Renault Kangoo Van 1.9D - Lucas Epic injection pump - jonesy1299

hi, question for the diesel experts. My Kangoo 1.9D has started to produce black smoke over the last few weeks. Starts perfect whatever the weather and runs perefct up to half throttle then starts to smoke increasing as more throttle applied, worse under load up long hills. I ran thru a series of checks such as new air filter, fuel filter, cat clear. Egr was replaced by previous owner 6 months ago and is checked and working fine. I then took it to local diesel specialist who checked for fault codes and found none. Their suggestion was injectors or injection pump but thought more likely injectors because it ran and started so well. I got 3 secondhand injectors FOC and swapped them around hoping to get lucky but no change at all. My injectors were very sooty on the area just up from tip whereas replacements were perfectly clean. Is there a seal under end of injector and if these have failed could this cause the smoking ? Finally i have seen pump overhaul kits advertised and wondered if pump would need to be recalibrated afterwards if i just did seals ? It has the Lucas Epic pump. Thanks in advance and apolgies for the lengthy question.

Renault Kangoo Van 1.9D - Lucas Epic injection pump - Peter.N.

Sounds as though its being starved of air, try disconnecting the air intake pipe at the manifold and try it, if that stops it smoking either the air filter is clogged or you have something restricting the air intake, possibly a collapsed hose.

Renault Kangoo Van 1.9D - Lucas Epic injection pump - jonesy1299
Air filter changed, air box and intake manifold removed and checked, cat clear so no problem with engine breathing.
Renault Kangoo Van 1.9D - Lucas Epic injection pump - Peter.N.

If its not air starvation it must be excessive fuel or incorrect injection timing. I believe there is a sesnor on one of the injectors that feeds information to the pump, they can go faulty, usually open circuit but that usually gives over advance and makes the engine rattle like mad, if it sounds OK at normal revs its probably not that.

If the timing goes very retarded it will make it smoke but will also make it quieter and lose performance, it will probably make it smoke if its over advanced but will be noisy.

Renault Kangoo Van 1.9D - Lucas Epic injection pump - jonesy1299
I agree that it's being over fueled but this has been a gradual process so unlikely to be timing, it has yet Lucas Epic electronic pump not the manual pump so doesn't have the injector lift sensor. It's really info on the possibly failed bottom injector seals and injection pump rebuild kits I'm after if anyone has info on them ?
Renault Kangoo Van 1.9D - Lucas Epic injection pump - Peter.N.

I take it this is an XUD engine or derivative if so I have never had an injector fail on one of those. I thought it was the EPIC pump that had the lift sensor, the earlier pumps were all mechanical - and much better especaily the Bosch.