Intermittent smoking

[meggles]

DG engines don't have valve stem seals

As I said, he isn't familiar with these engines and I hadn't given it much thought. Thanks for the enlightenment Kev
Hope you get sorted Firkie.

[Firkie]

Supposed to help reduce friction ?? My dad was a service manager many years ago and an agent for wynns did a demonstration to the workshop and it impressed everyone. Something to do with running two rigs , one treated with wynns the other standard oil. I believe the one with standard oil once drained seized , but the one treated with wynns continued to run without oil? Anyway from then on my dad swore by the stuff and its been added to every car I've owned on every oil change.
It's just that the smoking seemed to originate from the point of adding wynns? I can't pin point anything else, but I'm doubting that wynns has affected anything. I'm not going to rule anything out though.

[kevtherev]

Did you overfill it?
Is there oil in the carb again?
Was the wynns added after the oil change?

Twice yearly oil changes are enough. With respect to yout dad, modern multigrade oil already has those friction reducing additives.
But if it makes you feel better there's no harm in it I think.

[Firkie]

I took the van out yesterday after work, James Bond style start ( smoke screen). I probably did 12 miles maybe a few more. I decided to come to work in it today.....sorry neighbours! Tried the foot to the floor, no good! Only way to start when it's smoking is to pump accelerator. It was coughing cutting out and spluttering until it warmed up a little bit. I hoped that with a run out yesterday it would start ok and no smoke, I think it's getting worse! Once it's warmed up a bit it runs lovely and no smoke even when asking a bit?
I'm at a loss

[Firkie]

Oil level originally three quarters on dip stick, I've dropped some out to take it to half way. No change only that tappets seemed a bit noisy on start up.

[Firkie]

I'm going to take air box off and take a look after work, I'll report back later .

[Firkie]

No oil in airbox, plugs black and threads oiled up. Checked choke operation and the mechanism was sticking! I believe I've freed it up. Initial start up loads of smoke! But after cleaning things up and freeing up choke, started a lot better. I'll start it up in the morning and see how much smoke.

[kevtherev]

Ah good
plenty WD40 and some oil will keep it free.
That was the starting issue

[Firkie]

Started van four times and each time it started first time and run lovely........no smoke? Although I put a tin of wynns stop smoke? I think it's called that. I read adding additives can cause other issues, but for me ( and the neighbours) I'm pleased with results. I really thought its engine stripping time , but fingers crossed.

[AdrianC]

Although I put a tin of wynns stop smoke?

STEP AWAY FROM THE SNAKE OIL.

Very few of these additives, if any, do anything useful for anybody except for the bank accounts of the companies that market them.

[Firkie]

It was £6 and I was out of advice and ideas. Wether it worked or not, my van no longer smokes? And before freeing the choke mechanism and adding the wynns my van smoked very badly and it had got to the stage it was everytime I started it! So whatever has happened the result is I can use my van and I am happy.

[CovKid]

Yep, tis a boxer engine and oil can therefore seep past worn rings whilst sat for a length of time. Any cure you may have come up with (if that is indeed the cause) will be temporary. To be honest I wouldn't put Winns in one of these anyway. Stick with changing the oil regularly and the usual maintenance.

Would worn piston rings cause smoking just on cold start?
Do you know if the valve guide replacement is easy enough to do?

[kevtherev]

I believe all additives to stop smoke work on a chemical process. Where heat from combustion forms a gum like subtance from the additive, this hardens and seals the ring.
Unfortunately the ring cannot now move so this is now a seized ring.
Rings that cannot move cause premature wear in the bore, hot spots and ovality.