S Series Smoking

[D87 SMW]

It smokes, basically.

When the engine is running at idle it is perfectly normal; there is no smoke from the exhaust and it sounds very smooth in running. However when revved, it throws blue smoke from the exhaust and there is a popping sound from such part when revs descend again.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is?

Not long ago, someone had filled the tank with Diesel but it has since been serviced and run on Unleaded with LRP Additives. I'm wondering whether it could still be the remains of Diesel causing this problem... I've just attempted to clear it out with Redex but it appears not to have changed.

As I said the engine runs smoothly and sounds gorgeous but on taking it for a quick Death Drive, so to speak, I found it's quite slow to respond under the right-pedal and throws the blue smoke out.

I hope someone could advise/assist on this, I am relatively new to the S Series engine...

:worried:

[steve smith]

could be the stem seals or rings whats the mileage ?

[D87 SMW]

Mileage is 63,400. :)

[B18 GPC]

blues oil steve.. so ..

Make sure you havent been given too much.. like i had it ella :mad:

if not. id get some piston oil seals on order ;)

graham

[G Force]

However when revved, it throws blue smoke from the exhaust and there is a popping sound from such part when revs descend again.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is?

The popping sound is air entering the exhaust, either through a loose joint, worn F/P ball joint or its just shot.


Not long ago, someone had filled the tank with Diesel but it has since been serviced and run on Unleaded with LRP Additives. I'm wondering whether it could still be the remains of Diesel causing this problem... I've just attempted to clear it out with Redex but it appears not to have changed.

I found it's quite slow to respond under the right-pedal and throws the blue smoke out.

I hope someone could advise/assist on this, I am relatively new to the S Series engine...

:worried:

Worst case scenario would be worn bores and valve stem / head wear, not uncommon to be both on an early S.

Equaly it could be some diesel left in tank and redex treatment just burning off etc. & it would be a case of running the tank almost empty a few times to see if it clears.

I would check all the crankcase breathers are clear, & if not clean them out & recheck. Then rev the engine with the oil filler cap off to see how much crankcase blowby comes out. If there is no real signs of blow by the bores could be fine, in which case you would need to have the head sorted, this would normally mean new valve guides but the S series does not have guides as such they do oversize valve stems and the valve stem bores in the head are reamered out to fit. Just fitting new seals would not fix the problem.

Poor performance could be many things but if the engine is ok then look at the usual suspects such as vacuum pipes, orfco valve, dashpot damper oil level, & running lean etc.

Regards gary :)

[D87 SMW]

The popping sound is air entering the exhaust, either through a loose joint, worn F/P ball joint or its just shot...

...Equaly it could be some diesel left in tank and redex treatment just burning off etc. & it would be a case of running the tank almost empty a few times to see if it clears...

...Poor performance could be many things but if the engine is ok then look at the usual suspects such as vacuum pipes, orfco valve, dashpot damper oil level, & running lean etc.

Thanks for your reply, Gary.

As quoted above, there was an advisory on corrosion to the exhaust and I think I spotted a bit of a hole in the backbox today. It sounded more like the middle of the exhaust which popped.

I did think it could be remenants of Diesel remaining in the system somewhere. The car did have a good run as it drove here from Southampton, though I think it's still on the same tank of fuel. (i.e. I've not put any more in yet) I did put some Redex in today but I wasn't aware of any difference. Perhaps I will need to keep repeating this process and running some fresh fuel through.

Performance isn't really suffering to be honest - it certainly shifts. I did top up the dash-pot oil, which seems to have exacerbated the issue of smoking. I think it may be running a bit rich due to the exhaust fumes but would this cause any smoking?

Many thanks.

[ChrisM]

Could just be a thing about Moonraker Blue cars liking body-coloured exhaust emissions? :o

*speaks from experience*

[G Force]

Performance isn't really suffering to be honest - it certainly shifts. I did top up the dash-pot oil, which seems to have exacerbated the issue of smoking. I think it may be running a bit rich due to the exhaust fumes but would this cause any smoking?

Many thanks.

As a rule blue smoke is definitly burning oil as a result of some sort of engine problem.

Excessively rich mixtures are usually identified by black smoke from the exhaust, however if an engine is run over a long period of time running rich this tends to cause dilution of the oil with petrol which in turn gives blue smoke due to the thinner oil. This should not be the issue in your case as you mention it has been recently serviced.

The hole in the exhaust will be the cause of the popping sound, also rotten exhausts can have a detrimetal affect on performance, & fuel economy.

I think checking for crankcase blowby and making sure the breathers are ok is the best starting point in determining if you have engine wear issues.

[D87 SMW]

Well, I was going to post up that the car had miraculously started running fine again...

I just started it up, from cold, and let it run on choke. Gave it a few revs also and no smoke at all. 'Hurrah' I thought...

Then as the engine temperature increased at idle, I decided to give it some more revs and it started blowing blue smoke again. The problem got progressively worse as the engine got warmer. It was fine running for a period at idle but when revving it after this period, the smoke started. It seems to build up and then blow it out when revved. It then clears up, so it isn't constant.

I reckon it's traces of Diesel which is the cause of the smoking. As Diesel burns at a higher temperature than petrol, it took until the engine temperature increased enough for it to start burning. It was fine when it was just warm enough to be burning petrol.

Hopefully it is just a case of running the engine at relatively high temperatures until the Diesel reminants are burnt off...

[B18 GPC]

How much smoke is there steve ?!

[B18 GPC]

Anyone..

[D87 SMW]

Would you like that on a scale of 1-10?

I've already described how it is smoking. I know exactly why you're impatient for me to answer your question, Graham. You may be a Saturday Mechanic but I'd keep quiet before you get it wrong again.

:)

[Austin-Rover]

Might I suggest you try a thicker oil in the engine next time you do a change? What is in there at the moment, 10w40? Try 15w40 next time. As an engine gets older, a thicker oil can help somewhat in reducing smoke. Also different brands give different results in this respect.

I can't possibly see how you can say this is down to left over Diesel. If the system has been drained and then refilled with Unleaded and the car is now running as well as you say (and as I have seen), the amount of Diesel left in the tank is going to be immeasurably small, or most likely non existent. This is highly likely to be the case considering the system will have been drained and refilled and the car has been on a very long run to you from the south coast.

You have problems with worn engine components. From experience, I suggest a thicker oil.

[ratty]

Run the fuel tank very low, then fill it up right to the top this should make sure all remains of the diesel is removed. If there is oil in the air filter box its likely the breather system is at fault. Clean out the airbox then disconnect the breather pipe from the airbox and place it into a plastic bottle to catch any oil etc whilst going for a drive around the block remember to secure the bottle

As it doesn't smoke at cold startup its unlikely to be stem seals or rings as this would normally smoke less once warm but you could try doing a compression test

[D87 SMW]

Run the fuel tank very low, then fill it up right to the top this should make sure all remains of the diesel is removed. If there is oil in the air filter box its likely the breather system is at fault. Clean out the airbox then disconnect the breather pipe from the airbox and place it into a plastic bottle to catch any oil etc whilst going for a drive around the block remember to secure the bottle

As it doesn't smoke at cold startup its unlikely to be stem seals or rings as this would normally smoke less once warm but you could try doing a compression test

Hi,

The fuel tank will have been filled up with fresh petrol for it to have been driven up here. I'm not aware of any oil in the air filter box, but the breather pipes could do with replacing anyway.

I changed the oil today, as Rich suggested, and for the first run in the car with the 20w50 oil, it was still smoking as before. This was on setting off and coming to a stop (it blew past the car).

However on a later drive, starting once again from cold, there was very little smoke at all. At 3.5k rpm it was perfectly clear, whereas it was blowing clouds of blue smoke out before.

I cannot understand how it just seemed to virtually stop smoking on the 2nd drive... I'll give it another run later on and see what happens.

[ratty]

Worth doing a compression test as its posible you have a cracked piston ring, I'll have a good engine available for cider money once I remove it from my car to fit a turbo one if you need it

Was the car parked up for a long time?

[B18 GPC]

Would you like that on a scale of 1-10?

I've already described how it is smoking. I know exactly why you're impatient for me to answer your question, Graham. You may be a Saturday Mechanic but I'd keep quiet before you get it wrong again.

:)


Theres nothing Saturday about Doing 58 hours A Week.. And Havving Letters After your name for your profession...

{not that they mean much.. but theyre there.}

[H48HPE]

Go on then, what letters do you have after your name and what exactly did you have to do to get them?

[B18 GPC]

Go on then, what letters do you have after your name and what exactly did you have to do to get them?


AFF I.M.I

[H48HPE]

whats it stand for? and what do you need to be able to put them after your name?

[B18 GPC]

it just basically means , im a member of the institute motor industry.. nothing special really..

Just means im ment to advise the public to the best of my knoledge over any issues reguarding any motor vehicle . ..

and a few other bits ..

Il find out the code of cuduct of what it means.. if your really interested.

in the otherhand , if you just join the army of people who like to annoy me , although trying to help otheras , then i wont post naff all up.

[H48HPE]

chill out, I just wanted to know what qualification I need to get to be able to have those letters after my name too! some of the muppets I've seen in garages suggest I wouldn't need to do much.......

[Maria]

You'll get IMI membership if you do one of their courses. I have an IMI card from when I was doing body and paint courses at college. There are also mechanics etc courses. The website is http://www.motor.org.uk/

[SimonR]

I must say that Graham, who is E958 ARR, has worked on several Maestros of my acquaintance in the past and has always done an exceptional job.

[B18 GPC]

I must say that Graham, who is E958 ARR, has worked on several Maestros of my acquaintance in the past and has always done an exceptional job.


Thanks Simon :)