Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Wed 14 Jul 2010 20:24
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - Roger-12

<!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } -->

Nissan Xtrail 2004 model 2.2 DCI Diesel.

I used converted food oil to diesel to run the vehicle.

I used around 200-300 liters of this fuel. I then went back using normal diesel.

After a week of using standard diesel again the vehicle went in to limp mode when used in a hill.

I changed the fuel filter and it improved.

Now the vehicle goes in to limp mode when driving along at around 2000rpm. when driving at a higher rpm the vehicle runs fine.

I attached a fault code reader and did a diagnostic test. The fault code that was returned was P1273 (Air / Fuel Ratio Sensor 1)

The Xtrail also smokes when driving it along. I notice the smoke in my side mirror when driving normally not just when putting the foot down.

What can the problem be? I have cleaned the Mass Air Flow meter (it was needed, It was very dirty)

I have also added injector cleaner for diesel engines to the normal fuel.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 14 Jul 2010 21:10
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - madf

You used food oil in a CR diesel.

Was it new food oil or used?

Does not matter anyway... Modern CR diesels are not designed to run on food oil iirc.. At best you have incomplete combustion covering everything with a fine layer of gunge. At worst you have damaged fuel pump, injectors etc..

I assume:

1.You did read your handbook first.

2. You did check with Renault/Nissan the engine could run on food oil?

Edited by madf on 14/07/2010 at 21:11

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 14 Jul 2010 22:06
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - gordonbennet

As Madf, cooking oil is only worth experimenting in a car worth pennies, you might get away with it but then again.

Have you ever tried to clean the outside of a chip pan, that yellow brown gunge is resistant to angle grinders, chemicals, anything.

Thats the likely gunge that's clinging to your piston rings assuming the injectors haven't glogged up.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 14 Jul 2010 22:07
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - Peter.N.

Presumably you have changed the fuel filter, they are the first thing to suffer, failing that, as already stated you have likely done some damage. The only engines you can safely use sub standard fuel in are IDI engines with Bosch pumps, and even then you can have problems with pump seals.

Edited by Peter.N. on 14/07/2010 at 22:08

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 15 Jul 2010 08:52
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - Collos25

Its got to be a wind up nobody can be so stupid can they?.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 15 Jul 2010 09:27
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - gordonbennet
Trouble is AndyB that it gets confusing.
Whether we like it or not we are all getting a gradually increased percentage of BioDiesel in our pump fuel.

Then should your read certain websites it isn't made particularly clear whats what in the terms of proper refined muck that's added by the fuel companies (which i still don't want but have no choice) and filtered home brew ex chip shop muck that Joe's 1983 MB 300D runs sweet on, and some encourage others to gradually increase the percentage of home brew and all is rosy.

As is often the case after a couple of years old Joe disappears, probably when his gummed up 300D engine and fuel system are ruined, no one wants to admit they've dropped a large clanger.

I do feel for the OP here, trying to save a few quid no doubt and if you'll forgive the pun OP, now up a gum tree.

Think a proper Diesel injection specialist may be the only answer here for OP at least to check injectors and pump, if the rings are gummed solid it's major surgery.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 15 Jul 2010 11:02
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - Peter.N.

The basic idea is a good one, the problem being that even if you are running an old mechanically injected IDI engine, you are quite likely at some time to have the pump seals fail, when they do, unless you are a keen DIYer, the cost of repairs is likely to exceed and saving you have made on fuel.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 15 Jul 2010 11:27
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - Collos25

The bio diesel (3%)that is added to fuel is not old chip oil but refined oil from specific plantations.We have run a 405 1.9 in Germany for many years on old frying oil but it goes through a cleaningand chemical adding process first plus the car is fitted with heated fuel pipes and a pre heater.I say is I should say was as it has now gone to make new consumer delights.We have not found a suitable newish car to adapt and I am certainly not putting it in my Saab or my bil's Mercedes so the mini refining plant gathers dust.

But to put old chip oil in a X trail no matter how refined beggars belief they have problems running on proper diesel.Would you risk thousands of pounds worth of damage for the chance to save a few bob it was ok in the 405 it was worth nothing to start with.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 15 Jul 2010 21:10
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - Brit_in_Germany

7% now AndyB (except Aral Ultimate) - I pity the Orang Utans giving up their habitat so that we can grow the Palm Oil plantations.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 15 Jul 2010 22:53
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - madf

" pity the Orang Utans giving up their habitat so that we can grow the Palm Oil plantations"

Ah but think of all the oil we save....

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 Jul 2010 22:48
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - corax

Ah but think of all the oil we save....

And then lose in the Gulf of Mexico....

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 17 Jul 2010 10:28
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - Collos25

I totally agree.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Jan 2011 21:18
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - Roger-12

I booked the X-Trail in to a garage and I got the problem resolved.

The problem was the first pump that sits after the fuel tank around the rear axel. That pump was clogged up with crap and did not push through fuel properly.

Due to it not pushing fuel through, the main fuel pump was not receiving enough fuel which in turn meant loss of pressure. The fault code that was given due to this was P0089. This fault code relates to fuel pressure. Before I had the first pump stripped. I had many suggestions. Such as, Suction Control Valves, Air Flow Meter, Main Fuel pump, Fuel Filter, Filter before the fuel pump, Injectors and many other things. Apparently the P0089 fault code relates to the Suction Control Valves, and the valves not providing enough fuel but on this occasion it was the "Pre pump" (if you can call it that. Nissan price £310 +VAT) that was clogged up.

The lesson I take away from this.

Do not buy home made diesel. It could have costed a lot of money in replacing parts. I was lucky that I could clean the pump up and did therefore not need to spend money on parts.

I hope that my mistake will help others if they have a similare problem.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Jan 2011 21:41
Nissan X-trail DCI 2004 model - Used home made diesel... Need advice - davmal

A salutary tale. Not all doom and gloom though, as some harbingers may have liked to have seen, although I take it you got stuck with the VAT increase.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link