[Warning Light] UPDATE: 2004 1.9 Berlingo Test Issues and SmokingE

[Berlingo64]

HI again everyone,

An update on my Berlingo situation. 2004 1.9D. It has continued to blow smoke and lose power and is using excessive amounts of diesel. The air filter and oil filter are being replaced today as the vehicle is in the garage having the CV boot and bush done. Will see if the filters improve the situation they are due for changing anyway. Just seems mad it began immediately after the annual test.

Apart from the diesel issue which I am worried about, the mechanics at the garage are having problems with the malfunction of the airbag light.

The van failed as the air bag warning light did not illuminate when the ignition was turned on. I have since discovered that the oil light does not come on either. The ABS etc and all other mandatory warning lights are fine. The air bag warning light was fine in last year's test. This check has been mandatory since 2013 in Ireland so it has passed before on this. 

The garage diagnostics have shown no fault codes at all. All fuses are fine. There is an LED light and not a bulb. They have apparently tested the sensors etc and still have no resolution to the problem. It is a pukka garage and have used them for years but this has them stumped so they are putting out some calls. So I thought I would put out a call to you lovely lads and lasses to see if this is a problem any of you have had. I know the usual problem is light staying on but this is quite unusual they say (just my luck).

I just do not know where to turn as it is not clear if the diesel issue is just a filter or hose issue, the work has been done (bush and cv boot) that needed doing but the airbag needs fixing before I can get the cert on a retest, yet is it worth spending out on the airbag problem when I do not know what the diesel problem is - NIghtmare!!

Grateful thanks to anyone who has got this far!!!!

[ron]

Have you checked the connection under the seat?Apparently they can go open circuit & a clean of the contacts usually cures it.

[Civvic]

HI again everyone,

An update on my Berlingo situation. 2004 1.9D. It has continued to blow smoke and lose power and is using excessive amounts of diesel. The air filter and oil filter are being replaced today as the vehicle is in the garage having the CV boot and bush done. Will see if the filters improve the situation they are due for changing anyway. Just seems mad it began immediately after the annual test.

Apart from the diesel issue which I am worried about, the mechanics at the garage are having problems with the malfunction of the airbag light.

The van failed as the air bag warning light did not illuminate when the ignition was turned on. I have since discovered that the oil light does not come on either. The ABS etc and all other mandatory warning lights are fine. The air bag warning light was fine in last year's test. This check has been mandatory since 2013 in Ireland so it has passed before on this. 

The garage diagnostics have shown no fault codes at all. All fuses are fine. There is an LED light and not a bulb. They have apparently tested the sensors etc and still have no resolution to the problem. It is a pukka garage and have used them for years but this has them stumped so they are putting out some calls. So I thought I would put out a call to you lovely lads and lasses to see if this is a problem any of you have had. I know the usual problem is light staying on but this is quite unusual they say (just my luck).

I just do not know where to turn as it is not clear if the diesel issue is just a filter or hose issue, the work has been done (bush and cv boot) that needed doing but the airbag needs fixing before I can get the cert on a retest, yet is it worth spending out on the airbag problem when I do not know what the diesel problem is - NIghtmare!!

Grateful thanks to anyone who has got this far!!!!

it would would have been good to indicate the colour of the smoke observed and under what condition it occurs, whether continuous or intermittent.

[Civvic]

HI again everyone,

An update on my Berlingo situation. 2004 1.9D. It has continued to blow smoke and lose power and is using excessive amounts of diesel. The air filter and oil filter are being replaced today as the vehicle is in the garage having the CV boot and bush done. Will see if the filters improve the situation they are due for changing anyway. Just seems mad it began immediately after the annual test.

Apart from the diesel issue which I am worried about, the mechanics at the garage are having problems with the malfunction of the airbag light.

The van failed as the air bag warning light did not illuminate when the ignition was turned on. I have since discovered that the oil light does not come on either. The ABS etc and all other mandatory warning lights are fine. The air bag warning light was fine in last year's test. This check has been mandatory since 2013 in Ireland so it has passed before on this. 

The garage diagnostics have shown no fault codes at all. All fuses are fine. There is an LED light and not a bulb. They have apparently tested the sensors etc and still have no resolution to the problem. It is a pukka garage and have used them for years but this has them stumped so they are putting out some calls. So I thought I would put out a call to you lovely lads and lasses to see if this is a problem any of you have had. I know the usual problem is light staying on but this is quite unusual they say (just my luck).

I just do not know where to turn as it is not clear if the diesel issue is just a filter or hose issue, the work has been done (bush and cv boot) that needed doing but the airbag needs fixing before I can get the cert on a retest, yet is it worth spending out on the airbag problem when I do not know what the diesel problem is - NIghtmare!!

Grateful thanks to anyone who has got this far!!!!

it would would have been good to indicate the colour of the smoke observed and under what condition it occurs, whether continuous or intermittent.

[Berlingo64]

HI again everyone,

An update on my Berlingo situation. 2004 1.9D. It has continued to blow smoke and lose power and is using excessive amounts of diesel. The air filter and oil filter are being replaced today as the vehicle is in the garage having the CV boot and bush done. Will see if the filters improve the situation they are due for changing anyway. Just seems mad it began immediately after the annual test.

Apart from the diesel issue which I am worried about, the mechanics at the garage are having problems with the malfunction of the airbag light.

The van failed as the air bag warning light did not illuminate when the ignition was turned on. I have since discovered that the oil light does not come on either. The ABS etc and all other mandatory warning lights are fine. The air bag warning light was fine in last year's test. This check has been mandatory since 2013 in Ireland so it has passed before on this. 

The garage diagnostics have shown no fault codes at all. All fuses are fine. There is an LED light and not a bulb. They have apparently tested the sensors etc and still have no resolution to the problem. It is a pukka garage and have used them for years but this has them stumped so they are putting out some calls. So I thought I would put out a call to you lovely lads and lasses to see if this is a problem any of you have had. I know the usual problem is light staying on but this is quite unusual they say (just my luck).

I just do not know where to turn as it is not clear if the diesel issue is just a filter or hose issue, the work has been done (bush and cv boot) that needed doing but the airbag needs fixing before I can get the cert on a retest, yet is it worth spending out on the airbag problem when I do not know what the diesel problem is - NIghtmare!!

Grateful thanks to anyone who has got this far!!!!

it would would have been good to indicate the colour of the smoke observed and under what condition it occurs, whether continuous or intermittent.

Hi there it is intermittent black smoke that occurs randomly when power is lost. The issue began immediately after its annual test. It passed smoke test etc. It can drive fine for 20 k s lose power chug a lot and billow smoke,  then it clears and car zooms off again. It used half tank diesel to do 50 km yesterday normally it runs on next to nothing very economical. It is worse in low gear if you get a run and don't have to keep changing gear it is mostly ok . It is like something holding it back then clears and runs fine again. No warning lights, oil levels fine. Smells like diesel too.

[polar]

I wonder if the cambelt has skipped a tooth or two during the smoke test? This can and has happened in the past and is why the ministry suspended smoke tests for years because they were hit with massive repair bills.

You need to get the cam timing checked ASAP

[oilyrag]

Hi,
Agree with Polar in that it is possible for a belt to slip - maybe on the injection pump pulley - but if that happened it might be a more consistent problem. If the belt only slipped, rather than snapped during the test, then you've got away lightly. It should be possible for the timing marks to be checked by just taking off the top cam belt cover. If it has moved then a new cam belt is essential. Do you know when last cam belt change was carried out?
Another possibility is that when the test was carried out the engine was revved until it reaches the point where the governor stops the engine revving any further. It is unlikely that you ever drive the engine to this point but it is pushed that hard in the test to check smoke levels..
From the symptoms it could be that there is an issue with the governor on the fuel injection pump - the engine runs moderately well at lower rev. but at higher revs it is over-rich. If there is no result with the belt timing I'd recommend taking your Berlingo to somewhere that specialises in diesel injection - possibly a garage that looks after commercial vehicles. There is no point a general mechanic poking and hoping, as a specialist will pinpoint the problem quickly.
Continuing to drive it without fixing is not such a good idea (unless you have to) as the excess diesel will get past the piston rings and dilute the oil - the level of which may go up!

[Civvic]

Hi, did you get to the bottom of this?

[Berlingo64]

Hi there, it has been diagnosed with 99.9 % certainty it is a fuel pump repair required. Car has been fully serviced all filters replaced oil change etc. Ran it on a tank of fuel cleaner which helped but now awaiting a few bob, then it will be done. Everything else checks out valves, injectors etc.