OIL BURNING

alexander · March 30, 2015

Help guys. Im burning lots of oil. Easy a ltr every 500 miles. And have blue smoke puffing out will revving abouve 4 grand.
Comp test sound all within margins
So its ahould be stem seals right.

Thanks guys

Matt · March 30, 2015

Sjdickso had the very same thing in his.

alexander · March 30, 2015

What was it that was wrong with his. Rings or valves

IDI AMIN · March 30, 2015

Think you have problems with piston rings that is why you are burning so much oil
You probably need new valve stem seals done when you have the cylinder head off cause it's probably a combination of both needing done

Sjdickso · March 31, 2015

As Matt said I had this on my original engine it was the rings and the stem seals then when it was rebuilt by Vauxhall it used even more the ring where gapped up all in line as well as other issues.

Some also say the oil ring gets gunked up, TBH I would say new rings and also stem seals. Whats the mileage on the car and how often do you oil changes?

alexander · March 31, 2015

So its not good news. s**t..
I have had oil changed every 3-4 thousand miles since ive had it At 60 thousand miles and its now 101 thousand miles. Was just gunna get a saab b204 dropped in. Cheap and cheerful

Dave Gilbert · March 31, 2015

Rebuild n supercharge but its not cheap n cheerful but it is fast

alexander · March 31, 2015

I did have a savings pot for a sc. Or turbo. But the chain went and had to be done. So that went quickly

Dave Gilbert · March 31, 2015

Did the chain snap?

What work was done to repair?

That may explain the burning or using oil

alexander · March 31, 2015

Yeah it snapped as i started it one night. And the enginge was stripped and put back together after inspection. And it was fine for about 10 or so thousand miles after that... see i thought that same that some damage may have been missed or something and took it back to the garage. And they checked it and all was fine. Ie the work they carried out

Dave Gilbert · March 31, 2015

What did they do?
Did they just replace valves or did they replace the valve guides aswell?.

It shouldn't be the valve seals as they should have been done with the head set.

HarleyPete · March 31, 2015

I would have thought that the guides would have been done as well. A bent valve would have damaged the guide even if it didn't seem like it. As Dave Gilbert said, the stem to guide oil seal should have been done at the time the repair work was done.

Dave Gilbert · March 31, 2015

Im sure the valve could be fitted without changing the valve guide and may have been over looked but the stem seals and reseating new valves should have been done but who knows.

You cant trust anyone now days to do a job properly unless you trust them

HarleyPete · March 31, 2015

It's possible Dave Gilbert but you'd have to make sure that the guide wasn't ovaled by the force of the valve bending. I personally would change the valve and guide as a pair predominantly because the guide would wear to the original valve after a while. Even a small ovaling could cause an issue, maybe not to the extent of burning that much oil (that's almost on a par with an old Shovelhead Harley engine for oil consumption)but would possibly make lapping the valve in a lot more difficult. I hope it's something simple and easy to sort out for you mate.

Dave Gilbert · March 31, 2015

Yeh anyone who knows what there doing should replace the guides but some garages are cowboys(iv seen some right bodges) so just trying to narrow it down abit.

Sjdickso · March 31, 2015

Have you got a invoice of what was done at the rebuild? Many that have suffered snapped chains have seen an increase in burning oil. As said the guides should have been done.

alexander · March 31, 2015

I have spoken to the garage today and asked exactly what they did. And it seems that all that was done was the chains. And a comp test. Head came off as he had to clean out the shattered guide rails. But apart from that no valve work. No Head work at all..
But there was no smoke or oil burning, for at least 10 thousand miles. So they are saying (quite rightly so i think) they did what was needed and it ran and worked fine with no knocking or smoke . . So its not on them. Quote from when chain went. "Lucky it didnt smash the pistons into the valves"

Dave Gilbert · March 31, 2015

Must have snapped at really low revs not to mash atleast 1 valve.

evocarlos is the best person to talk to, he has done a few snapped chaims now.

didnt someone say about taking the spark plugs out and soaking the pistons in petrol overnight to loosen the rings up if there gunked up? Dont quote me on that 1 but im sure iv heard that or similar

KevinH · March 31, 2015

It could well be that the valve stem seals were replaced, but if cheaper lower grade (nitrile) seals were used then these can degrade quickly, harden up, crack and eventually break into pieces.

Most genuine manufacturer stem seals are made from Viton (or Polyacrylate) which is the best material for today's engines and will last much longer. While they cost more initially, it is a fraction of the cost of rebuilding the head but less likely to contribute to any failure soon after.

Edit: just seen after I posted that no head/valve work was done.

alexander · March 31, 2015

Yeah it was low revs. It went on start up. On night. Funny thing i had only left the garage like 5 mins 3 hrs before as i was getting anengine rattle checked. Lucky it didnt go while driving home. Would have been worse..
Any help welcome can anyone back up the petrol idea please.
I have also been onto that decarbonisation ppl that edd china promote. And they said that it could help. But they dont give a definate yes or no answer in cases like this. Cheers