smoke on cold starts plus error code...

[Daston]

Hmm I think my tuscan is sick. It has started to puff blue smoke from the drivers side on cold start ups. It sounds healthy and performance hasnt changed. However today sat in traffic it was trying to cut out if I blipped the throttal it would go below 700rpm and error code L would appear. Had to heel and toe it a bit to keep her running. I am using 0W-40 Mobil 1 oil would it be worth changing to a thicker oil?

[Chequred Demon]

Error Code L is "Erratic Speed Sensor", which usually means the transducer on the rear axle needs setting up or is faulty and needs replacement.

Could it be black smoke, white smoke or is it really blue smoke ?

Edited by Chequred Demon on Saturday 13th June 21:51

[Daston]

Deffo blue smoke, drivers end can is quite sooty compaired to the passanger one. Plus there is a distinct smell of burning oil on start up. Thing I dont get is it only does it from cold. Is this the oil seals wearing and as the engine cools down the oil seeps into the cylinders?

Hmmmm that dosnt sound good.... off to google transducer

[Chequred Demon]

Not an expert! But it could be oil leaking into the cylinders over time when the engine is off and then burning when you start up?

Could be a head gasket, which would mean a loss of compression and hence the tick over is lower and she is struggling to run at low revs. You may not notice it that much through the rest of the rev range but if it is the head gasket it will get worse and you could damage the face of the block and cylinder head over time. Have you noticed any difference in oil pressure?

It could also be a valve seal.

I guess you should check the oil and water for cross contamination and get a compression test done ASAP?

Good Luck!

[Tuscanuwe]

It can be also a broken piston ring,
best is go to a garage they can make compression test
and all further investigations to find
fault.
If water will run into cylinder and you try to start
you have to manage a complete rebuilt, because of damaged
piston and or crankshaft+rod!

Pls check also if oil is overfilled, then cyl 1-3 will get most of
overflowed oil, you can also easily check if you take out air filter.
(there must be lot of oil in near of overflow from oiltank!)

Pls keep us informed

Uwe

[softtop]

That is what happened to mine and excessive oil use was the confirming factor. Oil was getting past the rings and burning off from the exhaust bank on the drivers side. It needed a rebuilt head.

[Daston]

OK off to check oil and air filter.

Would it be worth checking the spark plugs? If so what sealant do I need to use for the spark plug cover? Is it just a silicon based one or something special?

[dvs_dave]

Worn valve guides mate. The early engines had soft valve guides. The reason you're getting smoke on start up is that whilst the engine is stopped, oil seeps through the valve guides onto the pistons. Then when you start it, the oil burns off. It will then seem clear but with every piston stroke, a little bit of oil will be seeping by.

Mine started doing this and it gets worse and worse. Before I had her rebuilt she was drinking about 1ltr every 200 miles! haha

Performance never changed, however because of the oil leaking into the combustion chambers it started to suffer from detonation also.

[Daston]

Ok that sounds like what I have got. Is this a full engine rebuild time? Or should the damage be minimal? Only drivin it 150 miles since I noticed the smoke.

Take it the engine will need to come out or is it only the cam cover they need to get off?

[Daston]

Just a thought

I am using 0W 40 Mobil 1 oil. Would it be worth trying a thicker oil to see if that helps?

[330p4]

Dave DVS Dave is right it will be valve guides oil runs in the cylinder whilst stationery & you get blue smoke on start up & misfire till it clears the plugs. Lotus twin cams were notorious for it they had no valve stem oil seals not sure if S6 has stem oil seals if so you might be lucky but they are renowned for guide wear. Would expect all to be knackered so strange only on one bank of 3
Ian

[< FORZA WEST]

Rebuilding one at the mo(still)
They suffer with worn valve guides, stretched valves, worn finger followers, worn half time bearings, heavily scored cam bearings, weak timing chains, worn valve seats, poor head gaskets, no oil to the rear of the head and so on

The one Im doing at the mo had all of the above, having a few probs with the inlet camshaft being to tight when the caps are torqued down-the bearings were heavily scored due to cam follower bar being contaminated with metal filings from when it was origonally milled. As this bar also acts as an oil gallery metal filings are not the best things to be floating around.

There is another Tuscan in the shop waiting to be stripped, on that one the half time bearing collapsed which caused the timing chain too snap.........Using an Endoscope in number 4 cylinder you can see a valve head on its side between the piston and head....Ooops

[Daston]

Well sounds like its warn valve guides. Going to run it for the rest of the summer and then get the engine out over the winter

[< FORZA WEST]

There is another Tuscan in the shop waiting to be stripped, on that one the half time bearing collapsed which caused the timing chain too snap.........Using an Endoscope in number 4 cylinder you can see a valve head on its side between the piston and head....Ooops
[/quote]


With this one the customer is going for the Racing green FFF engine....Looking forward to getting my hands on that one

[Daston]

I see they are selling the FFF head seperatly now might be tempted to look into that myself

[< FORZA WEST]

They are, and they also supply the modified chain set up,half time bearings and modified H gasket......

ps..If you want any info on the FFF give Colin at racing green a call and he will answer any questions about it.

Edited by < FORZA WEST on Thursday 18th June 22:17