[Brakes] French diesel??..

[oldbird]

I've owned my 57 plate Berlingo 1.6 HDI for 8 years. I go to France as often as I can, but whenever I get home my van runs like c###! One year it was so bad I had to have the fuel system completely stripped down.
My previous Berlingo was a 51 plate 1.9 and suffered the same problems.
I've put this down to dirty French Gazole, but this year I only bought Total Excellium so that I wouldn't have the usual problems.
Unfortunately this didn't work either so I bought some Clean Drive, which seemed to sort it, but my van has just failed the MOT on emissions, which I've never had any problems with before. After a service, a good run and some additives, it's scaped through, but I don't understand why I have this ongoing problem with French diesel. This is more of a problem because my van and I are supposed to be moving to France in 2 years. Ideas anyone?

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[saskak]

I've owned my 57 plate Berlingo 1.6 HDI for 8 years. I go to France as often as I can, but whenever I get home my van runs like c###! One year it was so bad I had to have the fuel system completely stripped down.
My previous Berlingo was a 51 plate 1.9 and suffered the same problems.
I've put this down to dirty French Gazole, but this year I only bought Total Excellium so that I wouldn't have the usual problems.
Unfortunately this didn't work either so I bought some Clean Drive, which seemed to sort it, but my van has just failed the MOT on emissions, which I've never had any problems with before. After a service, a good run and some additives, it's scaped through, but I don't understand why I have this ongoing problem with French diesel. This is more of a problem because my van and I are supposed to be moving to France in 2 years. Ideas anyone?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

How much were the MOT's absorption coefficients?
My car (Pug Partner 1.6HDi 57 plate) kind of scraped through with 2.65, 2.64 and 3. It was never a problem and I went through all my previous MOTs to compare the values. There was an interesting trend, whenever the car was put to the MOT within 1h of me driving it there it passed pretty much most of the time with the fast pass, I think <1.5 or 1. The last time (2.65, 2.64 and 3), I took the car 8:30 in the morning and it went through the MOT ~16:30 and the oil temperature reported was 60C, so pretty cold engine. So, the "italian tune up" might work for the next year.
I know that my turbo passes a bit of oil, so it could well be that your passes a bit of oil as well. That will affect the opacity test that is the absorption coefficient test.

[bozzo@email.com]

Have you considered the ethanol content? Just a thought

[polar]

The French fuel is poor compared to the UK, the Ethanol content will be higher and the cetane rating will be lower.

I find using Millers every fill up keeps my 1.6hdi smoke free, it runs smoother and i get more mpg.

I use the stuff in my van and motorcycles and it does make a big difference to tailpipe emissions - try it and see.

It will also protect your fuel system from the damage ethanol can do.