Blueish smoke and general loss of power (kinda)

[croc]

Unless really high oil consumption, 500 ish miles may not show engine oil level drop.
Particularly if van has even very slight angle difference between when you check the oil level.
Sorry, but we dont seem to be very constructive on this but hope it helps a little. Maybe someone will come in with more info.
Personally I would try to get to the cause before committing to expense of new, recon, engine.
jon

[ewenmaclean]

Hello,

as croc says - it's hard to diagnose not being there, especially with so many possible variables - 500 miles isn't a lot to drive - if you'd used half a litre in that time that would indicate possible piston ring failure (as kit says). Depending on how long the engine's been sat, and the temperature of the oil, and the angle etc... you may get a different level and half a litre won't show up that obviously.

As we've all said - blue smoke is usually oil - it's just that sometimes people perceive colours differently. Sorry not to be more help.

Good luck with it

Ewen

[psychonaut]

I had a quick look at the van this afternoon before i started work, and to me it looked more white than blue. I suspect timing, but i'll post more when i get home

[kit]

Pull out the cold start when running and see if the smoke increases or decreases this would indicate timing possibly.

[croc]

psychonaut and kit,
white smoke from unburnt fuel may also come from injector nozzles burnt, corroded etc or eroded from water being injected. Whatever the cause is that means the diesel is not properly atomised.
Timing late is one cause.
i dont know these particular diesel engines so you two go with what you know that's relevant, mine is just general experience.
Thanks for your input guys, I will stand corrected on any of these points.

[mr strong]

Hi Ewen,

By all accounts your'e a fountain of knowledge in this area. I met with ( psychonaut) today and we went through a list of possibles to see if we could diagnose the blueish smoke and loss of power.( really nice guy and very helpfull, )

So far,
No oil in the exhaust fumes,
she climbs through the revs cleanly so hopefully this rules out iffy injectors / no "nailing"
No excessive water in filters (or diesel )
oil level is good, ( no diesel present)
No loss of coolant, ( so none any where it shouldnt be.)
He doesnt think its rings either ( but I cant remember the reason now) sounded plausable at the time
All hoses are relatively new and no pipes missing from anywhere.

psy Suggested it would probably be the timing is out a smidge, or timing belt is worn and needs replacing.
Shes a bit lumpy/smokey on idle,and only really smokes under load.

What do you think?

Does this sound like a safe bet?.

[kit]

I had a similar scenario with my CS when 1 injector was not working, drove for 2 years like it

[ewenmaclean]

Hello,

that's very kind of you to say, but I'm no more of an expert than anyone else. From what Psychonaut says if it's white/grey smoke then fuel delivery seems to be the problem, as croc has said also (improper atomisation). It's either timing, the pump or the injectors or the filter... some people try briefly running without the air filter, and I would in any case replace the fuel filter before doing anything drastic. I think you described something that looked like an oil filter - this is probably the fuel filter.... As kit has suggested - does playing with the cold start advance help anything?

If the timing belt is suspect and causing bad timing (e.g. jumping a tooth, or knackered tensioner), then this is quite serious and I would suggest sorting it asap. If you take the timing cover off you should be able to observe the state of the belt, and the tensioner mark which might give you some confidence.

Hope you figure it out soon

Ewen

[psychonaut]

Hi all - just back in from the Gulag, hell, if it could go wrong, it did on the shift I've just had...

Anyway, Mr Strong has posted pretty much all of what we found when we looked at his van earlier. There's no fuel odour in the oil, and there is no oily residue around the exhaust. Holding some white tissue piper at the end of the exhaust and revving the engine for a few seconds didn't produce any 'spotting', which makes me think that perhaps the rings are ok. I didn't think to use the cold start advance while I was there, I wish I had now.

The van seems to have two fuel filters - I haven't seen a similar set-up before. One is the standard filter, the other one (which is first in-line between the fuel tank and the fuel pump) doesn't look like an after-market fitment, it looks like it's meant to be there, if that makes sense.

Time prevented me from taking the timing cover off, but there was no service history with the van when Mr Strong bought it, so the mileage since the timing belt was last changed is an unknown quantity. Some vibration (bit nothing serious) at idle, but this disappears once the engine is put under load.

The smoke is definitely more white than blue though. No loss of coolant, and the temp gauge rises to the centre and stays there, so I'm happy there's no head gasket issues.

Anyway, for now, it's bed for me. Mr Strong, try the cold start cable while she's running and let us know what happens