Jaguar X-Type Estate 2008 - Diesel emitting excessive smoke - buying advice

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Tue 27 Sep 2016 16:10
Jaguar X-Type Estate 2008 - Diesel emitting excessive smoke - buying advice - Jonathan Barnett

Hi, I've been looking at the MOT history of a car I'm interested in and it failed its last test with "Exhaust emits excessive level of metered smoke". It was retested after a couple of weeks and passed ok. I have never owned a diesel, so can anybody advise me on whether this could be the sign of something sinister? What should I look out for when going to view the car?

Thanks

Jonathan

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Tue 27 Sep 2016 17:22
Jaguar X-Type Estate 2008 - Diesel emitting excessive smoke - buying advice - gordonbennet

Could be anything from a stupid remap putting in excess fuel to injectors on their way out to a failing turbo not providing enough air for a correct amount of fuel or a dozen other things.

Diesel test is visual so it must have been putting out clouds, wonder what they did, or added, to get it to pass.

Not a rare car so why worry about this one, maybe go and find one that has a good history and passes MOTs first time.

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Tue 27 Sep 2016 17:42
Jaguar X-Type Estate 2008 - Diesel emitting excessive smoke - buying advice - Railroad.

Excessive smoke density isn't uncommon on these, but it boils down to one of two things. Either too much fuel or insufficient air.

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Tue 27 Sep 2016 17:52
Jaguar X-Type Estate 2008 - Diesel emitting excessive smoke - buying advice - elekie&a/c doctor
Don't forget you are looking at a Mondeo in a different body.As already suggested,could be nothing or a myriad of different problems .May have just been a marginal fail on emissions.If you want a Jag estate,go for a petrol.Fuel consumption not as good as a diesel,but fewer problems.
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Tue 27 Sep 2016 22:46
Jaguar X-Type Estate 2008 - Diesel emitting excessive smoke - buying advice - RichardW

Diesel test is visual so it must have been putting out clouds, wonder what they did, or added, to get it to pass.

No - it's measured with a smoke analyser. 2008 turbo car is <1.5 (what ever the units are!). It might simply have been in need of a bit of a thrash to clean it out; or air filter dirty, or EGR valve, or, or...

Take it out and boot it to the red line in 3rd - if it smokes visibly, walk away.

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Tue 27 Sep 2016 23:26
Jaguar X-Type Estate 2008 - Diesel emitting excessive smoke - buying advice - Peter.N.

I don't know whether it applies to these but older diesels accumulate soot in the exhaust system especially if driven gently, when they thrash an engine to do a smoke test it dislodges the soot which is what you see at the exhaust, not necessaraly smoke.

A good thrash on the way to the MOT will remove the soot.

If it was a problem with the engine it would smoke with normal driving as well.

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Tue 27 Sep 2016 23:34
Jaguar X-Type Estate 2008 - Diesel emitting excessive smoke - buying advice - Jonathan Barnett

Thanks for your advice , everyone. I'll boot it on a test drive and see what happens.

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Wed 28 Sep 2016 00:19
Jaguar X-Type Estate 2008 - Diesel emitting excessive smoke - buying advice - Avant

If you're buying an 8-year-old car - any 8-year-old car - you'd be safer buying one with a petrol engine.

If you are set on a Jaguar, fine: but you'll find more Mondeos around to choose from, and a car of similar age will be cheaper.

Edited by Avant on 28/09/2016 at 00:19

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Wed 28 Sep 2016 13:18
Jaguar X-Type Estate 2008 - Diesel emitting excessive smoke - buying advice - Peter.N.

...not as luxurious though ....

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