Smoking Signum 3.0 v6 CDTI

[natvx220]

Hello, as you can see i'm new to this site, and need some advice/help please.

I've owned my Signum now since Aug last year, and ever since i bought it, when i accelerate hard the smoke that is let out is embarassing! I had a Volvo T5 previously and loved having the power when i needed it, so when it came to a choice of something with a tad more economy i chose this option, however the smoke is so bad i rairly floor it due to the smoke field it leaves behind!!

I've taken it to Vauxhall, they have tech 2'ed it and there are no fault codes visable. they have also checked i'm on the latest ecu software, which i am. other than that they can't help me further

The only thing my mate at Vauxhall has said is that he had another signum in (same model/year) and it smoked like mine and it had had a re-map and suggested mine might have too??

so i guess what i'm looking for is, is this amount of smoke normal? if not what can i do about it?

Thanks in advance for your help

Nat

[Signum-Steve]

The brother in-law's VW TDI was smoking really bad under acceleration. in fact there was smoke present most of the time not that bad under normal driving but always there. when he hoofed it there would be a huge smoke screen trailing behind him. checked all of the vacuum pipes cleaned egr, exhaust manifold etc etc etc. No fault codes showing.
It turned out to be a crack in the inter-cooler rad. you could just hear it sucking in air when the engine was running. Also the revs would puls every now and then.
Might be something worth ruling out. can't harm to check it out.

[m8internet]

Vauxhall are pretty much useless with this engine, unless they have already seen a few of these

If they have charged you for "diagnosis" I would go back and advise they have not fixed the previously reported fault which is still present

However as the car is probably out of warranty
What you want is a diesel mechanic with experience of the Isuzu Y30DT engine
Phone around some locals and ask if they have experience of one
Equally, go around some of the local taxi companies, they too might know someone (that was how I found mine)

Sadly the local diesel mechanic advised me as follows, "Great engine, but when they go wrong get your blankety blank cheque book out"

What is the service history like?
What is the service indicator showing?

[omega63]

Hi would just like say you are not on your on, i drive a vec c sri 3.0 v6 cdti and sometimes when i set off quickly it looks behind me like someone burning old car tyres. Thick black smoke dont know why, everything seems OK the car drives great and pulls like a freight train.....

[m8internet]

If the engine is cold then you will get some black smoke
However once you can see the temperature gauge starting to move then you shouldn't see any smoke at all

Mine has never produced any black smoke, unless I floor it at cold (which I rarely do)

What I do get is a charcoal smell at low speed with a cold engine
I usually get this once a week

[omega63]

Normally it produces a light/dark grey smoke whilst accelerating quickly engine hot or cold, but sometimes it blows out thick black smoke not constantly maybe 3 > 4 seconds then it stops. The charcoal smell yes i get that as well i am sure its the catalitic converter heating up to normal temperature.....

[Celes]

Faulty EGR, busted boost hose or faulty intercooler. Get them checked.

[natvx220]

Brilliant, thanks guys i'll look into some of those options at the weekend and i'll let you know what i find