Rattle from engine on hard acceleration

[Longintooth]

Hi
Well I,m pretty sure now that if you have the rattle and you got smoke it's the injectors that need servicing or changing - an HDi 110 in good fettle will not smoke. A good injection shop will have exchange injectors that they have cleaned up and possibly replaced some worn bits. More importantly they can confirm the diagnosis by putting them on a test rig. My experience has been that many car technicians have had insufficient training on diesels even the dealer guys, I deduce this from some of the mythical sound bites I keep hearing. A true diesel head has worked on all types, trucks,plant, tractors and marine. The other part of the equation is the owners who also don't appreciate what they have - no verbal intended. Diesels need the injectors servicing just like a petrol needs the plugs cleaning. They operate under extreme pressure and the tiny spray holes and the needle seats open and shut millions of times during an operating period. The spray pattern is almost a mist in a fraction of a nano second to get the fuel to burn completely with low noise from combustion. I wonder what Mr Diesel would say if he could see how they have developed.

[Welly]

I understand what you are saying here Longy and I bet you could achieve far better MPG, less noise, more power etc but it's the cost!!

I don't suppose I would see much change out of £500.00? for a set of exchange injectors fitted but I have to bear in mind the car would only sell now for £1000.00? and I would put money on some other equally expensive thing failing just after fitting the injectors as well.

If I bought one of the last 04 reg's then I would do it (and get a remap) but I have to remember my cars age/worth now

[steve_earwig]

If I bought one of the last 04 reg's then I would do it...|

I did, I still can't afford it tho

[Welly]

What's your average MPG on your "rattler"?

[steve_earwig]

42.2, which I know is pretty crap, but it's mainly short journeys from one end of town to the other at an average speed of 26mph.

[Welly]

I mostly do 11 mile runs to work and back, average speed 28 and I get 41.5mpg at the mo. 70% of the journey is a nice 65 mph so I expected more really but there is 7 or 8 "accelerations" up to 65mph to do where it shows low teens for mpg.

Interestingly up until last weekend (when I got stuck around town) it was showing 42.2 for weeks

Not done a long run for ages but always used to see 50/52 on these.

Might have to try mjb's trick and force in eleventy million PSi into the tyres

[puggy]

I'm still registering between 48 and 51 locally and 57 on
a run

[Welly]

I'm still registering between 48 and 51 locally and 57 on
a run

Bloody hell

That's a good case for a remap paying for itself

[puggy]

Very true welly been like that since it was done,been very pleased
with the consumption

[Welly]

Alright alright

[puggy]

kinda makes up for not having leather or foldy mirrors

[DaiRees]

kinda makes up for not having leather or foldy mirrors

Nah

[puggy]

Ok , so it doesn't i was lying

[Longintooth]

Hi
Well they can't fail it for that front suspension clunk cos it's only the spring that's sticking - if they can't fail it for a noise they see no wear on.
This issue on the rattle - just thought about what Welton said about his smoke - be careful here about the mist that can be seen at night - all engines petrol as well exude a slight mist (not condensation) that can be seen in headlights - no engine is that clean nothing comes out. It's when it can be seen in daylight conditions that we call smokey or clear. It would be a positive grey to black if the injectors were knacked seen in normal daylight. Oh another point - there are lots of talk about remapping. Here is my take on this subject take it or leave it. It's snake oil for want of a better word - don't go there. The manufacturers spend millions testing and a testing to get the best balance of power from an engine
to give longevity and reliability. The only way to really increase power would be to modify the compression ratio and turbo pressure etc with the fueling to match it. If you don't strengthen head bolts, cranks, valves etc you will break it - it's why formulea one car engines only last one race
Remapping by altering the settings of the chip will not give any benefit that I can see. You can't inject more fuel cos it will smoke or advance the timing, diesel or petrol, any better than the boffins who built it just by a remapping of a chip. So unless they can demonstrate to me a change in the physics that I understand I say it's a waste of money. I have spent many hours on test bed dynamometers just like the guys who build them and there are many ways to boost power or economy but rarely without major design modifications. Somewhere on this site someone wrote ( you have to rev the engine to 4800 rpm to get the the BHP) - Well I could answer that one but I won't since I would need a few hours to go through the rudiments of "Horsepower and work done".

[Longintooth]

Hi again
Before anyone slams me for my last post - I have to say that some of these remap jobs alter the EGR inputs to give more power since EGR has the effect of cooling the burn and thus reducing the power stroke effort but it also induces ping so if you had one of these remaps then this could well be your rattle. I assumed we are addressing standard configuration here. Remember the engine has been designed for a particular power rating and changing that will reduce the engine life and it will loose economy features. Again the use of EGR is a balance and it does increase PM (particulate Matter) the manufacturers are trying other ways of dealing with this like Exhaust filters and additives (ADD Blue). Oh brother doesn't he go on.