200tdi odd blue smoke issue

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harry2012

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I've tried searching but nothing is exactly the same.

My 1992 200tdi with a genuine 78k on sometimes produces blue smoke when cold.

Its intermittent and doesnt always do it.

I sometimes have to move my Landie from our drive to our car park (we have a shared private car park) park it for a few mins then drive off again when I do this it usually produces clouds of blue smoke on the second start up that clears after a minute or so, it also seems a little lumpier until the smoke clears, but no smoke at all on the first start up. On the odd occasion it'll smoke on first start up but its rare.

Does this sound like stem seals or something else? Ive just replaced the cyclone breather for a new one (non genuine) and it seems worse since changing it, but the engine does not breath heavy.

The only other thing is when I serviced it back in November I have filled the oil to max on the dipstick (I didnt realise until I got a Haynes manual last week it should only be filled to N on the dipstick) it isnt using oil either. Could this be a simple case that ive overfilled it with oil?
 
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harry2012 said:
The only other thing is when I serviced it back in November I have filled the oil to max on the dipstick (I didnt realise until I got a Haynes manual last week it should only be filled to N on the dipstick) it isnt using oil either. Could this be a simple case that ive overfilled it with oil?
Click to expand...

I'd certainly start there cos I believe it won't be doing it much good
 
harry2012 said:
I've tried searching but nothing is exactly the same.

My 1992 200tdi with a genuine 78k on sometimes produces blue smoke when cold.

Its intermittent and doesnt always do it.

I sometimes have to move my Landie from our drive to our car park (we have a shared private car park) park it for a few mins then drive off again when I do this it usually produces clouds of blue smoke on the second start up that clears after a minute or so, it also seems a little lumpier until the smoke clears, but no smoke at all on the first start up. On the odd occasion it'll smoke on first start up but its rare.

Does this sound like stem seals or something else? Ive just replaced the cyclone breather for a new one (non genuine) and it seems worse since changing it, but the engine does not breath heavy.

The only other thing is when I serviced it back in November I have filled the oil to max on the dipstick (I didnt realise until I got a Haynes manual last week it should only be filled to N on the dipstick) it isnt using oil either. Could this be a simple case that ive overfilled it with oil?
Click to expand...

max on dipstick wont hurt id look at stem seals and then injectors
 
Is there an easy way of ruling out the valve stem seals?

Could it be the turbo? How much play should there be in the turbo if I move the vanes?
 
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But is there an easy way to tell for sure. I dont wanna waste a day doing it to find it hasnt cured the problem.

Also if it is stem seals id rather just get the head fully reconditioned, who is best for that sort of thing?
 
Penny to a pound one of the valve stem seals will have popped off, you can see them clearly through the valve springs with rocker cover off.
Mine always ends up on N even when filled to max finds its own level and stays there.
Always check oil when cold and when its stood for a few hours, 200 engine pita when level checking oil.
Maybe buy second hand head refurb that, then just swap them over and sell your old one on.
Rare they make more than a ton even for a mint one.
 
I've ordered stem seals and the tools and I'm gonna do it in situ. The engine is relatively low mileage and runs really well so don't see the point in disturbing the head until I have to.

Plan is to attack it next weekend.

It's embarrassing plumes of blue smoke on start up!
 
Just replaced the Valve Stem Seals this evening, did it all in situ, a really easy job tbh.

On Cylinders 3 & 4 (ones closest to the front) the glow plugs were oily so I'm 99% sure it's the stem seals that were the issue. Also the old ones looked worn and felt like they were drying out.

New ones all fitted, not started it yet as it's too late, I expect it to smoke on this start up as it'll still have oil in the cylinders but hopefully after that all will be good!

Also realised one of the leak off pipes were leaking again so I replaced that whilst I was there.

Now it's the other 99 million jobs I need to do on it!
 
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Its quite normal to have oily residue on the glow plugs, will take a run up to full temp to clean the cylinders out.
 
No these had a fair bit of fresh looking oil on them, not residue. They were wet on the stems of the glow plugs but not the tips weirdly?

Gonna take it for a good drive tomorrow and see how it goes. I hope this cures it otherwise it's something more serious and I don't think it's the Turbo.
 
Took it for a long drive blue smoke on startup and first 30 seconds or so as expected then nothing else.

The tester will be when I next drive it after its been sat for a while...
 
harry2012 said:
No these had a fair bit of fresh looking oil on them, not residue. They were wet on the stems of the glow plugs but not the tips weirdly?

Gonna take it for a good drive tomorrow and see how it goes. I hope this cures it otherwise it's something more serious and I don't think it's the Turbo.
Click to expand...


Yes thats how 200 glow plugs seem to be, maybe its the dead ones that go like it?
 
Just started it, still blueish smoke on initial startup, quite a bit when revved, but clears in a minute or so (if that).

What else could it be?
 
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Is it most likely injectors something like that?

It runs really well, starts straight up and has only done 79k miles.

One thing to note though, this has got a lot worse since I green laned it back in November, and I used to have a noticeable turbo whistle which has now disappeared since the off roading. No idea if it's related tbh.
 
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How about putting a video up showing us the blue smoke? Let's see how bad it is. I've got 6 diesels here not all landrovers and they all throw out blue smoke when they first start. If it clears up after a minute then I would worry about it, but we need to see how bad it is.
 
Here's a video, this is from a cold start, first start today, warm start it doesn't smoke. If I could have got a better angle you'd see its a lot of smoke and quite blue. I'm worried as this has got quite bad in the last couple of months and didn't really do it before,but goes off after a few minutes of driving. I'm fed up of fixing issue after issue now tbh and this is annoying and embarrassing tbh.



It really smells like burnt oil. Just checked the oil and water, oil used a bit but not much, water has dropped a bit but I changed it a little while ago so was expecting it to drop a bit as the last bit of air came out. No signs of sludge or anything like that. Also no water comes put the exhaust and it's dry and sooty to the touch not oily or anything like that.

And for the record I never rev it like that, it was just to show the smoke on the video.
 
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