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View Full Version : Blue smoke, amongst other things!!


Rich
18th August 2003, 20:40
Hello everyone, sorry have been a bit quiet on the forum side of things for a while, have been very busy to say the least.

Did untold damage to H902 last week (YOU STUPID BOY!) when I drove over a folding bollard, and damaged the sump (huge dent), half ripped of the manifold, shoved an engine mount back, and bent the exhaust so it hit the fuel tank every time I reversed. Cost nearly £300 to put right, including having a new thermostat fitted which had been leaking like a good 'un! The local church paid for it, as it was there new bollard, and there carpark! Still, I had no car for 4 days while it was in the garage, only got him back this evening....:censored: :censored: :censored: !!!!!!

Anyway, first of all, with the new thermostat, its a genuine rover 88degree one, and I have noticed a hell of a diference in the temp gauge. It used to hit the first 1/4 mark on the scale, in normal driving, its now between there and near the 1/2 mark during normal driving. I assume this is correct, but just wanted to make sure, my suspicians is that the old one was more gone than I thought!

The pressing problem at the mo has been a gradual one, but its starting to bother me now. Every morning, there used to be a puff of smoke from the exhaust when I started H902 first thing in the morning. I could see it clearly blowing away in the mirrors. Now, its got worse, even before the smash 'o la sump! If I leave it for a few hours, and start him up, he gives me wafts of smoke, much more than ever before, but the oil level does not seem to be dropping, and I am sure I am not leaving smoke trails everywhere I go.

Does this mean there is somthing seriously going wrong in the engine, or is it just fair wear and tear?

Rich

tony
18th August 2003, 21:14
they have not put a ford engine in there have they:laugh: if you car is getting around the 100,000 mark it is normal wear and tear,either the oil is getting round your valves or comming up from the piston,round the piston rings ,as long as theres no major change you should be ok ,but keep a eye open for a replacement engine at some point

D87 SMW
18th August 2003, 21:20
Originally posted by tony
they have not put a ford engine in there have they:laugh: if you car is getting around the 100,000 mark it is normal wear and tear,either the oil is getting round your valves or comming up from the piston,round the piston rings ,as long as theres no major change you should be ok ,but keep a eye open for a replacement engine at some point

F170 GGT is reaching 91500, and there are no signs of blue smoke. It's running as clean as it's bodywork! ;) :laugh: :cool: :laugh:

Can I just ask, how did you manage to drive over a folding bollard??? :confused: :rolleyes:

Austin-Rover
18th August 2003, 21:32
Hmmm... i am starting to get blue smoke at start up again. It went away for a while - but its come back agin now.

The smoke dissapears after the engine has started.

:cool:

Maria
18th August 2003, 21:54
Sounds like valve stem oil seals - easy enough to put right.

E_T_V
18th August 2003, 22:05
Blue smoke on startup isn't really anything to worry about until it looks something like a james bond movie..

It is most often (nearly always) caused by worn valve oil seals. This lets oil run down the valve into the head when the engine is stood still, (it'll most likely puff blue smoke when you change gear too)


The good news is the parts to fix it cost sod all. (infact a head gasket set for my 1.3 is less than a tenner). The bad news is you have to take the head off and dismantle it to do it. This is simple in an A series and only a little more taxing on the other varients. Once the head is off you need to dismantle the valves (a good opportunity to clean them up and regrind them) and then simply press a new valve oil seal in. (you can do the valve guides if they need it to but I never bother as mine were ok at 100k)

If you want to go the whole hog you can also fit seals to the exhaust valves (which didn't have any by default on earlier cars) which I did.

If all that is too much trouble I have a recently skimmed and overhauled (not valve guides) 1.3 unleaded head (still attached to engine) in my garage which I'm open to offers for.

MGTurbo
18th August 2003, 23:05
A common problem with the A series when it hits a certain mileage. Fitting new valve stem seals will cure it for a while but the valve guides themselves also wear meaning once the seals have bedded in you may still get the same problem. Valve components for the A series are really cheap, so its time for a complete overhaul IMO.

Gareth

e692wtt
20th August 2003, 16:26
What oil do you normally use, specifically what viscosity? I use Duckhams Q20w/50 in my Monty because he smokes like a steamer if I use anything thinner.

I bet the garage has filled the sump, if they drained the old oil, with their standard 'service oil' which may well be thinner than your usual oil... if so, take it back and get them to fill it with your usual stuff. After a big bill like they charged, they WILL change it for free! Don't take 'no' for an answer. Assuming this is what has happened...

Just a thought, I cannot see your engine wearing this quickly unless you've got massive problems, and an accident such as yours shouldn't cause the engine's 'slight smoking' to be any worse afterwards...

The other other Rich.:cool:

E_T_V
20th August 2003, 21:59
Mine started smoking heavily on startup when I moved house.. The drive I had pointed steeply and made the problem worse as there was a bigger pool of oil sitting over the valves. Have you started parking on a slope lately?

Austin-Rover
20th August 2003, 22:06
Hmmm.....you may be onto something there. My driveway is sloped, and when the car is parked pointing up the drive - it smokes when i start it, but when it is pointing down the drive it doesnt!

:cool: :laugh:

D87 SMW
5th September 2003, 16:47
Originally posted by RDGelder
Hmmm.....you may be onto something there. My driveway is sloped, and when the car is parked pointing up the drive - it smokes when i start it, but when it is pointing down the drive it doesnt!

:cool: :laugh:

It smoked on startup when you had it on the road the other week, and that doesn't slope...

Austin-Rover
5th September 2003, 17:03
Yes, yes, alright! No need to start nit picking. My car has a nasty habbit i know!

:(

Beaker
5th September 2003, 17:17
Yes well hopefully he'll have a new one tomorrow.

*crosses fingers*