the saga continues - head off, oil in chambers
Turbo Mini Forums

Evening guys,

the quest for a non smoky turbo mini continues.

After changing the head gasket, and still suffering with a smoke, I decided to whip the turbo off, and do a rebuild. After removing the T2, there is zero play on the shaft (laterally or vertically), no oil in the exhaust housing (lots of soot though), nice straight clean blades on both inlet and exhaust.

So, must be a blown HG again i think. I whip the head off, and there appears to be no damage to the head gasket, but there is some oil in each of the bores - about half a teaspoons worth sitting in each piston dish. The oil was black, and smelt of fuel - the oil in the engine is super clean having just done a change.

So the question is how did it get there? valve seals? blowing past rings etc? i'm a bit stumped, and wondered if you lot had some suggestions.

Oil pressure is about 75psi cold start, going down to 20-22psi very hot idle. Smoke seems intermittent, but mainly on idle rather than boost, although i'm getting some there too. Head is a metro turbo head with some work, and double valve springs. Cant tell what state the seals or guides are in yet, that'll come soon. Also need to do a compression test, im just waiting on a new tester to be delivered.

Is it still worth rebuilding the turbo? I don't want to bugger it up if its all fine. Are there any other checks I can do/? any obvious signs the turbo oil seals are shot (other than smoke)?

as always thanks for your help. The way I'm going i'll have asked every question there is to ask before i get the damn thing working right!

thanks

Ben

I've got a similar if not the same issue as you.

I get blue smoke at all times apart from when I accelerate. I also have oil on my pistons, I started with the valve guides in my engine. My head gasket was fine and there is no oil what so ever in my boost piping so I know its not the turbo

Will let you know, the head is at slark and I'm waiting to get it back :)

Cheers!

Craig

Thanks Craig - keep me posted

It's not unusual to find oil in the pistons when you lift the head.

A failed head gasket is rarely a cause of a smoky engine. Valve guides or rings worn is.

Doesn't sound like the turbo to me either.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

In my case the bottom end had new pistons and rings and the bores are smooth as silk. I'm going with the valve guides in my case because they weren't replaced when I had the head "refurbed" back in Dec.

Blue Bug, is there anyway you can take your head to someone who can inspect it and tell you if your guides are buggered? Mines oilly as foook in the exhaust chambers literally to the point where its not been ran for a week and its still sticky as hell. Is yours like that?

Edited by Craigie-B on 30th Sep, 2012.

Edited by stevieturbo on 30th Sep, 2012.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

Craig - there is a place locally it can go, that's the next step if I can't figure it out. I have oily I inlet ports, but dry as a bone exhausts - inlet seals?

Stevie - think engine is straight, can check with a spirit level. Using fairly cheap 20w50 mineral.

My engine doing the same and am hoping it is the valve guides and seals, also hoping to get a head done by Benross..

Main Build
http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=489133

Upgrade to Turbo
http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.p...tid=448367&fr=0

would a compression leak-down test diagnose whether it is valve guides and/or seals? just a thought and one I'd be intereste din knowing the answer to.

Could be oil control rings, which may not show up in leakdown test.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Leak down test? how does that work then? something I can do at home?

Will - did think it might be the rings hence buying a compression tester. Will check that after its back together.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

Thanks Stevie.

Certainly sounds like valve seals then. I figured that was teh case, but wasn't sure if this is acommon issue or not.

I'll try sticking some decent oil in too - it all helps i guess.

Process of elimination is what im doing, have restored my turbo, next will be the head as I have already said, If that don't work will do the block, rebore and crank shaft as needed..

Edited by nala56 on 2nd Oct, 2012.

Main Build
http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=489133

Upgrade to Turbo
http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.p...tid=448367&fr=0

Just get some guides fitted, sounds like thats wat its gotta be

13.95 1/4 mile on a 2.95 fd. Carnt be that hard to beat!

Seals first,then guides but after that it could be a PO has fitted guides and the guide parent bore in now o/s.I had this and the symptoms were heavy smoke after prolonged idling.With the head off,try leaving pools of oil in the spring pockets overnight and check for leakage into the ports.

'Where does the engine go?'

thanks guys - i've ordered the seals, once changed i'll leave some oil in the spring pockets.

thanks for your help, i'll report back.