My 2009 Mazda BT-50 has had a serious misfire issue for 18 months and four mechanics and a dyno can't find the issue. The injectors have been replaced, the EGR blocked off, air filter and fuel filter replaced, we’ve run carbon cleaner through the turbo, replaced the air-flow meter, replaced the suction control valve, cleaned the throttle body and the list goes on.
It has never shown a fault light nor a code on the scan tool. It has a moderate misfire at around 1750 RPM, then clears until going into fourth or fifth gear, then at about 10 per cent above cruising throttle, it begins to surge unbelievably until the speedo hits 80km/h and then it runs like a swiss watch. Drop under 80km/h and the severe surging returns. I have no idea what to do from here.
It sounds like you’ve tried pretty much everything here, but I have a few suggestions. Have you cleaned out the inlet manifold? The combination of soot and oil mist that gets recycled back through the Mazda’s engine (and a lot of modern turbo-diesels are the same) can cause all sorts of poor running conditions including surging and mis-firing. I know you said you’ve disconnected the EGR valve, but this build-up could already have occurred.
What about the fuel system? You said you’ve replaced the injectors, but have the fuel pumps been checked for flow and pressure? What about the fuel return line? Is it blocked and causing an obstruction to the fuel flow below 80km/h? What about the fuel pick-up inside the tank? A split or damaged pick-up can allow air into the system and cause all sorts of grief.
Also, this generation BT0-50 used throttle-by-wire. Many owners didn’t like the operation of the standard set-up and changed to an adjustable system that allowed them to soften (via a dial on the dashboard) the throttle action for off-road use. Has your vehicle been modified like this? Even if it hasn’t, the standard throttle set-up could be faulty and causing the problems you’re seeing.
The fact that the vehicle operates perfectly in some situations leads me to suspect an electronic or fuel supply problem. If it was a major mechanical issue such as a burned valve or a major mechanical glitch, the engine would likely not run properly at all.