A little smoke

Mark300zx

Active Member
Apr 24, 2008
1,457
8
Surrey/SW London
car got vag com few weeks back when went stage 2. Plugs didn't seem black they were ok. Haun't checked oil in intercooler but i'm sure its ok to have some oil in it.


Apologies misread your post, yes intercooler ok to have some oil in it, obviously thought not excessive amounts.
 
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Mark300zx

Active Member
Apr 24, 2008
1,457
8
Surrey/SW London
it passed mot last week. Why wouldn't it rule out head gasket as if was headgasket would have oil in coolant an the smoke wouldn't be blue it would be white i though. Also when doing compression test if was leak beetween 2 cylinders i would have lost compression. All the readings were good.

I am losing a little of what you are saying, with no punctuation marks?

Head gasket leaks are usually hairline cracks, in the vast majority of cases this would not cause any unfavourable readings on a compression check, when they are very bad they do, but you are talking losing all your coolant bad!
 

paul-murphys

efr 6758 here i come
not losing any coolant an in 10k have put 1litre of oil in only. Is there a way you can check the turbo. The performance feels ok don't feel like losing power. Payed mechanic 40 quid to do a compression test an he said everything i the head would be ok. I said about stem seals an he said would lose compression. Help :(
 

Mark300zx

Active Member
Apr 24, 2008
1,457
8
Surrey/SW London
You need to change your mechanic, the stem seals leak oil down the stem of the valve and the oil drops into the cylinder when the valve opens, usually at it's worst on startup and has no effect on the compression levels of the cylinder!

I would say look at the breather system, the only way to check the turbo is to remove the TIP and gently check for play on the impellor shaft?
 

Mark300zx

Active Member
Apr 24, 2008
1,457
8
Surrey/SW London
I am inexperienced with leons so some other experienced members may be able to answer your questions re pipewrok/breather system?

But I would imagine doing a run with a vagcom would let you know if you had a boost leak from a torn pipe, or the other option is to do a boost leak check with compressed air?

A blocked pipe can cause smoke because the engine has a system in it to purge oil vapour from the sump, if that is faulty then the engine can suck in oil vapour burning it in the chamber.
 

traumapat

Leon Cupra IHI
Jul 24, 2005
5,925
4
sunny sussex
You need to change your mechanic, the stem seals leak oil down the stem of the valve and the oil drops into the cylinder when the valve opens, usually at it's worst on startup and has no effect on the compression levels of the cylinder!

I would say look at the breather system, the only way to check the turbo is to remove the TIP and gently check for play on the impellor shaft?

a compression test showed faulty vavle on exhaust side. it never smoked on start up :shrug:
 

traumapat

Leon Cupra IHI
Jul 24, 2005
5,925
4
sunny sussex
Are you saying that valve stem seals can be picked up by a compression test?

im saying that i was advised to get the test done, 1st cylinder was down and when head came off valve stem seals were shot. bore wear was minimal. i was told suspected stem seals when the guy did the test along with possible rings. it was leaking from somewhere and it wasnt the rings?
 

Mark300zx

Active Member
Apr 24, 2008
1,457
8
Surrey/SW London
Stem seals do not make up any of the seal that gives compression, if a valve is knackered and not seating correctly or bent out of true it can then cause the seal to leak.

But all the seal does is stop oil dripping from the head down the valve and into the cylinder.
 

traumapat

Leon Cupra IHI
Jul 24, 2005
5,925
4
sunny sussex
Stem seals do not make up any of the seal that gives compression, if a valve is knackered and not seating correctly or bent out of true it can then cause the seal to leak.

But all the seal does is stop oil dripping from the head down the valve and into the cylinder.

they also mentioned somthing about a pressure difference when the car was at idle? i mean within the head causing the oil to enter via a bad stem seal. it was part explanation as to why it only smoked on idle
 

Mark300zx

Active Member
Apr 24, 2008
1,457
8
Surrey/SW London
It would smoke on idle with a bad stem seal, as the seal lets by the oil runs down the valve and into the cylinder or burnt off with exhaust gases.
 

Onthebench

Guest
they also mentioned somthing about a pressure difference when the car was at idle? i mean within the head causing the oil to enter via a bad stem seal. it was part explanation as to why it only smoked on idle

Stem seals will NOT show up on a compression test - FACT! The stem seals are outside of the closed environment of the cylinders. Yes they will give smoke under certain conditions, including idle BUT the time they show the most is on a cold start. Under idle, there is a much higher vacuum in the cylinders on the intake stroke (due to closed throttle flap) and when the intake valve opens this vacuum is then presented to the stem seals which causes the pressure difference mentioned by your mechanic. The ONLY time that stem seals can cause a problem is while the valve is OPEN - ie not during the compression cycle....

Sorry if this doesn't make much sense, please ask if there is anything unclear :)

Cheers,

Andy
 

s4oopie

Boost Junkie
Jul 9, 2009
111
0
the car wash ;)
Stem seals will NOT show up on a compression test - FACT! The stem seals are outside of the closed environment of the cylinders. Yes they will give smoke under certain conditions, including idle BUT the time they show the most is on a cold start. Under idle, there is a much higher vacuum in the cylinders on the intake stroke (due to closed throttle flap) and when the intake valve opens this vacuum is then presented to the stem seals which causes the pressure difference mentioned by your mechanic. The ONLY time that stem seals can cause a problem is while the valve is OPEN - ie not during the compression cycle....

Sorry if this doesn't make much sense, please ask if there is anything unclear :)

Cheers,

Andy

the mans talking sence :D pressurised system on idle will draw oil though a perished seal as with every engine it try's to suck co2 from every available orrifice.. when running it makes up the compensation through the inlet . compression test wont show stem seal fault and neither will any vag com test as there isnt a sensor on the seals as its imposible to know unless you pull the engines head off ! as in the ford CVH engine (prone to stem seal wear ) How much oil smoke is being emitted on idle and over run ???
 

Pabs

Active Member
May 3, 2004
5,936
4
Basingstoke
nice audio - little... big... :p

The one i went to see for sale today did the same, but worse. One of the many reasons i walked away.
 
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