My Ford Mondeo's had a new turbo but still smokes and surges - what's wrong with it? | Ask Honest John

What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

My Ford Mondeo's had a new turbo but still smokes and surges - what's wrong with it?

I have recently had the turbo and actuator replaced on my 54-reg Ford Mondeo TDCi, although I now know that it was only a loose connection within the actuator which could have been re-soldered, costing a lot less money. The replacement parts were remanufactured parts with 12 months' guarantee. The car now has plenty of power again, but on the downside it blows a fair amount of blackish smoke when power is applied, the car surges a little and the fuel mpg has dropped from 52mpg to 36 mpg. Any ideas please?

Asked on 16 July 2010 by chip471

Answered by Alan Ross

You don't say how many miles your car has done. If you have smoke coming from the engine when applying power, it could be a number of things, ie engine wear, or it may be the amount of fuel that it is using. This could be related to the air flow meter, blocked air filters or faulty injectors. It is very difficult from a distance to define exactly what the fault may be, but I would suggest that you carry out basic checks first. What is the engine oil consumption? Check the air filters (when were they last changed)? Is the air flow meter working OK?

Tags: fuel economy diesel engines smoking

Similar questions

Mitsubishi L200 blowing smoke - turbo failure?

My son owns a (2001 model) Mitsubishi L200 2.5 diesel pick-up. When starting from cold, the vehicle belches out smoke. He was warned that the turbo is on the way out; however, whilst driving home from...

What's the best £20k SUV for fuel economy?

I have a 15-plate Honda CR-V 1.6 diesel. I still want a diesel and like the elevated driving position but need something that will deliver mid 50's+ real mpg. The budget is £20k. What would you recommend?

Why do motoring websites promote diesel autos despite the bad press over diesel?

Car manufacturers are continuing to manufacture diesel cars despite all the adverse publicity about diesel. Nearly all motoring websites continue to recommend diesel as the best buy in versions of automatic,...