This one is testing my patience and bank balance, please help.

[lockettben]

Hi everyone,

I’ve got one for you that has baffled me and as it stands, destroyed my bank account.

Long story short (I promise this is the short version)

I bought my first Transporter, but didn’t do my homework and got the CFCA BiTurbo.

24 hours after I bought it the smoking started but the seller wanted nothing to do with it and fobbed me off.

It was using around 1l of oil in about 150 miles (which I think is extreme)

I tried loads of things in the hope it wasn’t the engine but nothing fixed it. I got the oil tested by Darkside and it was evident the engine was gone or going.

Any way skip to today, I fitted a crate engine from TPS, comes with new injectors and oil cooler. I fitted a reconditioned turbo unit from Darkside, along with some other bits like clutch etc etc.

Took me the best part the week to get it fitted (I haven’t worked on cars for a good many years) and today it was finally back up and running…… and still smoking


Now, it removed the constant blue smoke, which was the engine burning that oil. But it has this intermittent cloud of smoke that still remains. But there is a pattern to it.

If it idles at 900rpm. No smoke vehicle drives perfect.

If it idles at 980 rpm then I can guarantee clouds of smoke when driving. I can stop it by switching the engine off back on again and the idle returns to normal and no smoke. Like instantly.

Now I haven’t fitted a new DPF although VW advise you should when fitting a new Cfca engine. So I am leaning towards that, or at least exploring that as the next possible issue. At £2k it’s not a part I can test.

Anyone got any ideas on what/how to narrow the next steps down?


Thanks for reading my essay!

Ben

 

[Bav]

Raised revs at idle sounds suspiciously like a regen in progress. Not sure, though, if a regnen would cause the smoke - someone more mechanically-minded might be able to address that.

 

[manfrotto]

What did your crate engine come with, and what parts did you need to use from your old engine?
Have you scanned it for any fault codes?
Do you know what causes the engine to incraese idle speed (eg dpf regen etc) , and what colour is the smoke when it is?

 

[Dundee_Kev]

Sounds like it's doing a regen. As the dpf etc will be full of oil the increased temperature when regen begins will burn the oil. Short of replacing the dpf, you could remove it and get it cleaned, or pop out into the country and jam the revs up and monitor the smoke. It'll initially get worse and start to subside.

You could just take it for a drive, but it's harder to monitor what is going on. Be careful though, as the extreme temperatures will make the dpf very very hot to the point the dpf can start to glow. I would do it in stages of 5 mins high revs, 5 mins idling until you see what's happening.

 

[Dellmassive]

The DPF will be full of oil from the old engine.... Thats most likely where the burning oil is coming from.

VW will replace the CAT, DPT & Lambda probe on all turbo failure and engine failure jobs as these items are contaminated and can't be cleaned properly.

 

[Dellmassive]

More info

Thread '- 204ps Bi-Turbo CXEB T6 Engine & Turbo problems -'

17 Aug 2024

- 204ps Bi-Turbo CXEB T6 Engine & Turbo problems -

Looks like im the latest patient of the CEXB engine issues.

(possibly the 2016-2018 range as there is a mention that the CXEB Block etc was revised in 2019)

(the CXEC 199ps Bi-Turbo was released 2019> and revised )

in sort it looks like its either Turbo or Engine failure.

here is some background:

******************************************************************
204ps Bi-Turbo CXEB Engine & Turbo problems...

• Dellmassive
• cxeb engine
• Replies: 497
• Forum: Engine, Gearbox, Exhaust, Drivetrain

• 
• 

 

[Dellmassive]

More info....

V

Thread '2016 180PS Bi-TDi CFCA engine failure'

25 Jun 2022

Hi all
Just stripped down and rebuilt the engine on a 2016 T6 180 bi-turbo CFCA engine after it failed on the A557 heading for Widnes originally had the van recovered to VW van center Liverpool for repair as I thought it was just a failed injector.
After a couple of weeks, they said it had no compression on the number 4 cylinder and the heater plug tip had snapped off on the No 4 heater plug so gave them the go-ahead to remove the Cylinder head to diagnose the problem.
I was told the engine had been hydraulicked and no 4 cylinder was damaged so needed replacing at a cost of £ 12,000 I...

• venables
• 180ps bi-tdi cfca engine egr
• Replies: 269
• Forum: Engine, Gearbox, Exhaust, Drivetrain

• 
• 
• 

 

[WinFreak]

That dpf and cat must be so clogged up I’d be worried about your nice new turbo getting wrecked by them!

 

[lockettben]

What did your crate engine come with, and what parts did you need to use from your old engine?
Have you scanned it for any fault codes?
Do you know what causes the engine to incraese idle speed (eg dpf regen etc) , and what colour is the smoke when it is?

Hey, It came with Injectors, cam and crank sensor and the oil cooler/EGR - No fault codes. Theory is the DPF causing it to raise idle, with the smoke being light grey.

Thanks for the response.

 

[lockettben]

Sounds like it's doing a regen. As the dpf etc will be full of oil the increased temperature when regen begins will burn the oil. Short of replacing the dpf, you could remove it and get it cleaned, or pop out into the country and jam the revs up and monitor the smoke. It'll initially get worse and start to subside.

You could just take it for a drive, but it's harder to monitor what is going on. Be careful though, as the extreme temperatures will make the dpf very very hot to the point the dpf can start to glow. I would do it in stages of 5 mins high revs, 5 mins idling until you see what's happening.

Thanks Kev.

 

[lockettben]

The DPF will be full of oil from the old engine.... Thats most likely where the burning oil is coming from.

VW will replace the CAT, DPT & Lambda probe on all turbo failure and engine failure jobs as these items are contaminated and can't be cleaned properly.

Thanks

 

[lockettben]

That dpf and cat must be so clogged up I’d be worried about your nice new turbo getting wrecked by them!

Thanks, same concern after hours of reading. No intention of driving it until it's sorted, sound likeDPF and CAT will be next.

 

[lockettben]

Anyone had any experience with the Non-OEM DPFs? Genuine at £2k+ and non-com at ~£300 seems a big difference, too big to be just dealer surcharges.

 

[PhillH]

Anyone had any experience with the Non-OEM DPFs? Genuine at £2k+ and non-com at ~£300 seems a big difference, too big to be just dealer surcharges.

Try getting it cleaned first, could be a good saving for you

 

[Dellmassive]

Anyone had any experience with the Non-OEM DPFs? Genuine at £2k+ and non-com at ~£300 seems a big difference, too big to be just dealer surcharges.

£300?

ECP dont list them.

AutoDoc show some 3rd party. . . £923-£1500 - but all unavailable.

personally i would only fit OEM on my Vans - they are expensive because they full of precious metals like paladium and nickles etc etc

i would be very cautious of a £300 NON OEM, its possibly just an old one with the substraight smashed out.?

 

[DXX]

A mate of mine is about to put a cheap Autodoc DPF on a Ford Fiesta, I’ll find out how it goes. Was a fraction of the cost of the OEM part.
IMO if they were crap Autodoc would have got the customer feedback and withdrawn them from sale.

 

[BigBlackShed]

I’ve just had a non-genuine DPF fitted to my newly purchased Caravelle. It’s had intercooler / turbo / limp mode issues that were all investigated and it was found to be the DPF. Completely blocked, plus the previous owner / mechanic had attempted to strip the internals out, gave up and refitted.

With the investigation work and fitting it came to £850. I’ll take the risk with it being non-genuine, show it as much love as I can and hope for the best.

 

[lockettben]

I’ve just had a non-genuine DPF fitted to my newly purchased Caravelle. It’s had intercooler / turbo / limp mode issues that were all investigated and it was found to be the DPF. Completely blocked, plus the previous owner / mechanic had attempted to strip the internals out, gave up and refitted.

With the investigation work and fitting it came to £850. I’ll take the risk with it being non-genuine, show it as much love as I can and hope for the best.

Thanks, I'll be interested to see how well it lasts, I hope it works for you.


For anyone interested, I ended up fitting a genuine DPF and lambda sensor (£2.5k at trade), for the sole reason I got the warranty on my new engine by doing so. Smoking stopped van is back on the road (finally).

It doesn't feel as powerful as it did prior to the new engine which is odd but could also just be in my head.

Let's hope a new CFCA will outlast the old engines 124k.

Also, thanks for everyones messages and guidance on this pain in the arse!

 

[DXX]

Good news.
Ref post #16, I meant to give some feedback on an Autodoc DPF but Evri lost it!

 

[phazer]

Thanks, I'll be interested to see how well it lasts, I hope it works for you.


For anyone interested, I ended up fitting a genuine DPF and lambda sensor (£2.5k at trade), for the sole reason I got the warranty on my new engine by doing so. Smoking stopped van is back on the road (finally).

It doesn't feel as powerful as it did prior to the new engine which is odd but could also just be in my head.

Let's hope a new CFCA will outlast the old engines 124k.

Also, thanks for everyones messages and guidance on this pain in the arse!

Good to get it sorted, now get the EGR blanked and fit the Tafmet simulator to make sure you don't have a failure again