Smoke again...
10-12-2009, 07:38 AM
#21
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Yeah can be a pain in the ass to figure it out.
I don't really remember how to check if it is the valve seals. I think it usually smokes when letting off the gas or something when those are leaking.
I thought that was my issue on my last car but turned out being the head gasket.
Probably an similar repair bill for both I would think though.
Also has the excess oil that was added been drained out yet?
I don't really remember how to check if it is the valve seals. I think it usually smokes when letting off the gas or something when those are leaking.
I thought that was my issue on my last car but turned out being the head gasket.
Probably an similar repair bill for both I would think though.
Also has the excess oil that was added been drained out yet?
10-12-2009, 08:09 AM
#22
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It wasn't so much to need draining, it was only just over the H. It's now back down to exactly covering the last diamond, ie absolutely perfect.
The head gasket is a replace engine time I thought. The labour is nearly as much as a new (2nd hand) engine?
How can I tell for sure if it is or is not the head gasket?
The head gasket is a replace engine time I thought. The labour is nearly as much as a new (2nd hand) engine?
How can I tell for sure if it is or is not the head gasket?
10-12-2009, 08:15 AM
#23
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Head gasket replacement labor isn't even close to the cost of new motor or even used motor 
If it's the head gasket you'd probably be overheating, or will be soon. You'd also be loosing coolant and have the sweet smell others pointed out. Maybe you should try a different mechanic. I know you said your guy was good, but this isn't rocket science and he should have been able to diagnose this already if he'd followed common sense diagnostics.
If it's the head gasket you'd probably be overheating, or will be soon. You'd also be loosing coolant and have the sweet smell others pointed out. Maybe you should try a different mechanic. I know you said your guy was good, but this isn't rocket science and he should have been able to diagnose this already if he'd followed common sense diagnostics.
10-12-2009, 08:20 AM
#24
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My experience of head gasket failure, I just remembered, was with a car that was only worth $600, hence my belief that it's a 'write-off' item. OF course with a $12k car, it's not, excuse me for being stupid. 
He hasn't spent more than 20 minutes total looking at it yet, I'm gonna tell him I want him to be sure before he actually replaces anything. He's just a lazy Greek, not an incompetent one.
I don't have the sweet smell, no heat issues, no coolant going missing, I'm pretty sure it's not the gasket, forget that.
Please can someone tell me what a leakdown test is?
Could the PCV have anything to do with this?
He hasn't spent more than 20 minutes total looking at it yet, I'm gonna tell him I want him to be sure before he actually replaces anything. He's just a lazy Greek, not an incompetent one.
I don't have the sweet smell, no heat issues, no coolant going missing, I'm pretty sure it's not the gasket, forget that.
Please can someone tell me what a leakdown test is?
Could the PCV have anything to do with this?
10-12-2009, 08:21 AM
#25
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Ok that small amount of oil extra should not be a problem at all.
As for head gasket you can't always do a test to pinpoint it. I know I couldn't when mine went on my old car.
I just monitored the coolant levels and they went down and I had coolant leaking out of the turbo manifold so knew something was up.
A compression test could show which cylinder it is leaking from hopefully.
I think there is something you can put in the coolant that will color it and the smoke will be colored too but not 100% on it.
Has it overheated at all?
For the PVC unplug it and make sure it "rattles" if it does than it is working properly if it doesn't rattle than it needs to be replaced.
As for head gasket you can't always do a test to pinpoint it. I know I couldn't when mine went on my old car.
I just monitored the coolant levels and they went down and I had coolant leaking out of the turbo manifold so knew something was up.
A compression test could show which cylinder it is leaking from hopefully.
I think there is something you can put in the coolant that will color it and the smoke will be colored too but not 100% on it.
Has it overheated at all?
For the PVC unplug it and make sure it "rattles" if it does than it is working properly if it doesn't rattle than it needs to be replaced.
10-12-2009, 08:25 AM
#26
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Thanks for your patience with this, I'm very glad someone's reading my responses and trying to help, honestly, it's appreciated...
No overheating issues whatsoever.
I read that the thing should rattle, and I'll check that in a minute, however, is it possible, that this tiny part failing could cause my intermittent smoke?
No overheating issues whatsoever.
I read that the thing should rattle, and I'll check that in a minute, however, is it possible, that this tiny part failing could cause my intermittent smoke?
10-12-2009, 08:31 AM
#27
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I'm really not sure what would cause the intermittent smoking like that. Kinda strange. Seems like the most likely thing would be the valve seals as they usually have strange smoking symptoms and only smoke certain times when they are starting to go but not really too familiar with smoking issues on this car.
Hopefully someone else can chime in here that is a little more familiar with this.
Smoke is hard to tell sometimes. It only takes like a little drop to make a big cloud of smoke.
I know when the pcv fails is doesn't allow the crankcase to vent at all so build up lots of pressure inside which can blow seals I believe.
Hopefully someone else can chime in here that is a little more familiar with this.
Smoke is hard to tell sometimes. It only takes like a little drop to make a big cloud of smoke.
I know when the pcv fails is doesn't allow the crankcase to vent at all so build up lots of pressure inside which can blow seals I believe.
10-12-2009, 08:50 AM
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Oh crap. Update:
The PCV rattles if I shake it hard but seems a bit sticky. I'll get it replaced anyway.
The bad news is that while I was in there, I checked the oil again (warm engine, not hot, about 2 hours after turning it off) and I've used 1 and a half diamonds of oil in 30km. When it's smoking, it's consuming oil at an alarming rate, no doubt about it.
The PCV rattles if I shake it hard but seems a bit sticky. I'll get it replaced anyway.
The bad news is that while I was in there, I checked the oil again (warm engine, not hot, about 2 hours after turning it off) and I've used 1 and a half diamonds of oil in 30km. When it's smoking, it's consuming oil at an alarming rate, no doubt about it.
10-12-2009, 08:52 AM
#30
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That's not good. Compression test is in order. Could be leaking past the rings or something. Compression test will show that. If it is low put a cap full of oil into the low cylinder. If it raises up then you have a bad piston ring in that cylinder.