Smokey 1.9 Engine

[matt gti78 0]

Hi Guys,

 

This is my problem :

 

Engine starts first turnover, tickover's fine, no overheating, but the within acouple of minutes the engine smokes terribly and its blue smoke.

 

Oil pressure reads 75% when the car starts and goes down to 25% when warm which to me isn't right to start with.

 

Engine reads 76k on the clock, so I'm wondering if its the valve seals or piston rings. The cheapest option to start with would be the valve seals to replace and my question is can the valve seals be replaced without removing the head if so any tips on what to do and not to do please.

 

If it turns out to be the rings then I'll just replace the engine.

 

Cheers

Matt

[hengti 2]

Hello&welcome!

 

the valve stem seals are usually the most likely cause - and the cheapest to fix (can be done with the head on - not sure if there isn't a guide for it somewhere)

 

but - stem seal/valve guide wear is usually most noticeable on start up and whilst coasting down from high rpms whilst hot. if yours' is smoking constantly when hot, it does soound more likely that it's the rings.

 

try a compression check first; if it's not miles out (170-180psi - ? check on the search facility), get the stem seals done to see if that sorts it out

 

good luck with it

[GLPoomobile 958]

As above, there are certain conditions that SHOULD indicate whether is stem seals or if it's rings, but it's not as cut and dry as this.

 

My 1.6 smoked badly, and constantly, which should have indicated rings. But as the cmp test was not too bad I hoped it was just the stem seals, and having refurbished my head the smoking has now stopped.

 

I chose not to do it with the head in place as wanted to be more thorough, but I have a guide in Word format of how to do the stem seal with the head on, that another member kindly sent me.

 

Want me to email it to you?

[matt gti78 0]

If you could please, much appreciated

[phil05 0]

could you pm it to me aswell please cheers

[matt gti78 0]

Ok guys, I've done a compression test today and here's my results. These results have been taken when stone cold and warmed for 5 - 10 mins at idle :

 

Cold

 

Cambelt end ( No.1 ) (No.2) (No.3) (No.4)

 

205 215 225 219

 

Warm (No.1) (No.2) (No.3) (No.4)

 

202 197 200 210

 

 

What do you make of these results guys, as I'm thinking its the valve seals not the rings, though I could be wrong.

[jim21070 2]

Back in the old school the test was done "dry" and "wet".

 

Do the compression test on the cold engine, after a bit of a run and note the results. This is the "dry" test.

 

Then squirt some oil down the plug holes and redo the compression test. Note the figures. This is the "wet" test.

 

If the wet readings are higher than your dry, your rings are the culprit as the oil helps them to seal for the test.

 

If wet and dry are substantially the same then it's valves.

 

Yours are a bit uneven but not excessively so. Usually it's valve stem oil seals as these engines wear their bores, pistons and rings very slowly.

 

BTW, Pug number their cylinders opposite to most. No. 1 is by the flywheel and No. 4 is by the cambelt! Caught me out the other day...

[pug309twin40s 1]

looking at those readings your engine looks in good order and nothing wrong with the piston rings.

 

 

 

id definetely say the valve stem oil seals are shot.

[matt gti78 0]

Cheers guys.

[GLPoomobile 958]

If anyone wants a copy then PM your email address. I know I can send emails to members via the forum but unless I'm missing something, it doesn't appear you can add attachments.