It's now occurred on several occasions and I think every time a hill is involved.
I think hills have nothing to do with this.
after only a couple of miles from cold and following a short climb up a hill when the engine is
stopped there is still something running and clouds of smoke coming from under the back of
the engine bay/exhaust area. this smells of unburnt fuel (Derv). I have only noticed it at night
and have been unable to pinpoint it.
Is the smoke white. This is quite normal. These vehicles have what we in the commercial trade call a cab night heater. They are used to provide heat independantly of the engine. They burn tiny amounts of diesel which either heats up air directly, or coolant to provide the normal heating system with more/ quicker heating. It is the latter that the Espace uses. The burner is plumbed into the cooling system and operates when the engine is below 85 degrees and the ambient temperature is below 5 degrees. So when it is cold and the engine has just been started it should be operational. It is fitted down in front of the left front wheel, and the exhaust exits slightly left of centre behind the engine. You can see the convoluted s.s. pipe easier when the undertray is off.
Has anyone else come across these symptoms as well ? My thoughts are that the fuel is spilling
onto the hot exhaust externally but where from? Its not the easiest place to look and to get a
good look from below is a near impossibility.
These very high pressure systems can leak, but if you had a leak in the injection area, the fuel collects in a tray that surrounds it, and runs down a rubber hose which exits on the right at the rear of the engine area. It would spray backwards in the airstream and cover everything underneath particularly on the right as well as coating the rear of the vehicle. You would find the main fuel tank wet, and the rubber around the straps all wrinkled, as would be the rear wiper blade! The right hand rear caliper and brakes also suffer... Yes we have had vehicles in the workshop like this, which needed repairing.
So the fuel smell is probably just from the burner. They do give off a bit of a smell which is noticeable if the vehicle is stationary when it is running.
Roy