Engine smokes coughs and splutters on start up

[Neil Hunt]

Our Peugeot 6 speed 130bhp has started to chuck out grey/white smoke and to cough, splutter and stall at start up. The engine sounds ragged until it does eventually clear when fully warmed up. It was not like this at new but has appeared since passing the 2k mile mark. Nearly suffocated poor chap in caravan next to us on a camp site a couple of week ago as we got ready to leave.

 

Have had it checked by local Pug dealer who say nowt wrong and "not to get technical but its a characteristic of euro V (not IV you will note) emissions set up".

 

Has anyone else experienced this as a normal characteristic?

[hallii]

Sounds like the heater plugs or electrics are faulty to me.

 

hallii

[soarer]

id deffo say heater plugs

do you have a glow light that goes out before firing up?

if not turn on the ignition and wait maybe 10 or 15 seconds then fire it up.

[euroserv]

Neil,

 

This is a sign of a sticking EGR valve.

 

If it happens again, note whether the engine management light is on, and/or the message "check engine" is displayed.

 

Switch off the engine.

 

Lift the bonnet and look to a metal bracket that comes down from below the windscreen and into the engine bay. At the rear of this bracket is a solenoid that controls the egr valve. There are two rubber pipes that come out of the rear of this solenoid. Gently remove the right hand pipe and leave it disconnected.

 

Start the van. The problem should not happen again and it is perfectly ok to leave the pipe off. You can put it back on when the engine is warm if you like.

 

The egr valve is either sticking in the closed position or the butterfly valve inside is broken. Only a new part will permanently solve this and it is about £250 so I hope you still have some warranty. It is not very difficult to replace, just fiddly.

 

Nick

[Neil Hunt]

A little out of synch with this as have been travelling but glad to report we did finally get problem sorted and that Nick was bang on the money with his instant diagnosis of a fault with the EGR valve.

 

I did pursue the issue with Peugeot Customer Care who in answer to my question "is this a normal characteristic of a new van's euro V compliance as stated by their dealer?" replied "endeavouring to offer technical advice or a diagnosis via the medium of email is virtually impossible" and advised me to take it to a dealer, suggesting they had not even read and digested my email. What are they for I wondered and came away with the impression little more than future sales.

 

Then, out of the blue I had a phone call from someone conducting a satisfaction survey on Pug dealership servicing and as a consequence further contact with local dealer who this time fixed the problem by reprogramming engine with "the latest EGR parameters" though they still maintained they could find nothing wrong in the first place.

 

[PetMice]

Smokes coughs and splutters on start up? Sounds a bit like me. I use a drop of Olbas oil. :-D

[euroserv]

Damn, I'm good!

 

Nick