Grey smoke after tick-over - what's the problem

Grey smoke after tick-over - what's the problem

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austinchamp

Original Poster:

8 posts

231 months

Thursday 19th May 2005
quotequote all

My 3.0 Se5 runs well, doesn't blow any smoke when cold or hot, pulls like a train, but ....

... when idling and then step on the throttle (even a little) I get a couple of seconds of smoke from both exhausts (seperate side systems right through) and the smoke smells of engine oil? I thought it might be inlet valve oil seals but theres no smoke downhill with the throttle off and back on so it's not sucking oil down the valve stems?

I'm running it on 15W/40 GTX Magnatec.

I want to fix it and thought I'd strip and recon the heads with new seals etc, will this cure it?

GreenV8S

30,243 posts

285 months

Thursday 19th May 2005
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Normally blue=oil, black/grey=petrol, white=water. Could just be running rich, or transiently rich when you pump the throttle?

austinchamp

Original Poster:

8 posts

231 months

Thursday 19th May 2005
quotequote all
It's kind of mid to dark smoke, looks and smells more oil than fuel.

It's running a standard carb and K&N (chrome carb top) filter in place of the old housing/filter. Doesn't do it if I stop for a few seconds, only after about 5 or more with the engine idling.

Maybe I'll elan up the mix on idle and see if it reduces.

Thanx.

Nick_F

10,154 posts

247 months

Friday 20th May 2005
quotequote all
It's either stem seals or the rings - and stem seals are easier to change first...

You can do it in with the heads on in a couple of hours per side using the Indian Rope Trick - ie pushing a length of soft rope in through the spark plug hole and then turning the engine by hand to bring the piston up and hold the valves in place while you work.

Nick.

railtracksport

13 posts

230 months

Saturday 28th May 2005
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its stem seals

austinchamp

Original Poster:

8 posts

231 months

Wednesday 8th June 2005
quotequote all
Hmmm, remembered my Landrover used to do this and the trick was to let the oil level run between L and H and not top it up to H all the time .... tried it on the Scim and guess what ... no smoke! So I'll elave it at middle level (as it ises very little indeed).
Thanx!