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[artsoul_no1]

2002 2.6

Driving on the motorway engine oil light flickers on and off but no oil level low message. look behind and blue smoke and loss of power.

When I check under bonnet oil dripping below twin rubber hoses at front of plenum.

AA man says probably piston rings. Car had oil change at a garage a few weeks ago but has driven okay locally since and I just cleared the breather pipes. Oil still in sump and level seems okay.

Coolant not contaminated at all and cam cover gaskets okay.

Is it a goner???

[Doctor Gollum]

The wrong oil would drop the pressure enough, especially in a worn engine and hot.

[dave the builder]

Vauxhall oil pressure sensors/switches are very well known to fail and squirt oil everywhere
not sure where it is on a Y26SE 

[Nick W]

Vauxhall oil pressure sensors/switches are very well known to fail and squirt oil everywhere
not sure where it is on a Y26SE 

Just to the left of the crank pulley as you look down from the bumper. As you say it's a common failure and dirt cheap - from any motor factors because it's used on lots of engines - to replace. Which should be done as soon as you have doubts about it. Then you wash the worst of the oil off, and check it's no longer leaking.

That doesn't help with the blue smoke, which is oil getting into the combustion chamber. But, if the oil level isn't dropping noticeably I would be considering the valve stem seals long before the piston rings. Especially as 2.6s were particularly prone to the seals failing. A compression test should be the next step, unless the equipment to do a leak down test is available.

[dave the builder]

so the sensor is close to the oil " twin rubber hoses at front of plenum" where it's dripping ,
OIL spray from a leaking sensor could travel to the cats and exhaust manifolds etc and be burning /blue smoke 
" artsoul_no1" needs to confirm where the oil is leaking and if it's blue smoke out of the exhaust or just burning off .
lack of power could be a contaminated MAF if oil is being slung about by belts 

though I agree a compression test is a good idea if oil is being burnt in cylinder / smoke from the tailpipe

[VXL V6]

so the sensor is close to the oil " twin rubber hoses at front of plenum" where it's dripping ,
OIL spray from a leaking sensor could travel to the cats and exhaust manifolds etc and be burning /blue smoke 
" artsoul_no1" needs to confirm where the oil is leaking and if it's blue smoke out of the exhaust or just burning off .
lack of power could be a contaminated MAF if oil is being slung about by belts 

though I agree a compression test is a good idea if oil is being burnt in cylinder / smoke from the tailpipe

Oil Pressure lamp flickering is usually pressure sensor failure, but obviously needs properly checking.

Oil from the pressure sensor tends to pool on the sump lip, front crank seal leaks in that area too. Oil pressure sensor leaks on the V6 tend not to be as spectacular as the same issue on 1.2 Corsa's in my experience!

2.6 known to have inferior valve stems seals in production (was a cost cutting measure at the factory according to Geoff Harrison)

[artsoul_no1]

Thanks for all the advice

Going to have a proper look tomorrow. Can i start the engine with the plenum removed to see where oil may ne cming from  or is that a no no

[Andy H]

Thanks for all the advice

Going to have a proper look tomorrow. Can i start the engine with the plenum removed to see where oil may ne cming from  or is that a no no

more like no no no 
There will be no throttles attached so If it starts it will be like starting the engine with the throttle pedal mashed into the carpet.

[dave the builder]

Does it say on the receipt what oil was put in at oil change ?
all the computers and motor factors say use 5w30 fully synthetic BUT
Omega owners here say 10w40 semi synthetic   
in my experience with 100K mile vauxhalls of the era ,5w30 semi is too p155y .unless they have had good quality oil ,regular service etc .
5w30 will leak from seals, blow past rings ,leak through VSO seals, strip built up deposits from parts of the engine etc
I've had a 1.6 with stuck piston rings AFTER a garage did a flush and used 5w30 oil (to reduce emissions  )
I had to strip that engine ,clean everything and rebuild it 
the high emissions proved to be an injector leaking once rebuilt ,and it passed MOT with virtually zero CO & HCs 

You should check if the blue smoke is actually coming from OUT the exhaust as part of your initial investigation IMHO

[artsoul_no1]

I wont take the plenum off and try to start it then 


RE the oil: I asked for 10/40 oil but have a feeling it was 30 cant lay my hands on the receipt but remember seeing it. Didnt think it would be a problem at the time

will an oil change to 10/40 cure it?

blue smoke was definitely coming out the exhaust. Was thinking of taking as much apart as I can at the front today and at least cleaning it and having a look but realistically if smoke is out the exhaust is there any way it could get out the sensor or through the plenum and be pushed back into the engine and through the exhaust?

I am hoping its curable as I love the car but in my heart of hearts I think its not viable to repair if it internal seals as I am not that confident on engines

[Nick W]

I wont take the plenum off and try to start it then 


RE the oil: I asked for 10/40 oil but have a feeling it was 30 cant lay my hands on the receipt but remember seeing it. Didnt think it would be a problem at the time

will an oil change to 10/40 cure it?

blue smoke was definitely coming out the exhaust. Was thinking of taking as much apart as I can at the front today and at least cleaning it and having a look but realistically if smoke is out the exhaust is there any way it could get out the sensor or through the plenum and be pushed back into the engine and through the exhaust?

I am hoping its curable as I love the car but in my heart of hearts I think its not viable to repair if it internal seals as I am not that confident on engines

An external leak like the pressure sensor cannot make the exhaust smoke, unless you have an air leak so bad we would have all heard it by now.


Oil in the exhaust gets there three ways:


from the breather plumbed into the intake - if there is loose oil in the plenum and runners then you need to inspect the entire breather system. That not blocking up is the real reason that the overly frequent oil changes recommended here might be worthwhile.


inadequately sealing piston rings letting the small end lubrication and/or the oil sloshing around the crankcase into the combustion chamber. This is the worst scenario, as fixing it properly requires major work and expense. But it is the least likely as Vx V6s aren't prone to it.


worn valve stems/guide/seals allowing oil into the combustion chamber. This is the most likely, especially if the oil consumption isn't particularly high - bad piston rings will burn much more oil. This is usually more of a problem on start-up, and can normally be ignored. If it happens all the time the engine is running, then fixing it will be necessary. And that means pulling the heads to do a proper job, as you cannot evaluate stem and guide wear any other way.

[artsoul_no1]

Thanks nick I clear the pipes and black top part of the plenum regularly and is never really badly clogged. Is there anywhere else I should be looking  is there another part where these pipes connect to that I can disconnect and clean

[Nick W]

Thanks nick I clear the pipes and black top part of the plenum regularly and is never really badly clogged. Is there anywhere else I should be looking  is there another part where these pipes connect to that I can disconnect and clean

The actual breather box is behind the drivers side head, masked by the brake servo. It is removable, and can be cleaned by drilling the rivets that hold it together. It's not easy to get off without a considerable amount of dismantling.


It probably isn't your problem.

[Raeturbo]

Once warm try taking the car for a run and let it get to full vacuum by letting it run down a nice long hill in third gear, then see if there is loads of smoke as you pull off if there is it is very likely to be valve stem seals as said here earlier.

[artsoul_no1]

is the car drivable like this if it is the valve stems or likely to conk out.

is t drivable for a while locally and just top up with oil or will it kill the engine in double quick time