Sparks coming out of the exhaust!

[russellwatson17]

I have recently purches a Toyota Townace 1991 2.0 Turbo diesel automatic as our "Snowboard bus" for the winter.

The engine sounds really healthy and is smooth for a 20 yr old diesel.

However, when driving it home it developed a bit of a problem: Sparks started out of the exhaust when i was going up a hill overtaking a van with my foot pinned to the floor.

On hindsight, i turned the overdrive off while overtaking, then i noticed that the overdrive was on all the time i test drove the car.

It sounds far to healthy to be a complete bottom end failure and runs spot on the rest of the time.

So my thoughts are:

A: Something doesnt work right when the overdrive is off
B: Valve clearances? (i dunno just a stab in the dark!!)
C: Its been sitting for 3 months and possibly the person who had it before drove it like a pensioner and its the first workout the engines had in years

So it leaves me with the dilemma, do i keep it and get it looked at or do i cut my losses and sell it for sparess and repair.

I got it for a good enough price that i would be too much out of pocket if i sold it for spares but at the same time its the absolute perfect car for what we need it for (space, comfort 4wd and diesel!)

Anyone have any advice?

[Munter]

I'm going for burning of carbon collected in the exhaust when you work it hard.

[russellwatson17]

Munter said:

I'm going for burning of carbon collected in the exhaust when you work it hard.

Should i try taking the exhaust off, bathing it in causting soda and re-fitting? I'm just going from my knowledge of fiddling with 2t motorbikes!

[Munter]

russellwatson17 said:

Munter said:

I'm going for burning of carbon collected in the exhaust when you work it hard.

Should i try taking the exhaust off, bathing it in causting soda and re-fitting? I'm just going from my knowledge of fiddling with 2t motorbikes!

A) I would keep bumping the thread until someone who actually is an expert comes along.
B) I'd never do that
C) If i'm right just give it death for a few more journeys and it'll stop doing it.
D) My main thought is are you sure the sparks are from the exhaust?

[russellwatson17]

Munter said:

A) I would keep bumping the thread until someone who actually is an expert comes along.
B) I'd never do that
C) If i'm right just give it death for a few more journeys and it'll stop doing it.
D) My main thought is are you sure the sparks are from the exhaust?

Haha cheers, your advice will have to do for just now!

Sparks are definately from the exhaust, my mate was following me at the time or i probably wouldn't have noticed!!!

[cptsideways]

To be that hot still at the exhaust exit you have to have some serious EGT's or the cat is breaking up if it has one. Or both. Is it standard?

[Mr2Mike]

A 1991 diesel won't have a cat. Almost certainly this is just years of accumulated carbon being burnt off due to being driven like a pensioner. I'd keep driving it as you are and see how it goes.

[eybic]

I had an old Astra with knackered baffles in the exhaust and when I gave it stick it threw bits out that could be called sparks as they are little bits of fibre that are red hot.

[russellwatson17]

Thanks for your responses!

I'm now fairly certain its carbon or exhaust baffle falling to bits!

The thing runs so well (apart from the firework display) i think ill keep it and give it a bit of a workout before the snowboard season starts!!

[powerstroke]

russellwatson17 said:

Thanks for your responses!

I'm now fairly certain its carbon or exhaust baffle falling to bits!

The thing runs so well (apart from the firework display) i think ill keep it and give it a bit of a workout before the snowboard season starts!!

Ditto with the carbon being burnt out , I would give it a oil change and change the coolant if there is any doubt about when it was last serviced ...