diesel being forced through into the exhaust gases???

Thanks to all the gurus.

John M.

Th

Great job John. And thanks for feedback on the fix this will help other folks with similar probs. Cheers & beers. D..