Very Excesssive Smoke

[paultyler1]

My XC90 is a 2012 model with 212k kilometres on it. Yesterday and today I started from cold, no trouble. About 200 yds down the road it started smoking and I mean smoking! Peasouper describes it! I stopped and could see nothing amiss but a strong smell of burning oil from the back. There were no other problems, performance was normal, no strange noises. I carried on driving and after about 2 miles all returned to normal and remained like that for the rest of the days. My feeling is that it is a seal in the turbo that has gone but can anyone offer any explanation? The earliest my dealer can have the car in is the 17 August.

[Tannaton]

What colour was the smoke?

Black smoke - excess fuel being injected, usual cause is a boost leak from the intake pipework, often split hose or split/damaged intercooler.

White smoke - excess fuel being leaked into a single cylinder by leaking injector or turbocharge oil seal failed leaking engine oil into the exhaust tract

Blue smoke - turbocharger oil seal leaking on the intake side meaning engine oil being burned in the combustion chambers (can turn to white if large quantities) *

The latter (*) is potentially dangerous as it can lead to "diesel runaway" which often results in a destroyed engine...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine_runaway

[paultyler1]

Thanks for the advice, it's white smoke so seems as though it could be a turbo seal. Booked in for the 17th with dealer.

[paultyler1]

Car now been examined by Volvo main agent in Perigeux (France). They say it needs a new turbo plus DPF plus cat converter. Estimate 7k euros. Am I being ripped off? Problem is, the car is undrivable so I can't take it anywhere else. What I don't understand is that the car, when it was going and emitting lots of smoke for a while, had no shortage of power so can it be a turbo failure? I still believe its an oil seal failure but what can I do about it? Is it worth asking Volvo for a goodwill payment or a discount on the parts? Can I get a second opinion from a Volvo rep?

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by paultyler1

Car now been examined by Volvo main agent in Perigeux (France). They say it needs a new turbo plus DPF plus cat converter. Estimate 7k euros. Am I being ripped off? Problem is, the car is undrivable so I can't take it anywhere else. What I don't understand is that the car, when it was going and emitting lots of smoke for a while, had no shortage of power so can it be a turbo failure? I still believe its an oil seal failure but what can I do about it? Is it worth asking Volvo for a goodwill payment or a discount on the parts? Can I get a second opinion from a Volvo rep?

A Volvo dealer will always restore the car to factory spec and replace whatever parts are necessary to ensure that there are no further complications or damage remaining. If your car is under warranty or a company car - you'd love that. On a private car where you have to fund the cost - not so much.

It's unlikely that the DPF and CAT will be permanently damaged but you might have a smokey car for the first few miles as it burns the residual oil deposits off. You could ask them just to replace the turbo charger but they may refuse or decline any warranty for the work.

Now you have a confirmed diagnosis, you could take it to a independent garage and get the turbo charger replaced with a reconditioned one. Be careful when buying another as I *think* that turbo was only fitted to XC90 MY2012-2015 - i.e. the 200BHP incarnation of the single turbo D5.

[ltec]

You can take it wherever you want. Get it trailered away. The dealers are mad and should be avoided were possible unless you have money to burn.
Find a reliable mechanic you can trust. Fit a reconditioned turbo as stated above. If it doesn't clear I'd get the dpf deleted and remapped.
I'd like to think £1000 should sort it.
Keep the £6000 and look after yourself.