A3 TDI Smoking

[South tdf]

I have the chance to buy a colleagues 3 year old A3 2.0 TDI DSG for my sister so I have swapped cars for the weekend to give it a try. I am aware that it has very high miles for its age but I am concerned as a large amount of black smoke visible in the mirrors when I accelerate out of junctions. Is this a sign of the turbo going?

[Tame Technician]

Its normal for that engine, it should stop after a few good blasts through the rev range.

Will always do that the first time you rev it hard on full throtle after a period of more normal driving.

Turbo failure is noisey and with blue/white smoke.

Be aware DSG boxes can be trouble at "high" milage, whats it on now?

[South tdf]

It has covered just under 150,000 miles with full Audi service history with the last one done at 143,000. I have driven it hard from stationary upto around 70mph but it smokes again the next time I pull away.

[Tame Technician]

Generally, black smoke from a TDI is normal nothing to worry about, it can be the sign of a boost leak however. But unless you can hear a boost leak, like a split pipe or intercooler then I wouldnt worry about the smoke at all. Even if it does have a split Intercooler, it cant be much more than £200 and 2 hrs or so to fit, boost pipes if split £60 and half an hour, so nothing major there if.

I would always be worrying about the gearbox though at that milage, I've never seen one that high. DSG Gearbox replacement, should it go wrong, is somewhere between £3500 and £5000.

Edited by Tame Technician on Sunday 1st November 22:39

[South tdf]

Thanks for the help. I guess the gearbox just dies or can I see signs of failure? It seems to drive the same as my 2009 170bhp A3 DSG.

[Seez]

I might be off the beaten track here, but in my experience with 1.9tdis the injectors start falling apart after 150k and can cause an uneven diesel spray resulting it a lot more smoke than normal. You can get the injectors rebuilt or replaced but it isnt cheap probably at least £300.

Not sure this applies to your car tbh, but has to a couple of high milers I have had previously.

[Tame Technician]

Gearbox failures is pretty unpredictable, no real way to know fine one minute not the next.

Forgot to say we have had 2.0TDI where the injectors have had to be cleaned. But teh customer complaint is usually a lack power, not black smoke.