Turbo Diesel Smoking

Post by **georgeIRL** » 12 Mar 2006, 14:52

Folks,

I just bought my first T25, 1.6TD. Thing is its smoking like crazy on start-up, when it warms up, its fine.

The guy i bought it off recons its the value stem seals. Has anyone heard of this before and will replacing the value stem seals really make that much of a difference.

Its a white smoke by the way, in case it helps anyone.

Thanks for the info.

George

Post by **Louey** » 12 Mar 2006, 15:30

it could just be the glow plugs are nbot heating properly or it could be something else

does it struggle starting? how long for glow plug light to go out?

Post by **simoncummins** » 12 Mar 2006, 22:19

Hi thats the exact problem i have got ive had it for 2 years never got worce never got better my van is at the menders at the moment for something elce but i have asked if he can see where the smoke is coming from. One thing about mine is if you just start it but not drive it a few times there is a build up somewhere as when you do drive it the smoke is really really really bad but it drives fine. Hope he come up with something and i will let you know fingers crossed something simple.

Post by **georgeIRL** » 13 Mar 2006, 08:12

Louey - yeah the glow plugs seem to be a little off. I only go her during the week so I haven't had a chance to put her over the pit and do a full service yet. I was planning on replacing the glow plugs as my gut feeling was that they were on the way out. I'll see if the new ones make any difference.

Simon - hopefully it is something simple. Keep me posted.

Thanks

Post by **Horza** » 13 Mar 2006, 08:43

My Diesel smokes on startup. In other news the Pope, though German is still believed to be a left footer and reported sightings of a Grizzly defecating behind a tree.

Sorry

We have to take your word for it but diesel engines do produce some smoke on startup especially when cold. Some of it is due to the way they work and is only reduced by fancy doodads you don't get on our engines. Are you sure this is an abnormal amount of smoke?

Post by **Diamond Hell** » 13 Mar 2006, 08:49

Valve stem seals could well be the problem - the VW I4 engines both petrol and diesel are reknowned for it in their advanced years.

Just hope it ain't the turbo....

What colour's the smoke? How much? How Long?

I can't believe you'd so so rude to these people, Horza!

Post by **georgeIRL** » 13 Mar 2006, 09:36

Horza - yes its an un-natural amount of smoke - it may be my first t25 diesel but its my 12th diesel in total. They don't smoke this much

What colour's the smoke? How much? How Long?

Its a grey/white smoke, there is lots of it, enough to fill the front garden and some of the street in an average 4 bed semi estate house!! How long - it lasts for a couple of minutes and goes away as the engine heats up. 3-4 minutes normally

As i said i just bought the van but the previous owner did tell me about the problem and the possible solution, however before i start ripping head to pieces I just want to see does anyone have experience in this.

Post by **Diamond Hell** » 13 Mar 2006, 10:05

Sounds like valve stem seals - there's a quantity of oil in the bores that's leaking in there through the stem seals and then burning off when you start it up.

I'll get it doesn't smoke if you start it on the same day, unless it's gone completely stone cold and I'll bet it's worse if you start it up after a couple of days.

Post by **Louey** » 13 Mar 2006, 10:12

Diamond Hell wrote:
I'll bet it doesn't smoke if you start it on the same day, unless it's gone completely stone cold and I'll bet it's worse if you start it up after a couple of days.

That sounds a bit like mine - but running bio stuff it might be that

Post by **georgeIRL** » 13 Mar 2006, 10:19

Diamond

you right, if istart and she smokes, drive and park, come back an hour later she will not smoke, come back 3 hours later is will smoke only a tiny bit, leave it overnight and she smokes like crazy.

so by your thinking it should be value stem seals

George

Post by **HarryMann** » 13 Mar 2006, 12:13

Most seem to do it when old, world renowned for it... as Thomas says, turbo bearings/gland-seals or valve stem seals (a bit of which i found in my sump) or maybe poor ring sealing, less likely. A compression test would be the first thing, to ensure money is being poured down the exhaust pipe...

Post by **Simon Baxter** » 13 Mar 2006, 19:17

White smoke is cool combustion temperatures.
They also seem to do this when the head has been off or the pump is tired, they don't like starting without the cold start handle pulled out.

Could be absolutley allsorts, headgasket, pump timing, tappets, low compression, loads of stuff.

Start at the beginning, compressions, set bucket and shims, set cam timing, set pump timing and work through iut methodically.

Post by **HarryMann** » 13 Mar 2006, 22:42

Well that can go in the Wiki for a start, thanks, sounds good ABC stuff on white smoke, and seems to close this down till we hear more on diagnosis - compressions seems to be No. 1

Post by **simoncummins** » 17 Mar 2006, 17:17

Sorry it has taken so long the mender man recons it valve seals and what we are doing is flushing the oil with forte engine flush then puting some forte seal rejuvanator in the new oil he seems to think this will do the job. I will let you know soon. Simon

Post by **HarryMann** » 17 Mar 2006, 17:27

Good luck with that... can't see it fixing valve-seals though, he didn't mean piston rings by an chance, some additives are quite effective at loosening up sticky rings.

Mine's blue smoke (mainly), having a put a turbo on that's not so knackered, etc. tidied a few things up it seems to smoke less than before when accelerating but still smokes blue under constant power - bores/rings methinks, though might chance a valve-seal job.