Help needed with engine

dragon-sri

Hey guys I took the coil pack of my car to clean spark plugs. Put it back together but now it sounds like its running on 3. When I rev the car with the hood up blue smoke it coming from the bay. I have tried to see where about its coming from but it only seems to come out when the engine is under pressure. I got a horrible feeling the engine is going to need stripping down which I think is a bit too much work for me 🙁 If anyone local could help I'd appreciate it. Sadly the engine bay as gunk and oil which I guess as collected over the years. If I had to take the head off do I need a winch? Never done anything that extreme to a car. Any advice where to go from here?

JohnnyN

Are you sure that you haven't cracked one of the threads when undoing the spark plugs? Very common problem resulting in a new head. The thread run very close to the water ways.

dragon-sri

Knowing my luck who can tell lol. I take them off tomorrow again. I'll guess I be able to tell if i have if there is moisture or water in there. Thx for the advice m8

JohnnyN

If it does turn out to be a cracked thread, contact ATOMX regarding another head.

:thumbup:

dragon-sri

Well took the coil pack and sparky's out and there seems to be a bit of oil around the one nearest to the EGR end no water or no sludge. Car deffo isn't using water or losing it its the only thing that don't need topping up lol. I wonder if thats why I get smoke when I give it welly. I checked the power steering fluid thats on min but I wouldn't even know when that last time that was topped up never since I had the car thats for sure. I got a even worse feeling now seeing that oil in there. Its not like there is a puddle in there but it can't be good :sick:

si_c1978

you could probably pick a cylinder pressure tester up quite cheap and check with that.....

dragon-sri

Thx does Halfords sell them? Dont think there are any shops like that in Honiton. Plenty of antique shops lol. If you see a big mushroom cloud you know I decided to burn the car :twisted:

blue_se2

i could be the oil seal on the cam cover leaking into the spark plug hole?

dragon-sri

Yeah I think I will change the gaskets. Can the rubber ones be reused if gasket sealant is used? If oil has gone down into the spark plug holes will damage already be done? Also the plug was oily too would it be possible due to pressure pump oil past the plug and look like it came from the gasket? Sorry for all the questions started to get a bit down about it would be nice if I could see light at the end of this tunnel :cry:

BURT150

It wouldn't hurt using some sealant just as a tempory fix to eliminate that as the fault.

You could also take the coil pack off and get somone to crank it while you have a look.

It will throw a fault with the coil pack off but it'l clear if you take the battery off for a bit when finished.

Watch your eyes tho and dont get down Its only f**ked when you cant get over it :thumbup:

dragon-sri

Yeah I get some sealant tomorrow and have a bash think I have spent more time on the car then with the GF! I try to see if I can get someone to crank it too, what am I looking for? I plugged the code reader in and get P0300 multiple cylinder misfire detected didnt need it to tell me that though lol. Wish I learned more about mechanics and less about computers... oh well. And thx I will keep at it until all my hair falls out or I die of old age whatever comes faster lol.

BURT150

Your looking for where the blue smoke is coming from :thumbup:

If you seal the cam cover up tempory then you'l know its not that so it'l narow it down as to where it is.

If it proves to just be the cam cover get yourself some new plugs and start again.

dragon-sri

Thx bud I'll be taking it off later going to Halfords to get some gasket sealant and see how much new plugs are. I stuck the code reader in again and it threw me this code P0304 cylinder number 4 misfire. Is that the cylinder opposite to the oil filler cap? If so thats the cylinder thats got a lot of oil.

BURT150

Yep thats the one nearest the gearbox end.

Hopefully you'l get to see whats going on today then.

dragon-sri

Right fitted new sparkys and redone the gaskets. Good news is that it is firing on all 4 now showo..
Bad news (there always is lol) its still blowing a bit of blueish smoke out. I cleaned the hell out the of spark plug holes so im hoping if it is leaking i should be able to tell. I only started it up briefly so maybe it will clear i don't know....

EDIT* WOW took the car for a drive and its pulling like it should and to be honest pulling like its never has before very fast 😃
But its chucking smoke out the exhaust when I do give it some. Hard to tell if its blue or grey as its dark. Going to take the plug out that was leaking before and see if the smoke coming from the engine bay again. Any ideas what it could be now? Whats the worse case scenario?

si_c1978

piston rings or valve guides are common, this will also heavily affect your oil consumption so keep an eye on it or you can suffer chain failiure!

BURT150

What he said^^^^^^^

glad its back running on four now. your guna have to get someone to rev it while you watch for the smoke. its the only way you'l know for sure where it is coming from :thumbup:

dragon-sri

How much would it be to replace those mate? Is it a easy job for a newbie mechanic?

BURT150

Valve guides are £6 ish each stem seals are £20 for 16 and rings are about £100

Plus ontop of that you'l need new head gasket ,bolts, bottom end bearings, timing chain if yours is getting old and alot of bits an pieces plus machine work to the head and valve train.

It's alot of work and money as i found out not so long ago. i would think your looking around £300- £400 depending on how far you go with it 🙁

dragon-sri

Mmmm that's a lot of dosh and its way beyond me to try and fix it myself 🙁
I guess any kind of local garage can do it. Would it be worth sticking any kind of product in it to stop it smoking?