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[TheBoy]

Coolant?

I reckon its an acrid/toxic smell, Mrs TB's words were 'sweet'

Can't really be anything else, can it - oil would be blue, if it was fuel that would normally be dark, but what about fuel from a leaky injector, or excessive unburnt fuel due to misfire, whould that still be dark at startup/cold?


And her 'sweet' smell makes it almost conclusive to me

[waspy]

My odds are on coolant

[Lizzie_Zoom]

I must say TB that I have always believed white exhaust smoke to be produced by water. 

Mostly of course it is down to excessive water in the exhaust, especially on cold starts, but continual white smoke when warm, and the outside temparature is mild, indicates to me water, therefore coolant, leaking into the combustion process.

Over the years I understand there have been continual problems with the K series engine head gasket, with them failing even when they were relatively new.

Taking everything into account, and the "sweet" smell, it to me indicates HG failure.

[aaronjb]

On a K-series the odds on bet is always the HG...

You didn't say which K series, but if it's a larger one (1. then when you replace the HG, replace the plastic locating dowels with metal (IIRC Land Rover parts, or find a kit designed for the Elise) is the general advice I believe.

[TheBoy]

I must say TB that I have always believed white exhaust smoke to be produced by water. 

Mostly of course it is down to excessive water in the exhaust, especially on cold starts, but continual white smoke when warm, and the outside temparature is mild, indicates to me water, therefore coolant, leaking into the combustion process.

Over the years I understand there have been continual problems with the K series engine head gasket, with them failing even when they were relatively new.

Taking everything into account, and the "sweet" smell, it to me indicates HG failure.

Don't believe the hype on HG .  Yes, the K series does suffer worse than most, but even now, in non Landrover installations, it appears not to be a fault with the engine.


This particular one, occasionally on startup, plumes and plumbs of white smoke, with a unique smell, usually acommpanied by a misfire - not running on 3, but a definate miss every couple of secs or so. K series will warm up to full temp at idle in about 90s. When it does it, the smoke won't stop for a few mins, or a couple of miles.

It is intermittent - I bet if I go out there now and start it, it will be good as gold.

It does suffer minor coolant loss - that is a suspect HG issue, with a suspected leak between waterways and the outside of block.

[TheBoy]

On a K-series the odds on bet is always the HG...

You didn't say which K series, but if it's a larger one (1. then when you replace the HG, replace the plastic locating dowels with metal (IIRC Land Rover parts, or find a kit designed for the Elise) is the general advice I believe.

1.6. Currently Payen gasket, as recommended by the Rover engineers who designed/refined the engine.

I do have a LR MLS one, complete with oil rail 'on order' (*cough* via a back door, so awaiting delivery, could be weeks).

Its a later K, ie no distrubuter/MEMS3 based, so already has the metal dowels (as most except the early ones did anyway). It had a HG about 30k ago, appeared to be the more common failure type (ie, the HG went due to coolant loss, rather than coolant loss cause by HG)

[TheBoy]

But anyway, stop the 'its a K series, its the HG', lets try to find the symptoms, diagnose what could be the cause, then look at remedies

Do we all agree that its coolant? Not fuel? Not oil? Not another unknown substance?

[Lizzie_Zoom]

But anyway, stop the 'its a K series, its the HG', lets try to find the symptoms, diagnose what could be the cause, then look at remedies

Do we all agree that its coolant? Not fuel? Not oil? Not another unknown substance?

Well yes TB, to me it is certainly coolant

[TheBoy]

But anyway, stop the 'its a K series, its the HG', lets try to find the symptoms, diagnose what could be the cause, then look at remedies

Do we all agree that its coolant? Not fuel? Not oil? Not another unknown substance?

Well yes TB, to me it is certainly coolant

So, seeing as the exhaust is kind of sealed, and assuming nobody stuck a hose up the pipe at Luton airport, we have to assume its got in to 1 or more cylinders then?

[Lizzie_Zoom]

But anyway, stop the 'its a K series, its the HG', lets try to find the symptoms, diagnose what could be the cause, then look at remedies

Do we all agree that its coolant? Not fuel? Not oil? Not another unknown substance?

Well yes TB, to me it is certainly coolant

So, seeing as the exhaust is kind of sealed, and assuming nobody stuck a hose up the pipe at Luton airport, we have to assume its got in to 1 or more cylinders then?

Yes, as it seems to be getting into the combustion process and that does indicate a cylinder or two

[TheBoy]

The white smoke/smell goes after a few minutes idling, or a mile or so driving.

If the firerings were leaking, would you expect coolant loss to increase during driving (it doesn't), or excess pressure in coolant (there isn't)

[Lizzie_Zoom]

The white smoke/smell goes after a few minutes idling, or a mile or so driving.

If the firerings were leaking, would you expect coolant loss to increase during driving (it doesn't), or excess pressure in coolant (there isn't)

Not if there is a hairline crack, not just in the HG but in the head or cyclinder, which could easily close up once fully at operating temparature.

[TheBoy]

The white smoke/smell goes after a few minutes idling, or a mile or so driving.

If the firerings were leaking, would you expect coolant loss to increase during driving (it doesn't), or excess pressure in coolant (there isn't)

Not if there is a hairline crack, not just in the HG but in the head or cyclinder, which could easily close up once fully at operating temparature.

Cylinders are lined (unlikely to get cracks), though heads do suffer from going porous.

[TheBoy]

I should say, I have my own theories what it is, simply not had time to look at it.

This is partially a lesson in the correct diagnostics

[Lizzie_Zoom]

I should say, I have my own theories what it is, simply not had time to look at it.

This is partially a lesson in the correct diagnostics

Yes, thank you grasshopper! 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)


 

I would certainly be taking the head off by now!