Engine smoking
Turbo Mini Forums

Right I fitted the replacement engine of unknown condition in the metro and taken a chance. It is smoking like the bat-mobile.
After someone suggested taking the pipe off the turbo including the rubber hose to the plenum and run it to see if the smoke clears. It didn't seem to make any difference and there was no oil in the inlet pipe or the plenum pipe that I could see.
The new spark plugs get covered in 'dry' soot almost straight away and on looking into the bores with a light through the spark plug hole there looks like oil on the pistons, mostly on 1 and 2 for some reason. A compression test resulted in 175 on all four chambers with a working tester (it was 50 with my faulty tester same as on the engine we removed lol!).
When first starting from cold it smokes a little then gets worse as the engine gets warmer. When on boost it doesn't seem any worse.
When I got home and the car was on my drive (which is quite a slope) with the car parked across the drive so passenger side is higher, the smoke doesn't seem as bad and if I am not imagining it and also seems to go from grey/blue to a bit darker but less.
The car has cut out now as it started running a little rough and missing on the way home which is probably due to the sooty plugs?
Question or questions are could it be valve guides causing this much smoke? would removing the feed pipe from the turbo to plenum prove that the smoke is not oil from the turbo? Could I say its definitely rings? Anyone got any other tests that would give us a clue? Thanks Steve

Edited by Steve A on 26th Jul, 2013.

Patina=old and knackered and won't clean up

On the right hand side of the keyboard there's an enter or return key

Can't really read your post Without getting a headache I'm afraid!

Reading up on RTS Clutches

Punctuation was never my strong point, nor grammar lol. regards Steve

Patina=old and knackered and won't clean up

Basic compression is good. I would be looking at the head.

Oval valve guides imo,

Can badly worn guides produce a lot of smoke as its quite bad.
The engine will probably be pulled back out at some point soon anyway as the transfer gears are rattling badly on tickover.
Thanks for help and advice

Patina=old and knackered and won't clean up

You need to pull it and check the whole engine over especially. The piston ring lands . I have seen it all to often flopping a 30 year old engine in with starship miles, and unknown turbo hoping its a goodun and will run just cock on. ...... it don't happen Steve.

I agree but this was an ebay special re-conned 6000 miles ago and a 'perfect' runner as the seller said.
I knew I was on to a loser when it turned up with the plenum on upside down a metro hle carb and the waterpump seized.
I did get a bit of money back but it was a costly and pointless exercise lol.
What should I expect to pay for a recon turbo engine? I don't need supersonic power just a nice standardish reliable unit.

Edited by Steve A on 27th Jul, 2013.

Patina=old and knackered and won't clean up

So sorry for you Steve, seen this all too often sadley!

Pm me about your requirements, Benross is here to help

Taken the head off today and noticed oily deposits inside the inlet manifold on the carb and inlet ports on the head?
Funny though doesn't appear to be any oily deposits in the inlet to the plenum chamber?
Dismantled the head and doesn't seem to be much movement in the valve stems/guides. There is very slight side to side play but don't think enough to cause my problems? The valve stem seals seemed to be intact.

Patina=old and knackered and won't clean up

I agree with Benross you will have no joy till you do a compleat engine strip, I've been there done that, ends up costing you more money and a lot more heart ache. Alan.

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