Collapsed intercooler exit pipe and black smoke at high rpm

[Bat135]

Hi

I have the following issue. Been having running issues lately and posted another seperate issue on a possible faulty injector upon not being able to complete forscan injector pilot learn.

The issue is I noticed a collapsed intercooler exit pipe at idle and running. Flat as a pancake. I have attached forscan screenshots at idle of PIDs relating to air intake temp 2 and MAF and MAP readings at idle too. Aswell as EGR PIDs.

I am thinking this suggests blocked intercooler? As I did replace turns a while back and that pipe and it was covered in oil gunge inside the old intercooler pipe. So I am guessing the intercooler is blocked from that causing the new pipe to collapse flat? I don’t seem to have any loss of turbo tho. Just black smoke at high revs and not a great deal of it too. Recently put new EGR in.

If it is the intercooler blocked are there and tips to confirm this for certain?

Pics below. Many thanks. (I seem to be getting to the bottom of the issues now).

You might need to zoom in. Also… the pic of the lower intercooler exit pipe doesn’t show it very collapsed… but trust me it is… it’s as flat a pancake. Will try and get better pic if required.

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[DanMK7uk]

Check air filter and box and pipework is clear, check turbo is free to spin intercooler take it off run and hose through it something must be restricted

[metalworker0]

Never heard of a collapsed intercooler pipe .. so googled .. and it says:
.. 1. soft and mushy rubber in the pipe from age
..2 , failed turbo not spinning and engine pulling vacuum at tick over

i also note from pics, the amount of oil and gunge on electrical plugs that could lead to failure of circuits within.

Also noted: aux belt is in bad condition and due to fail

oh when you are looking at diagnostics for EGR .. you need commanded percent open and actual percent open pids to make a diagnoses

all the best.mark

[DanMK7uk]

Never heard of a collapsed intercooler pipe .. so googled .. and it says:
.. 1. soft and mushy rubber in the pipe from age
..2 , failed turbo not spinning and engine pulling vacuum at tick over

i also note from pics, the amount of oil and gunge on electrical plugs that could lead to failure of circuits within.

Also noted: aux belt is in bad condition and due to fail

oh when you are looking at diagnostics for EGR .. you need commanded percent open and actual percent open pids to make a diagnoses

all the best.mark

Id be surprised by googles option 1 as the outlet from the intercooler should be under positive pressure, not vacuum of course. In normal circumstances..

[metalworker0]

Dont know what happens if the turbo is stuck and not turning to be honest ..boost pipes then under vacuum ... that's if it would run

and him not saying what the transit was .. as few instances here of air filter getting wet, falling to bits and getting sucked into engine.. could it be that ?

all the best.mark

[DanMK7uk]

Dont know what happens if the turbo is stuck and not turning to be honest ..boost pipes then under vacuum ... that's if it would run

and him not saying what the transit was .. as few instances here of air filter getting wet, falling to bits and getting sucked into engine.. could it be that ?

all the best.mark

Possibly so, yes I have heard of that to re wet filter.

Be intrigued to see what OP finds on their next investigation.

[Bat135]

Air filter brand new. Just replaced along with fuel filter.

No forscan error codes relating to any electrical issues or connections.

It must be turbo or blocked intercooler from previous turbo failure that I replaced.as remember the intercooler exit pipe being covered in gunge back then when replaced. So could be that gunge in intercooler thinking back. Turbo seems fine from driving but at high rpm black smoke and a bit of loss of power. I reakon partially blocked intercooler that’s why it’s still running ok ish. It’s a mk7 RWD 2.4 tdci 115

[Bat135]

I will remove intercooler and flush it and reinstall dry to see if that works. How do I test turbo? Is it a pain in the proverbial to remove? Or can I test it in situ. Never done it before. I have since cleaned all the oil using holts engine degreaser and Jetwash and brush.

[Bat135]

EGR is fine. It’s brand new. Just installed. But it won’t be for long unless I can solve the black smoke issue.

[DanMK7uk]

I will remove intercooler and flush it and reinstall dry to see if that works. How do I test turbo? Is it a pain in the proverbial to remove? Or can I test it in situ. Never done it before. I have since cleaned all the oil using holts engine degreaser and Jetwash and brush.

Remove air pipe from turbo and see if you can spin it freely, check for play etc.

[dumper]

Very strange problem you have never seen a turbo engine do this did you have the problem before or after you fitted the egr because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s not the problem I’d put a blanking plate in temporary and see if it still does it it’s easy to rule something out because it’s new over the years being up the wrong garden path many times and more then once fitted two duff new parts it does happen

[Bat135]

This can be the problem with parts online. I don’t do myself any favours trying to save money on cheap parts. Costs me more in long run.

And I am an enthusiastic amateur. If thete is something I can do myself then I try it. Not always. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t.

The problem is I am emotionally attached to it because it’s worth more to me than it is to sell. Spent loads on it in the last as it’s a work van. You will see I am an enthusiastic amateur because in another post I though it was a 2.4 RWD transverse engine (that don’t exist apparently: ))

I could get a second hand van if needed but I will probably be inheriting similar issues on a 5 year old van and am told these old 2.4 versions are not made anymore and the 2.0 versions now are not as good and fraught with issues.

I am hoping to get 1 more year out of it to justify spending on a van that’s probably only worth a grand.

Jeez… it’s like the bionic van. But the injector balance figures being out on one injector is worrying. From a previous unrelated (I think) post one injector is -1.4 to -1.8 ish.

I just don’t know. It could be head gasket going, bad injector, blocked intercooler, turbo issues. Whats annoying is my forscan doesn’t show all PIDs and surely it should pick up a collapsed intercooler pipe with DTCs. But it doesn’t. And it did clear EGR error codes after I fitted the new one. So it’s not the EGR. I just don’t know where to start. I did replace turbo with a second hand one from scrap yard a while back and remember the old intercooler charge pipe was gunked up. So that’s what’s making me think blocked intercooler causing the collapsed pipe. Or turbo. But it seems to boost ok. At least till high RPM. It drives sweet untill I really give it some. Then black smoke from exhaust. Not a lot tho.

I think the forscan ltoblem is cheap elm327 manual switch hs/ms can. Or software laptop driver issue. So I have ordered a vlink dedicated forscan obd cable. To see if that improves my forscan. But I will try the intercooler and turbo check. I will try the turbo check first with my finger but can’t find any you tube videos on it for mk7 2.4 RWD.

My late father was a mechanic so I miss having him about… not just for his mechanical skills obviously. It’s a tough tough job. That I do know.

[Bat135]

Could also be dpf blocked. Not sure. But forscan wint let me do dpf forced regen. Again… had fuel tank filled and forscan setup. But just fails to complete. Think the new forscan blinker obd cable will help. Will keep you updated. Would you suggest checking turbo before flushing intercooler? What is easier? Never done either. Could it be intake gunked up from previous turbo failure in the past? I just don’t like the look of taking that off and cleaning it. Looks complicated.

I have done all the wrong things in the past. Starting it without letting glow plug go out. Running it low on diesel. Unplugging EGR valve fkr quite a while as it ran better. Now reconnected.

It’s an 18 year old van. So maybe it’s time it went to the scrap heap in the sky. I know one thing. It would be worth a fortune in scrap. lol.

[Bat135]

Would it be worth trying an I take system cleaner slray? Or, given it’s got this far… would it not make much difference?

[Bat135]

** air intake system spray