smokey engine on 80 series
Submitted: Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 07:19
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caba
Hi All,
has anyone got any ideas about why my 4.5l petrol engine billows out oily smoke when I take off from a stop, but only happens when I am driving on the open highway. When I drive around town there doesn't seem to be any smoke, but when I am on the open road and slow down to come into a town the vehicle starts to smoke, then when I take off it looks like I am using oil as fuel for about 5 - 10 seconds until it clears itself. It does use a bit of oil on these journeys but none around town. I was leaning along the lines of valve stem seals as the engine has only done 200k. Any ideas would be appreciated before mechanics empty my wallet.
Thanks in advance
Reply By: Rockape - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 07:32
Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 07:32
Will be valve guides and seals.
Have a good one
AnswerID:
408327
Follow Up By: Member - Ian H (NSW) - Friday, Mar 12, 2010 at 03:35
Friday, Mar 12, 2010 at 03:35
Maybe not rockape. My wifes Volvo V40 did the same thing and I had a specialist mechanic in
sydney hook it up to his "Electroclean" (I think that's the name0 machine. It interupts the fuel line and introduces a cleaning agent to the fuel. Then run the engine for about 30 - 45 min at a fast idle i think and it really does clean out the combustion chamber, piston rings and grooves and valves. Presto, the oil consumption dropped by 95%.
I, like you, suspected serious $$$ to be spent but 12 months later it is still smoke free.
FollowupID:
678454
Reply By: Member - Lionel A (WA) - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 07:43
Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 07:43
Yep, agree with Rockape.
Another tell-tale sign is slight smoking at cold start up.
Cheers.....Lionel.
AnswerID:
408329
Reply By: Member - Tour Boy ( Bundy QLD) - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 11:23
Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 11:23
Try a different oil to reduce the burning until you can afford to get the head serviced.
Some of the early 4.5's before aug 92 seemed more prone to do this.
Cheers
Dave
AnswerID:
408354
Reply By: Member - Rob S (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 21:12
Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 21:12
Hi
As the other replies.
Very common problem with the valve steam seals, on the 4.5 petrol
And the head has to be removed to replace them.
And yours sounds to be worse than
mine. probably needs the head doing.
Try using 20w/50 engine oil.
As i run on LPG i am using Penrite HPR 10 gas engine oil and found it smokes the least or very little if any now.
Rob.
AnswerID:
408468
Reply By: Stu & "Bob" - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 22:19
Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 22:19
Caba,
If it is as bad as you make out, you will be better off in the long run to go straight for a reconditioned engine, or at least give yours a freshen up.
In a lot of cases, when the head is reconditioned, it accentuates any shortcomings in the remainder of the engine.
Your problem could be valve guides and seals, or it could be rings, or a combination of both. The way you describe it, the engine is getting excess oil into the combustion chamber when in a high vacuum situation.
my .02
AnswerID:
408481
Reply By: caba - Friday, Mar 12, 2010 at 07:39
Friday, Mar 12, 2010 at 07:39
Thank everyone for the replies, they were very helpful. I have decided to go for a full recondition. When the mechanic pulled the sump off he found that the oil pickup was almost fully blocked with oil residue, which he thinks is from the previous owner using mineral oil and not doing
services all that often. At least this way I know I will have a good car that will last.
Happy Motoring
Caba
AnswerID:
408514