Vectra's Black Smoke Nightmare: Fuel Regulator Issue?

Hey there! I have some experience with cars (some experience), and this sounds very familiar. I had a similar issue with my 2006 Vauxhall Astra (same manufacturer, different model). Had almost identical symptoms, black smoke, jerking, and those annoying unusual stalls. Turned out my high-pressure pump was shot. Got it fixed at my local workshop about 8 months ago, set me back around 1510€. My mechanic said it's actually a pretty common issue with these engines. The repair took about two days, but it's been running like a charm since then. Before I can help more specifically, which engine variant does your Vectra have? What's the mileage? Any recent maintenance done? These details would help me give you more targeted advice based on my experience.

Hey, thanks for the reply! Yeah, mine's got the gasoline engine and I'm at 90235 KM. Just had a service done last month actually. Your experience with the high-pressure pump sounds spot on, the symptoms are really similar. It's good to know you got yours sorted out. That price is steep but I guess it's better than letting it get worse. Did you notice any warning signs before it completely went bad? Just trying to figure out if I'm dealing with the same thing here.

Hey again! Yeah, looking back at your symptoms, they're exactly like what I experienced with my Astra. And now that you mention you've got the gasoline engine and that mileage, I'm even more convinced it's probably the same issue I had. Before my high-pressure pump completely failed, I did notice some warning signs. Started with occasional jerking during acceleration, especially in the mornings. Then the black smoke started showing up, just little puffs at first. The fuel consumption got gradually worse over about a month before things really went downhill. I actually tried to ignore it at first (big mistake!) thinking it might just sort itself out, you know how we sometimes do that. But yeah, that just made things worse. When I finally got it fixed, my mechanic showed me the old pump and it was pretty much destroyed. One thing I'd suggest, if your symptoms are anything like what I had, don't wait too long to get it checked. My repair bill might have been lower if I'd acted sooner. Plus, running it like this could damage other parts of the fuel system. Let me know what you end up finding out. I'm curious if it turns out to be the same issue!

Thanks so much for all the details! This is super helpful. The warning signs you described are exactly what I've been experiencing, especially that morning jerking and the gradual increase in fuel consumption. I'm pretty convinced now that it's the high-pressure pump. You're right about not waiting too long, I definitely don't want to risk causing more damage. I'll call my mechanic first thing tomorrow and get it booked in. Better to bite the bullet now than end up with an even bigger repair bill later! Really appreciate you sharing your experience. It's made me feel a lot more confident about what I'm dealing with. I'll update you once I get it checked out!