I drive a 1982 240D and recently i have noticed my car has started smoking quite a bit more than usual. it smokes every time i take off from a stop or accelerate of the freeway. the smoke is both thicker and happens allot more often. its black smoke

What's your oil consumption like? What condition are your injectors in? How much timing chain stretch do you have?

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'84 190D 2.2 5MT (Red/Palomino) Current car. Love it!
'85 190D 2.2 Auto *Cali* (Blue/Blue) *sold*
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All of the above, and how is the vehicle used. Does it get a good blowing out or idle around town. Black smoke would be along the lines of crankcase oil being burned, or to much fuel for the amount of air in the combustion chamber, or heavy carbon build up letting go.

Air filter condition? Removing it for a test of having too much obstruction is easy and only takes a few minutes. Sometimes a visual inspection even indicates it has seen better days.

Fuel will just not burn well without enough air.

black smoke is either too much fuel, or a plugged air filter.

in turbocharged vehicles, the alda can cause it...

it's also possible the intake valves are not opening enough from a worn cam... or the valves need adjustment.

some 240's have a throttle plate, and the linkage may be damaged...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Also:

-weak compression
-worn or damaged valve seats
-worn valve stem guides and seals

And here's one that nobody thinks of:

If your engine has weak seals: front or rear main, valve cover, oil pan cover, dipstick seals, breather, oil cap, etc, then oily air can be pulled right through the crankcase breather and into your intake.

It has a brand new air filter, that was my first thought but my valve cover does leak i didn't think about that. I'm going to get feeler gauges to do a valve adjustment when i change the gasket

One more counterintuitive: low fuel pressure.

Valve adjustment needed. Valve Timing (late due to timing chain stretch) and or Fuel Injection Pump timing.

When the Injector Nozzles are worn out they do not atomize the Fuel well and when the opening/pop pressure is low it also does not atomize the Fuel as well but it is calaimed it also changes the timing.

Sticking Piston rings.

I had hazy gray smoke all of the time and a good trail of it during hard acceleration (no turbo) on my Volvo Diesel when the Piston Rings were sticking. That Engine has low milage on an overhauled short block so there should be little wear.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

The injector pump controls injection, and subsequent ignition, timing, and is just as important as a gas engine. It next to never is a problem, but...

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5 speed '91 190E 2.6 320,000 mi. (new car, fast, smooth as silk six, couldn't find any more Peugeots)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.5l Turbo Diesel 266,000 mi. (old car, fast for a diesel, had 2 others)
5 speed '01 Jetta V6 (new wifes car, pretty quick)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.2l Turbo Gas 197,000 mi. (wifes car, faster, sadly gone just short of 200k )
5 speed '83 Yamaha 750 Maxim 14,000 mi. (fastest)
0 speed 4' x 8' 1800 lb Harbor Freight utility trailer (only as fast as what's pulling it)