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Catalytic Converter Cleaner for i-CTDi?

ddinchev

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Location
Bulgaria, Sofia
Car
2004 i-CTDi EX
My i-CTDi has about 250k km on it, recently started smoking more (last 6 months) (black smoke when I floor it, whats of black dust goes out if I haven't done so for few days as well). Also I usually add between oil changes (15k km) about 0.5L of oil, last time I had to add 1.5L before the last servicing. So I suspect the turbo might have started burning some oil. Then reading some more, common problem that might make the turbo fail is overfilled catalytic converter with black diesel leftovers. There are many "additives" on the market that claim to clean the catalytic converter and DPF (which I don't have) but I'm a bit skeptical.

Have anyone used such additive, and if with positive experience which brand exactly?

Are my concerns about the congested catalytic converter real or the problem can not be that?

Any other ideas about the symptoms, how to diagnose and what to do?
 
try this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forte-Diesel-Turbo-Cleaner-400ml/dp/B009E5UJM6
I used this one
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forte-Lubricants-Advanced-Formula-Treatment/dp/B0035PUUES
and I noticed less smoke hard flooring
 
I don't think there's an additive that will survive combustion, then still be aggressive enough to clean the cats and the dpf. But maybe that isn't the problem?

I don't think that consuming 1.5L of engine oil between changes is too bad (***uming you are changing at 20k km?

Check that your intercooler and ***ociated pipework isn't leaking... that can cause smoking like a faulty turbo. Is the turbo whining loudly?
 
I change oil at 15k km intervals, never have added more then 0.5-0.7L between changes, this time 1.5L was needed to stay above min, so something changed...

Turbo does not sound like a siren, it is whistling a bit on colder engine in lower revs but that has always been like that (I have the car for the past 70k km). I will check the intercooler at my repair shop.

Thanks for the example additives, if anyone else does not suggest something else, I'd try them. I'm not trying to solve my problem by cleaning the catalytic converter, I just think if that is the case for the problem in first place, it might help delay expensive turbo repair.
 
You can try disconect frequency solenoid valve.If its faulty,after disconection, you can feel more power and less smoke.Another ideas are,check, in the black pipes,filters,maybe they are very dirty.One filter are on evr another are on frequency solenoid valve.
 
Thanks all for the ideas. I think I might have solved this in most unexpected manner. After I started the topic, I floored the car few times and noticed that there is considerably less black smoke and last 2-3 times I couldn't see any in my rear mirror. And prior to that it was literally horrible.

That left me confused and I recalled that for the past 7-8 months, since the problems started, I started always filling the car with Shell V-Power Diesel because of accidental filling of my motorcycle with gasoline - they gave me "Smart Cart" which gives you bonuses if you use their fuels. Maybe I did not notice the smoking initially and never thought it could be fuel related, as it's the most expensive diesel around here so it should be good, right? Well, for first time in a while I accidentally filled the car with OMV diesel which I used to do in the past and now there is no smoking...

When the tank runs out of diesel, I will add another 5-10L of Shell Diesel to confirm this. But if this really is the issue, while I feel massively cheated for paying for s****, it's probably the best and cheapest turnout of the situation.

I'd ask you if you had problems with Shell V-Power but probably in UK the fuels are very different (better) then what we have in Bulgaria.

Thanks a lot for the suggestions guys.
 
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