blue smoke

[Big Boris]

Hi all , I have been using allot of oil Lately and I seem to be getting allot of blue smoke coming out the exhaust on start up ,it's a 1.6 td, does anyone have any idea on what the problem might be please ?

[Mr Bean]

I am not familiar with diesels but:
Barring something like a leaking gasket or similar I'd have a guess at blow by (leakage past pistons). Try a compression check although this will also be low if valves need attention. One or more low values may give a clue as to where the problem lays. Excessive blow by will push smokey oil vapour out through a handy orifice which you can provide/check by starting a hot engine with the oil filler off.
Blue smoke when opening the throttle after a period of over run - say going down hill with shut throttle can be caused by shot valve guide seals although generally not so much oil is used as with worn pistons/rings.
Best see if a Diesel Tech Expert responds. Where arethey all?
good luck anyway
CS

[Dad]

Blue smoke is oil. White smoke is unburnt fuel.

[123-jn]

Agreed Blue smoke is oil, sometimes you get this at start up until the engine is warm and all the parts have expanded with the heat. Oil smoke smells different from Diesel smoke, difficult to describe how!!! I am not an expert on these particular diesels but my old freight rover used to burn oil at a fair rate after about 120,000 miles it too was very underrated for the vehicle., With a turbo engine you also have to consider the oil seals in the turbo shaft, these harden and leak with long service and heat so check the manifold between the turbo and inlet is there any oil sloshing around in there, or leaking from the manifold gaskets. (There will always be a film of oil in there due to the way these things work and the discharge from the crankcase breather into the inlet) There should be an oil separator in line from the breather to this point to limit the amount of oil sucked back through. The more worn your pistons and rings the more oil will get back through the engine this way in the blow by gasses. so in order of likely causes.

1. Worn rings ,lots of blow by and lots of oil coming out of the breather into the inlet. Usually this would be all the time it would burn more under acceleration.

2. Turbo oil seals hardened and oil being sucked past, maybe even failed completely, very dangerous as the engine can run-away on the engine oil revving right up. (put it in 4th and dump the clutch to stop it)

3. Just worn rings causing oil to be left on the bores which burns in combustion.

If we are talking adding a couple of litres a week that is serious , if its a pint every 1000 miles then just apologise to the cars behind and save up!!!!

[MGP]

It could be worn rings, the easiest way to test this it to remove the hose that goes from the black plastic ufo looking thing on the cam cover, start the engine and hold your hand about half inch from the hose outlet of the ufo, on a healthy engine you will feel the air moving back and forth as the pistons go up and down if your rings are worn you will feel air being pushed out, there will be a small mist of oil in the pipe if it pools you could have a problem if you have heavy breathing as well.

It could be the turbo, now there aren't any seals in a turbo they would cause too much drag, there are oil throwers that push the oil back where it should be. The main problem with these turbos is people's insistence to run mineral oil, mineral oil turns to carbon sludge when it's left in hot turbo's, the turbo is fed oil under pressure, this oil is pushed through the bearings and then it is left to drain out of the turbo by gravity, now if there is sludge in the drain or the drain is partially blocked or on these engines if the oil level is too high then the oil will pool in the turbo and overcome the oil throwers.

In short check how much blow by you have if it's not to bad make sure the turbo drain is clear before shelling out for a new turbo.

Also check the turbo bearings by removing the inlet hose and holding the turbine shaft lift it up and down and side to side a couple of mm play is as it should be, there should be no in and out movement. Too much play in the shaft means that the oil throwers won't work properly.

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[Big Boris]

Thanks for your replies very much appreciated, I phoned around today for a price on a Recon engine ,two places in Cardiff 1St was 1995.00 + VAT second was 1695 + VAT for the engine. Or 1995 + VAT including recon turbo all prices include fitting, are these prices about right ?

[123-jn]

I would say that is not a bad price if it includes fitting but you need to make sure they really are reconditioning it and replacing all the bits that are out of tolerance. Check to see if the companies have any feedback on the net, see if they honour their guarantees to others.

[Big Boris]

Hi All,
Just to give an update took it to garage so a mechanic could have a look,it turns out it is the turbo he said he was a 100% sure about it and showed me the big pool of oil on the floor from when he took the pipe of the turbo,so plan of action is for him to get the turbo off and then im going to send it to midland turbo who are going to charge me £185 +VAT to recon it and send it back,he is then going to refit turbo . im also going to get him to change all belts ,question is do i change waterpump ?

[mark]

if it where me I would, as the water pump is a serviceable item..........when the impeller drops off in the middle of your holidays and your overheating and don't know why you'd wished you had............others don't and wait for it to break or give a clue that its on its way out. I find preventative maintenance is the best method of avoiding a ride on the breakdown truck

mark

[Big Boris]

Good shout Mark i think its a no brainer when you look at it like that

[Big Boris]

A bit of an update , so midlands turbo picked the turbo up Friday and rang me today (Monday) with a diagnosis they said it would require a full re-manufacture as they said it looked like the turbo had been starved of oil so its going to cost 250+VAT

[weegaz22]

Blue smoke is oil. White smoke is unburnt fuel.

Blue smoke is oil, white smoke is coolant, black is fuel