Vivaro Black smoke in reverse

[GasNob]

Hi all,
Well its been a while since i required any help or advise however my trusty Vivaro that has just passed its MOT is now giving me a sickly headache!
When i put it in reverse i get black smoke from the exhaust, also if i undo the pipe from the mass air flow devise that goes to the front grill it has wet oil in it? is this normal and what can be causing the black smoke, sometimes when im stood idle i can smell dirty oil not burning oil when driving and no black smoke coming from exhaust, i did have a slight tick over problem but it just stopped on its own, the van used to rev up to 1100 revs then drop to 800 then rev up to 1100 revs again, it did this whilst i was at traffic lights but it hasn't done it for some time now, i have no warning lights on and everything is as it should be, it was serviced about 4 months ago and i have not done too much in mileage since then.
Any one got any ideas that will help.

 

[xr4x4]

Maybe it's always smoked, or has for a while, you just didn't notice?

 

[seco services]

Sounds egr valve related.
whats the condition of the air filter clean not blocked or wet ?
whats it pull like ie uphills etc ?

 

[GasNob]

Maybe it's always smoked, or has for a while, you just didn't notice?

No its only just started smoking as i reverse the van every day into my drive and i would have noticed it.

i think seco services could be right with the egr valve.

 

[GasNob]

Thank guys, i think it must be egr related so am going to swap it out and see! i have checked the condition of the air filter and its very clean so i can rule this out.

 

[xr4x4]

You can get egr cleaner from motorfactors.

Its called EGR 4 or something, you disconect the inlet pipe, after the MAF sensor (this stuff is harsh) and spray in the inlet in small bursts.

I used a whole tin on GF's badly smokeing astra and after around 500 miles it cleared the smoke completely.

Its cheaper than a new EGR valve and also helps cleanup the entire inlet pipes.

As a warning tho, you have to use very small bursts as it will det its tits off with the spray, put to much in and it will det and lock up.

 

[Belle427]

best to remove the egr valve to clean it. get yourself a washing up bowl and a small paint brush from b and q then a couple of tins of carb cleaner.
i would never trust spraying anything into the intake, i cant see how it will clean the egr anyway?

 

[GasNob]

Hi guys,

I dont want to question your experience but if it was the EGR valve would it not smoke all the time, my van is only doing it in reverse? so this is what's baffling me.

 

[xr4x4]

I think it prob does it all the time.

Your just normally driving away from the smoke, not back into it.

Some diesels smoke quite bad, normally under load, people dont notice.

Unless your behind it of course.

 

[seco services]

Mine done it only on quick acceleration ie foot to the floor up hill etc.
and only first noticed it at night in car head lights behind and had a slight flat spot at about 3000 rpm.
Asked renault when mot was done and he said was i driving it like an old women.
He told me to give it abit of stick through the gears at high revs and it should clear it's self.
Which it did after only a few mile.