smokey ford courier

[albynpark]

I have black soot from the exhaust, and is worse when I accelerate. If I'm driving steadily I get a white smoke behind me. When I'm sitting in traffic my temperature guage will light up after about 15 minutes and finally the van judders when I'm doing about 20mph. I've had the air filter changed and an oil change. The garage doesn't know and thinks it could be the injectors needing replacing at �60 a go or a new fuel pump or a solenoid on the fuel pump. I only bought the van recently and have no come back on the deal.....help! p.s. the radio works fine!

[BigB]

Hi

Try getting a fuel cleaner/additive and running that through the fuel system. Forte fuel cleaners are pretty decent but not much between the brands. Get one that you add to your tank. If it says add to a full tank try adding it to a half tank which may help a little more. Be aware it could be a head gasket or something more serious than dirt in the fuel system.

[qapmoc]

It does sound like the injectors might be knackered (technical term) causing the black smoke and maybe also the white smoke.

Black smoke is generally be caused when the fuel does not burn completely and the partially burned particles are expelled in the exhaust. Possible causes are
1. The load exceeds the power capability of the engine
2. A Load within the power capability of the engine cannot be handled because of something wrong in the basic engine system (IE compression or air/fuel mixture)

The first thing to check for is an air inlet restriction such as from a plugged air cleaner. Take off the air filter and make sure the intake port is clear. If the engine still smokes with the port clear and the filter off, the problem is elsewhere.

Injector malfunction is also a potential common cause for black smoke as is incorrect engine timing. A poor cylinder will put out black smoke if it is getting fuel because compression problems prevent complete combustion.

White smoke usually occurs when there is not enough temperature to burn the fuel. The unburned fuel particles are then exhausted usually by a rich fuel smell. In cold weather it is not uncommon to get white smoke until engine temperature builds up.
If the problem persists after the engine is up to operating temperature several other things should be checked. A faulty injector can cause white smoke. Timing is often a factor when white smoke is excessive. Low engine compression can cause the problem and the injection pump can also have problems that result in white smoke. Air in the fuel system can also result in white smoke.