Feuerstein

First it would make some white smoke when idling after normal driving, as when halted waiting for a traffic light. No white smoke when idling immediately after starting. More black smoke than normal when accelerating, and continues to make black smoke even when at a steady high rpm. Higher than usual oil consumption (previously it hardly used any oil at all), but oil level never got low enough to trigger warning light.

Now in recent weeks it has made more white smoke than usual, also not when idling, and when I observed and rode with the car on thursday white smoke was coming all the time, really stung in the eyes and mouth. Owner says he's had to fill 1.5 litres of oil the last month (1/3 gallon) to keep oil level where it should be!

Car parked until it can be looked at by garage, I suspect oil leak in turbo, burning oil would explain the white smoke, turbo not spinning properly from poor lubrication would explain why it doesn't stop making black smoke after reaching high rpm. Does this sound reasonable?

Car has 150k miles or so, complete service history, the last two years the type of use has changed completely, from mostly long-distance driving to mostly short hops not giving the engine time to reach normal temperature before shutting down, I can imagine that has caused much wear.

Feuerstein

white smoke production significantly reduced, garage said it would take some time before the oil that had leaked from the turbo would be gone from the system.

Engine feels more powerful, reacts faster when pedal is pushed, but now I suspect the transmission is acting up.

Initially it wouldn't shift out of 2nd, but had no problem upshifting when I used the tiptronic. Then it wouldn't shift up from 3rd, again I had to use tip. Turned the car off, turned it on again and it behaved perfect for a while, shifting all the way up by itself, engine as powerful as it should be. Then I reached the highway onramp, put the pedal to the floor... quickly reached the redline in 1st, but then it just stuck there. Had to use the tip for every upshift, and it felt more sluggish the first couple of miles on the highway, then it behaved like it should.

Ideas? Back to the garage and have them read codes/reset transmission? Unburnt particles from the days of the old failing turbo making trouble in the engine?

2003A4Cabrio

How many KM? I have the same engine with tips also. You might have to flash the ECU for the gearbox. I know Audi had update the software on it but not perfect. It is a knowing issue.

Feuerstein

Mostly nonsmoking, but occasional 5-10 seconds of intense smoke production. Could not see a pattern between how I drove and when the smoke appeared.

Appeared to accelerate just as it should when driving on flat ground, but had big trouble overtaking going uphill. Most of the time it would accelerate a little, then just stay at that speed, but one time it accelerated a little, then the speed dropped!

When the current owner bought the car in 2002 we tested it in one of those uphills where I tried to overtake on this most recent drive, and I clearly remember accelerating rapidly up to 140 kph before I let the pedal up. On my recent drive it couldn't even exceed 90 kph up that hill.

Read about another car with 2.5TDI with similar smoke problem and power shortage, that owner suspected EGR valve problem. Theory goes that particulate deposit from incomplete combustion makes the EGR valve stick open, and the engine breathing hot exhaust instead of cold air will cause a big reduction in power. Sound reasonable to you?

Jusforfun

Can you bypass the EGR or blank the intake for test purposes?
Do you think it is clogged as a result of the turbo problem?
Did your service guys make any comment re EGR in light of work carried out?
How is your engine oil lasting now?

Sorry not offering any solutions.

Feuerstein

I'm afraid I don't have VAG-com. The car has been standing still most of the time since my last update, the owner usually has access to another car, so it's only been on 2-3 short trips, but even with less than 100 km driven it drank a measurable quantity of oil.

Supposed to go back to the garage this week, I'll keep you posted.

Feuerstein

filter was completely clogged.

The white smoke is gone, but still very low on power. Oil consumption unknown, I'll try to make the owner check.

Garage still hasn't touched EGR valve.

Feuerstein

so I guess the owner is happy and the garage is happy, as the car probably can't go anywhere else for emissions control.

Jusforfun

so many problems caused by the first one!

Feuerstein

at least if his use continues to be lots of short trips that don't give diesel engines time to get warm.