Hi we have a 1.9DG engine. Its been recently serviced with 15/40 Mineral oil and has done about 200 miles - ran fine last week. We took it out today did about 100 miles with no problems and on the way home (only 10 mile to go ) we noticed a really bad engine knocking noise. No warning lights came on but when we checked the oil it was low. We topped up the oil with more 15/40 mineral oil and restarted it up - still really bad knocking noise and lots of smoke. Where shall I start looking any ideas - is the engine kaput?
To answer your questions the oil was below the minimum mark when we checked it and the noise seemed to appear all of a sudden. The smoke was coming from out of the exhaust. It smokes a bit on start up usually (white smoke) but it clears once we have been running a while.
OK having lost oil, the hydraulic tappets have been starved of any meaningful pressure, and have emptied. That noise is one of them or more than one of them in need of refilling as they cannot adjust to the now large gap until they do.
Refilling is done by driving it for a half hour.
Until that tappet(s) has/have pumped back up the valve opening times have altered so you will get some smoke and the rather frightening noise.
The sudden oil loss is a worry, this should be investigated.
Did you dip the oil before you went out for your 100 mile run ? If not why not ? Who put the oil in ? How much was put in ? Signs of leaks ? Clutch slipping ? Coolant clear of oil or milky in the header tank ?
The oil can only go one of 5 places ...
Out onto the road (major external leak .. rocker cover gasket, oil filter leaking, sump plug leaking or rear crankshaft seal ... oil in the engine bay)
Into the bellhousing (front crankcase seal failure ... usually drips from bellhousing joint, slipping clutch, visible through flywheel spy hole)
Into the cylinder(s) (major piston ring failure ... oily plug(s) and blue exhaust smoke)
Into the cooling system (major component failure .. cylinder head or barrel base O-ring)
If over-filled excess oil can be blown up the breather tower and burnt through the carb giving combustion smoke
Sounds like you've run it dry and shagged the bottom end (or hopefully the tappets have drained down) ... was there no red light flashing or buzzer of doom ? ... you don't say the age of the van but it should have at least one of those 2 things fitted if not both.
Ian
The Hulley's Bus 1989 2.1DJ Trampspotter LPG courtesy of Steve @ Gasure
) we noticed a really bad engine knocking noise. No warning lights came on but when we checked the oil it was low. We topped up the oil with more 15/40 mineral oil and restarted it up - still really bad knocking noise and lots of smoke. Where shall I start looking any ideas - is the engine kaput?
