Ducato mechanic needed 1996 2.5 litre tdi Melbourne

wfdTamar · Veteran Member

Ducato mechanic needed 1996 2.5 litre tdi Melbourne

Bicyclecamper · Guru

Never put additives in diesels ever, especially if you know nothing about engines. Best bet now is to go to a good diesel mechanic, don't touch it yourself. I would though drain the tank and clean it out, including the lines to the injectors, as I am suspecting you got bad fuel, but why did you put in this additive, if it was running okay before hand.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

I used CEM (not the decarboniser though) at one stage on our GQ Patrol that had a lot more kms on the clock than yours. I had no need to clean out the carbon as I was running gas injection at the time (Diesel-Gas-Australia) but they have since closed up shop.

Blue smoke is generally oil problems, black smoke - fuel. It does sound like dudd fuel or air in the injectors. Does the fuel filter have a sight glass on it? The diesel will float on any water that might be present. It could be that the injectors require bleeding but if the car was running ok before the refuel, something sounds suspect.

Are you in a biggish town? A mobile diesel mechanic will be your best bet.

wfdTamar · Veteran Member

I drove 40 miles (speedo is in miles) after filling. Tank had been almost empty. That would be far enough that if it was the fuel you'd think it would have shown during that drive.

This is not a hint of blue smoke. It's heaps. I reckon something has gone like turbo, valve seals, even rings.

Don't assume I know nothing about engines, though diagnosing something like this when I'm not home is tricky (impossible). As I said, I put the additive in to clean up the black smoking (which it did). I don't know if the additive did this. It seems coincidental, but the kind of thing you couldn't rule out (or prove).

Yes, in inner city Melbourne. It's a matter of finding someone that knows these engines to save my money (i.e. their time diagnosing & repairing). Been caught out before paying top mechanics dollar for them learning on the job.

wfdTamar · Veteran Member

I did change the timing belt reasonably recently. One possible explanation is the tensioner has come loose and the belt slipped a tooth or two.

PeterInSa · Guru

If you are not competent to do these checks below do Not do them.

Have you run a scan with a scan gauge ( I carry one with our Sprinter just in case)

Is Blue smoke coming out of the Oil Filler cap?

Is their Oil in the Pipe work (60mm pipe) going to the top front of the engine ( I don't know Ducatos's, but the Sprint has same)

The Decarb could have clogged a sensor. ( which I think is most likely)

I am not a mechanic, these are things that I would check/do.

-- Edited by PeterInSa on Saturday 22nd of February 2025 05:28:12 PM