Lexus 220D Wierd Behavior

Arthur92 · January 10, 2015

Hi

I Have Lexus IS220d from 2008 (58 reg) and 114k on the clock.

I searched forum for issues that i have been experiencing but i see simmilar issues but not the one that I've got.

On June 2014 I had my full service done, and that was the time when my problems with the car started.

2 Days after my service I had revs weaveing when stood on lights. (Weaved from ~~900 to 600 rpm) and when I had green I pushed the gas and I experienced loss of power and revs would not go above 1800rpm (No light at that point). I turned the engine off and back on again and it was totaly fine.

Mechanic that've done my service said my MAF is getting bad and i need to get a new one as it works in like 60-70% (he said) and i bought new one from Lexus dealer next day.

Next few days whenever the engine was getting warm the issue was happening again and again and the loss of power was visible (however whenever on cold it was like a powerful killing machine)

Than one day after a journey I parked on the drive and I had that rev weaving again and i got VSC light on and the car just shut down (the engine just died like it could not breath)

Checked few things on the internet (search for the cause)

I had a massive carbon build up on my EGR

My dad (Mechanic) he removed EGR from the car and gave it a proper cleaning.

I always use Shell's, BP and Esso fuel

After that car run fine for about two weeks and than it started to be happening again.

From now on whenever the engine was getting warm white smoke started to go from the exhaust. (only for a while and it stops)

I experienced a loss of power on a motorway it felt like i hit breaks hard for a split of a second and the car would not go above 1800rpm's and it was slowing down and down. i turned the engine off and back on again and the car was just fine and drove perfectly back home.

And whenever I had such a loss of power simple restart of the engine would help....

This time i had pc pluged in to see whats wrong.

It showed a low fuel pressure on common rail.

And faulty brake sensor (the one under the pedal)

This time my dad took out the EGR and Inlet Manifold (EGR was still clean after the previouse clean and the Manifold had like a half of Diameter due to carbon build up)

And after my dad was finished with them they were clean as new.

And I gave my DPF for restoration but the guy who made the restoration said it was very clean inside in a first place (mostly due to my heavy foot)

So I changed that Brake sensor. (because sometimes it is an interferience that give false faults for something else)

I had pc connected to my car and we took it for a spin. On warm engine i reved it on 1st and 2nd gear to 5000 rpms (limit) and it was just fine no problems what so ever.

Than I called a guy from Terraclean to clean my engine from the carbon build up so there was nothing more holding it back.

And the car was fine for 2 weeks and again i have those issues with weavy revs and engine is like choking (however i do not have that loss of power where it did not got above 1800rpm).

Summary

New MAF - from Lexus Dealer

New Brake sensor - from Lexus Dealer

Cleaned EGR

Cleaned Inlet Manifold

Cleaned Combustion chambers - TerraClean

Cleaned Injectors - TerraClean

Cleaned (Regenerated) DPF - which was clean in a first place

Engine Oil is not consumed by engine (checked on daily basis) for a past 5 months

Not to mention On town I have 25mpg and on a motorway about 36 with cruise control at 70mph at 2000 revs.

Luckily I do not have that loss of power where turbo was like not working and car did not go above 1800rpm.

Therefore I have no clue what cause that Revs weaving and suffication of the engine and lot of white smoke when engine gets warm.

Please someone to help me.

Japi · January 10, 2015

I had same problem and others told me that it is the gasket. Uuh but it wasn´t. I Think the Ecu has wrong values now. I had to reset tree times before it started to work properly. Reset ecu with Techstream or take a Battery away for a night. After that the ecu will learn new values. For example I removed DPF particulate filter (clearing out) and install dpf emulator. Then my engine put lot of white smoke when the motor gets warm :D :D :D Other drivers was quite happy I think. If that Battery disconnecting won´t help then you need to do it with computer. Hope this help you.

Here is a video link to my white smoke after deleting dpf and without reseting ecu-> https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8kX0wl1NVy2WnZvUnJpeGtScTg/view?usp=sharing

btw: and the power is back now and consumption is about 5-6liter per 100km. Sometimes even under 5 liter. Veeery happy now. I was fighting about 6 month with my car.... no help by lexus. They like to sell only new and very expensive spare parts realizing that the problem is somewhere else like euro5 law and new diesels requirement (EGR+DPF=killing the engine)

ColinBarber · January 10, 2015

Firstly you probably want the ECU to successfully perform a DPF regen by driving for 20+ minutes above 40 mph, and ideally without using 6th gear.

After a regen if you have an erratic idle that is easy to reproduce then your mechanic should be able to plug in his diagnostic equipment and monitor all the input sensors to see if one signal is jumping around and likely to be the cause of the problem. Sensors such as air temp, coolant temp, air flow etc should all be relatively stable and likewise so should the duty cycle of the injectors. Failing all that the fuelling system should be looked at, the injectors and the fuel pressure etc.

Arthur92 · January 10, 2015

Firstly you probably want the ECU to successfully perform a DPF regen by driving for 20+ minutes above 40 mph, and ideally without using 6th gear.

After a regen if you have an erratic idle that is easy to reproduce then your mechanic should be able to plug in his diagnostic equipment and monitor all the input sensors to see if one signal is jumping around and likely to be the cause of the problem. Sensors such as air temp, coolant temp, air flow etc should all be relatively stable and likewise so should the duty cycle of the injectors. Failing all that the fuelling system should be looked at, the injectors and the fuel pressure etc.

Hi

well i often use motorway and i had a trip last night for about 40 minutes on 3rd gear at 3300rpm

but i still had that erratic idle today in the morning just after the car got warm, and ***** loads of white smoke but only for like a 2 minutes.

and the car was already pluged in to the computer but everything is fine except 1 thing which is weird

-40 degree on Intake air temperature sensor turbocharger, signal

and that was checked on warm engine with +10 degree outside

i will try to post pic later

mohammed riaz · January 11, 2015

It is the head gaskit. Check it out.

Arthur92 · January 11, 2015

It is the head gaskit. Check it out.

You mean Intake air temperature sensor turbocharger, signal ?

where exactly can you make a foto?

KC14 · January 11, 2015

Check your coolant level has it dropped? Also you can get a simple test done which checks for exhaust gases in the coolant.

I would also try resetting ECU again, leave Battery off overnight.

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Arthur92 · January 11, 2015

Check your coolant level has it dropped? Also you can get a simple test done which checks for exhaust gases in the coolant.

I would also try resetting ECU again, leave battery off overnight.

Sent from my iPhone using Lexus OC

Coolant level did not drop. Oil level did not drop neighter. (last oil change 5000 miles ago)

I done ECU reset today and will see how it goes and i will try to purchase that test for the coolant

and I will update you guys how is it.

thanks for your sugestions guys.

ColinBarber · January 11, 2015

Firstly you probably want the ECU to successfully perform a DPF regen by driving for 20+ minutes above 40 mph, and ideally without using 6th gear.

After a regen if you have an erratic idle that is easy to reproduce then your mechanic should be able to plug in his diagnostic equipment and monitor all the input sensors to see if one signal is jumping around and likely to be the cause of the problem. Sensors such as air temp, coolant temp, air flow etc should all be relatively stable and likewise so should the duty cycle of the injectors. Failing all that the fuelling system should be looked at, the injectors and the fuel pressure etc.

Hi

well i often use motorway and i had a trip last night for about 40 minutes on 3rd gear at 3300rpm

but i still had that erratic idle today in the morning just after the car got warm, and ***** loads of white smoke but only for like a 2 minutes.

and the car was already pluged in to the computer but everything is fine except 1 thing which is weird

-40 degree on Intake air temperature sensor turbocharger, signal

and that was checked on warm engine with +10 degree outside

If the sensor is always just sitting at -40 then it suggests it is disconnected/failed or doesn't actually exist. You have the wrong engine selected, the 220d using the 180 bhp 2AD-FHV rather than the 2AD-FTV - that may explain the sensor fault.

You cannot just rely on software to make sure all the sensors are working correctly. You need to data log them and then look back over the data to make sure you aren't getting intermittent spurious readings.

Arthur92 · January 13, 2015

Hey Guys

After reseting the ECU I do not have that loss of power or white smoke anymore however I still have that erratic idle but it only last about 30 seconds after stoping and it only is whenever the engine is warm.

Any ideas?

KC14 · January 13, 2015

I would check the fuel filter as I have heard they can get dirty and cause problems you described. Only thing is it's a tricky job.

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zoran · January 13, 2015

The filter is an easy enough job to change,the dificult part is getting the housing open without breaking the clip

Arthur92 · January 14, 2015

I would check the fuel filter as I have heard they can get dirty and cause problems you described. Only thing is it's a tricky job.

Sent from my iPhone using Lexus OC

The filter is an easy enough job to change,the dificult part is getting the housing open without breaking the clip

Fuel Filter was changed on it's last service and that erratic idle is almost since then.

KC14 · January 14, 2015

You might want try either BG244 or Archoil AR6400-D, I have read good reviews about these 2 products, I generally don't believe in the fuel additives and cleaning products, but I have tried both of these products and got good results. Have a read up on the 2 products and decide for yourself, they cost on average about £20 each.

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KC14 · January 19, 2015

Hi Arthur92,

Just wondering if you managed to resolve your issue yet?

I hope you have got it sorted, it would be good to know what the problem was as it's helps fellow members with same or similar issues.

Thank you

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Arthur92 · January 22, 2015

Hi Arthur92,

Just wondering if you managed to resolve your issue yet?

I hope you have got it sorted, it would be good to know what the problem was as it's helps fellow members with same or similar issues.

Thank you

Sent from my iPhone using Lexus OC

Hi

Unfortunetly I'm still having that erratic idle.

I bought BG244 and i will use it in a week time when i will run a trip to an airport (300 miles) and i will update you guys if that helped.

Arthur92 · February 18, 2015

Hi guys

Little update.

I used BG244 2x cans over 2 full tanks of fuel on my trips to airport.

That loss of power seems to be no longer an issue.

However

i still have that erretic idle when hot. The engine runs perfectly over 200 miles on motorway i've been reving it from 2k to 4.5k revs and it is just perfect no issues no nothing

than after that jurney I'm waiting for lights to go green and i've got those revs to go up and down and engine is experiencing intermittent stalling, it just shuts down.

But guess what, no error code, and sometimes it shows low fuel pressure but it should not be an issue cuz when on motorway it goes up 5k revs and no issues.

I got few things to check

Like:

Fuel filter housing (on last service they broke it and glued it together .... but they did not mention it to me .... just saw it when had my car on the ramp)

Fuel pressure sensor.

Vacuum leak

Ignition timing may be set wrong

Idle speed set incorrectly

Fuel pressure regulator

I will try to make another update whenever i eliminate anything or get it sorted...

But if you got any other suggestions please leave a comment

Thanks

Arthur

steve2006 · February 18, 2015

It's got to be fuel related as a diesel engine increases speed by injecting more fuel so you're on the right path, I assume diesel engines use a CPS for injector timing as petrol engines do for spark timing so may be worth looking into this component as they are known to suffer from thermal instabilty when hot.

Faulty injectors maybe, consider a leakoff test?