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[robby30]

Evening,

I have a problem whenever i start the car, after its been stood overnight or for more than a few hours it puffs a load of oily smoke out the back
It clears after a few seconds. The engine then runs with no problems, no codes and passed its mot emissions no problem. It does use a little oil but not alot. Im just worried that it will expire or cause more damage if i dont fix it.
any ideas? and how easy to put right.
its 02 plate 2.6 manual with 55k
cheers
Rob

[TheBoy]

leaky injectors? (Black)
leaky stem seals? (Blue)

What colour is smoke?

[robby30]

leaky injectors? (Black)
leaky stem seals? (Blue)

What colour is smoke?

its blue...sounds expensive?

[TheBoy]

leaky injectors? (Black)
leaky stem seals? (Blue)

What colour is smoke?

its blue...sounds expensive?

Wait for a 2nd opinion, but I'd be thinking stem seals...

[HGV mechanic]

i agree with TB sounds like steam valves, oil leaks past and sits ontop of the valves, so when started up it burns this excess oil giving you blue smoke, if it smokes all time it would be piston rings,

if its ex plod your engines had a hard life and is genrally worn , so i would keep up to date with servicing

[Entwood]

i agree with TB sounds like steam valves, oil leaks past and sits ontop of the valves, so when started up it burns this excess oil giving you blue smoke, if it smokes all time it would be piston rings,

if its ex plod your engines had a hard life and is genrally worn , so i would keep up to date with servicing

Can't resist it sorry ...  methinks the Miggy engine is  a tad more modern than a coal burner .....  

I'll get me coat now ......  

[HGV mechanic]

i agree with TB sounds like steam valves, oil leaks past and sits ontop of the valves, so when started up it burns this excess oil giving you blue smoke, if it smokes all time it would be piston rings,

if its ex plod your engines had a hard life and is genrally worn , so i would keep up to date with servicing

Can't resist it sorry ...  methinks the Miggy engine is  a tad more modern than a coal burner .....  

I'll get me coat now ......  

             

[robby30]

its not the ex plod one, thats got 140k on it now, never uses any oil and runs like a dream.
Its a 2.6 unabused version and as just mentioned i think its petrol not steam
if its leaking oil past these stems is it likely to go terminal at some point soon? it never smokes after the first few seconds

[HGV mechanic]

  ooh if petrol it normally smokes a sooty black,

it shouldent be a problem, but dont take my word

[Entwood]

I have no experience with stem seals on miggy engines .. but in a past life had similar problems with Ford and BLMC lumps....

There was little chance of anything major giving way on them, but the oil did cause burning and coke build up on the valve seats, that eventually lost power and needed the valves regrinding, which is when the seals were replaced.

I don't know the way these valves are sealed, but some engines have fairly substantial bits of kit, that if they break up can cause damage as the bits go to the wrong places .. ie .. blocked head oilways, getting between cam/valve faces, or even dropping down the side of the valve into the piston area ..

Non of those are good for an engine .. hopefully someone with knowledge of the miggy engine will explain exactly what the problems might be ...

Good luck  

[Gaffers]

I too would be thinking oil stem seals.  I have had some experience of this on a 4 pot veccy.

You can see if it is localised to 1 cylinder by inspecting the spark plugs.  If one is heavily sooted, more so than the rest you may have a rogue seal like I did.

If you feel it is a problem there are ways of sorting this without the removal of the heads but it involves pumping air into the cylinders and a lot of faffing around with valve tippets.

All to change an 18p seal  

[robby30]

thanks i will look at the plugs tomorrow if i get the chance, i guess one or more will be sooty,
how much work is the head off approach? and what parts should i replace when its off. and dont say the head gasket

[Gaffers]

heads off is a big job and expensive if doing through a garage.

If it is not causing big problems then I wouldent worry about it.  If it is I would look at your skill level with the pressurised cylinder option.  Saves a lot of work its just fiddly thats all

[Marks DTM Calib]

Another 2.6 with this issue......

Gm engines generally dont suffer stem seal issues but for some reason the 2.6 does.

The seal itself is quite a complex beast being a metal ring with a complex neoprene section and a small pressure spring to.

Given when its doing it I would not worry to much.

[shyboy]

My 2.6l has the same symptoms. The blue smoke appears, only on start-up after an overnight rest, after about 5 secs. and disappears after another 5/10 secs., then the engine runs perfectly with no issues whatsoever. I've concluded that it's definitely valve stem seals.
I've decided to leave mine for the time being, but am concerned about carbon build up in time (although this I suppose is not all that serious), or more importantly, possible damage to the cats. It's just passed the MOT with no cat. problems, apparently, so if it gets no worse I'll do the full monty when it's time for a cambelt job. (not for another 25k really, but might bring that forward). I just hope that Entwood's fears about break-up don't come to pass.