2017 204 4Motion DSG - White smoke from exhaust on start up and clears up after short run - Advice Please

[DTST6]

Hi all,

New member as of yesterday so a quick hello and thanks in advance for any advice....

I am picking up a van this week and took a bit of a risk on it. The overall condition of the van is very good.

The van has been stored for a while around 10 months while the owner was out of the country. On a cold start, there's white smoke coming from the exhaust. It does smell of diesel. This smoke stops after a short drive.

I've had a read up on here this can be a sign of quite a few issues...

Glow plugs
EGR
Injectors
Turbo
some other small dare I say 'easy fix' things that have become loose. I read someone had the same issues and it turned out to be a bolt on a pulley that had worked it's way loose, knocking timing out on the van.

The plan is to get this to my mechanic that I trust as a friend, he is based about 70miles away though so I'd like advice. Should I make the run taking it easy on the M1 or do I get it towed?

If anyone has any advice or info, I'd be eternally grateful. I really hope it doesn't turn into a bottomless pit of cash and it's a full engine swap.

I'm planning to nip round to see the van again this afternoon. I will check oil cap, oil dipstick and coolant level for more clues.

I also noticed this in the engine bay, left hand side.... Can someone let me know what this is below in the image.

Many thanks, Dave

 

[Loz]

If it smells of diesel it's probably a duff glow plug and you are smelling the unburnt diesel from that cylinder.
The pipe on your right hand photo is the drain tube at the bottom of the air box (not related to your issue)

 

[DTST6]

If it smells of diesel it's probably a duff glow plug and you are smelling the unburnt diesel from that cylinder.
The pipe on your right hand photo is the drain tube at the bottom of the air box (not related to your issue)

@Loz, many thanks for your reply. Does anything need doing immediately with the drain tube?

I have just been to see the vehicle, checked the oil cap (tiny bit of residue around the top of the cap) read this is fairly common. Dip stick was a nice clean black oil. I'd seen videos / images with milkshake looking oil in some cars when coolant had been running through the engine. Coolant tank full and not drained down.

Really have my fingers crossed it's just glow plugs!

Cheers, Dave

 

[Loz]

@Loz, many thanks for your reply. Does anything need doing immediately with the drain tube?

I have just been to see the vehicle, checked the oil cap (tiny bit of residue around the top of the cap) read this is fairly common. Dip stick was a nice clean black oil. I'd seen videos / images with milkshake looking oil in some cars when coolant had been running through the engine. Coolant tank full and not drained down.

Really have my fingers crossed it's just glow plugs!

Cheers, Dave

If you suspect the EGR, you could remove the front pipe before first start of the day and see if there is any water visible in the EGR.

 

[Fluff34567]

As loz says the pipe is the airbox drain, I would connect it sooner than later but it shouldnt have come off. Have you had a good look at panel gaps/ panels for respray etc . If it's metallic look at the flake for differences.

Mayo in the oil filler is normal due to the long filler neck.

As it smells of diesel, Initial thoughts are a leaking injector or faulty glow plug, but glow plug should be obvious as engine is normally rough for a while.

Have you performed a fault code scan ?

I would definitely take it for a run and see how it drives.

 

[DTST6]

Hi @Fluff34567, really appreciate your reply.

Bodywork checked over today and it's very good. Many thanks for the heads up on what to look for.

I'll get the drain hose connected back up.

Initial start up again was a bit lumpy and some white smoke nut not a lot and after a short drive up the road it was gone.

Got the ODBeleven pro delivered today, scanned the van and it threw up a few intermittent faults on the glow plugs. Cleared all faults and have given it a good drive. No issues at all. I've purchased the van and getting it to my mechanic to give it a once over and change whatever needs doing. Hoping it's just the plugs!

Anyway, currently very happy owning my first T6 and the drive is a lot more responsive than I was expecting. I had an old T5 nail for a while which wasn't a pleasant drive. I think I can finally let my old BM 2007 335D M Sport Touring go now.

Many thanks for the help and I'm sure I'll be posting things up as I start making the van my own.

Cheers, D

 

[Fluff34567]

Good to hear, from bit lumpy to smooth sounds like a glow plug. As it's a 4m check the haldex pump screen. The haldex doesn't have a replaceable filter. But make sure your guy does a proper check of which drain plug is correct as several posts on here where the rear diff exploded as someone drained the diff oil and refilled the haldex oil leaving the diff empty!!

 

[DTST6]

Good to hear, from bit lumpy to smooth sounds like a glow plug. As it's a 4m check the haldex pump screen. The haldex doesn't have a replaceable filter. But make sure your guy does a proper check of which drain plug is correct as several posts on here where the rear diff exploded as someone drained the diff oil and refilled the haldex oil leaving the diff empty!!

That's mega, thank you again for taking the time to advise!

 

[DTST6]

Hi @Loz and @Fluff34567 , I’m after some more of your advice if possible.

So, the van still has a lumpy start and and white smoke.

It’s been into two supposed VW specialists. The following has been done….

1st garage…
Full major service and diagnostics/advice
As suspected, dpf, egr and adblue deleted and the van has been remapped.
Quoted for VW dpf and noisy dual mass flywheel. Really expensive quote.
Paid for service and took to next garage.

2nd garage…
Replaced dual mass flywheel with vw part (ouch)
Pump and timing belt change
Deleted remap back to stock to check what had been hidden from first map or see if any other concerns.
New stage 1 map, dpf, adblue, egr delete.

The van still smokes on cold start annd lumpy idle and disappears after engine warms up.

Also must have had a much more powerful remap 1st and dsg map as it feels generally quite sluggish now compared to before and laggy gear changes.

I have ODBeleven pro. I still don’t think anyone has checked the glow plugs. No warning lights and I don’t know how to get to them to test with multimeter for correct voltage. In ODB eleven, engine, live data there is a glow status. Turn key, it’s says no preheat, then engine starts and status says no heat.
Can’t find anything on google if this is right or not.

2nd garage say probably injector faults and they can’t test that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I’ve tried ODB eleven looking at the live data again for injection deviation amount at idle and have this read out instead of the mg/str which everything online seems to show. I think my is timing unit rather than spec.
There’s also compression test in the ODB app but can’t find any answers anywhere on how to perform the test using the app.

I was hoping I could try and find out a little before probably getting suckered into to buying more parts and no improvement.

So, I’m still the same as I was, with a worse driving van now that lags and still lumps about and white smoke on cold start.

Can anyone help or recommend anything? I’m in Sheffield but can travel if someone can get to the bottom of it? The fault finding is taking over my life!

Thanks in advance and sorry for the long message!

Oh forgot to say, it’s booked in with a diesel injecter specialist on Wednesday, i’ve already read reviews that they’re not cheap diagnosing and said it’ll be around 4 hours labour getting to injectors on my engine. Does this sound correct?

Thanks, Dave

 

[DTST6]

Lastly, please see from the first fault scan. I did have glow plugs show up. Never a glow plug light and no fault logged since on the glow plugs or module.

 

[Minimucks]

Lastly, please see from the first fault scan. I did have glow plugs show up. Never a glow plug light and no fault logged since on the glow plugs or module.

View attachment 196807

Did you ever get to the bottom of this issue?