Poorly V40 smoking badly on start up

Anyone out there who can help me?? I have a 1.9 Diesel P reg V40 (which I love more than any other car I have owned before!). However It has always done a slighly odd thing, when idleing it sometimes rev's all by its-self and then gives out a ploom of white smelly smoke and the revs drop back down and it runs smoothly again. We occasionally put a Diesel Cleaner in with the diesel and this seems to help. However it did this revving thing when I was driving it two days ago and now when it starts it runs very unevenly and smokes like crazy - the whole street dissapears in the smoke! The smoke totally clears after driving it for a mile or so and it drives well, running smoothly and with no loss of power. My husband has worked on many cars before and makes sure it is regularily serviced, but he has never had to strip down a diesel engine. He wondered if it might have been a Cylinder Head Gasget but there is no oil on the water and the oil is not white or creamy around the cap. We have put a cleaner in it and also changed the oil, but it is still just as bad. Is there anyone out there who can help me at all? or point me towards something to check? Thanks for reading. Dawn

u want to get the codes read there could be something wrong with the pump sounds like the most likley course

The computer is detecting something wrong in the fuelling and therefore revving the engine to try and clear it. If its smoking badly then its possible that the EGR valve is faulty or stuck, or perhaps the Mass air flow sensor, if your car has one. Good idea to get the codes read though.

Poorly V40 

Thanks for the advise, my husband tried to take my son to his friends in the poorly V40 at lunchtime and it did it again and has now cut out and will not start at all!!! My poor, poor car!! It looks like I will have to try to find a company who would come out to our house to read the codes (if anyone does this). Alternativly do you know if there is anyway we could re-set it so we could at least drive it down to the dealer? Thanks again. Dawn

if i was closer i would come and read them for u

Poorly V40 

Thanks , but it would be rather a long trip I fear! ;-)

Poorly V40 

If anyone is reading this with similar problems - be careful! On opening the engine cover we found that the rocker cover has a hole right through it and all the piston covers inside are smashed to pieces and wedged fast. Also the timing belt has dissapeared from view. So I think it is going to be a rather big, costly job to fix and I am not exactly sure if a P reg V40 is going to be worth it. :thumbs_down: Thanks to all the help I have been given from VOC members, sorry it has such a sad ending!