300tdi using / burning oil

I hope someone can give me some advice as I cant find much with the search function.

Basically I have a Discovery 1 300TDi that has 227K on the clock.

It was running ok up to a month ago, little oil use, little or no smoking and only the usualy small oil leaks. I would not say it was perfect but in those areas was fine.

Then on a nights laning I stupidly took a risk through a puddle and ended up stalled in the water (No snorkle)

Could not start the engine again and after being towed out the lane had to get home on the back of an AA truck.

Eventually got her started by removing the top intercooler hose and seeing the crappy water gush out of the top of the intercooler.

I removed and cleaned that and the engine seemed to be ok again, but after a few weeks the engine oil light started to flicker on idle.

I checked the level at that time but it seemsed fine, but it started to smoke a bit as well.

Last weekend the oil light went on and would flicker on and off as I drove home, I needed to drive it carefully home. Got home and it took a full 5ltr can of oil.

There is an oil leak, the drivers side is oily and a good few drips are left on the drive each day, but not enough to eat that much oil.

Since then the oil light started to flicker on idle again and took another 2.5 ltrs of oil.

Also the water, which has never changed had needed a little topping up twice since.

The engine now smokes constantly, especially bad when cold. If I boot it then I get a proper James Bond smoke screen behind me. Generally its a little blue smoke cloud as I pull away, and I can see the smoke billowing in the rear window as I drive.

Not so bad as I travel on the motorways at a steady 60 - 70mph.

I am wondering what damage the water could have done?

Could I be lucky enough to just need a head Gasket?

Might I have damaged an Piston ring or 2?

The main oil loss may be a heavy leak that only ****es out under load so when I stop over I only get the drips off the parts that were drenched.

I know I changed one of the cooler pipes as when I cleaned the engine I spotted a minute hole in the rubber as you could just see the oil coming out as you revved it.

I have changed the lift pump when I was trying to get it running before I found the water in the intercooler.

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

you will have to take head off and check ,a rod may be bent a little

Last weekend I found the source of the leak.

The oil breather cyclone seal was leaking heavily. I removed it gave it a little swill with White spirit and after trying a couple of spare seals without success replaced it with some PTFE tape for now.

I took it for a drive and the smoke seems to be reduced a bit.

I have ordered a new one as there was smoke leaking from the top so probably done 226000 miles without replacement.

The oil light did flicker again and although I have not had a chance to check the level I am sure it could not have gone below the level that quickly so if the level is ok will replace the switch.

I hope the breather may be the cause of most of the problems.

I may try removing the air inlet from the intercooler and running up the road to see if the smoke goes.

Quick update.

I have removed the cylinder head.

The pistons and bores all look very good. Pistons sit level and have a little rocking movement at the top of the bore but no movement half way down.

The head gasket did not look like it had gone although it was difficult to tell as a lot of it stuck to the block and the head. I presume they all do this.

When I stripped the head there was oil on a couple of the valve stems and the oil seals needed removing with a screwdriver and hammer. They were very solid and needed changing but would they cause so much oil use????

I have taken the injectors to a specialist for cleaning and the head off to another specialist for a quick skim to make sure it is flat.

When I took off the inlet manifold there was a couple of drips of oil but nothing major and I have been told this is normal.

Everything should be ready to go back together this weekend and I hope the smoke will be gone.

has it solved it?

My 300tdi is doing similar

No. It looks like the rings are gone. Smoking even worse now.

Mine started smoking at 194k.Blamed a cold start & a long hill in Cornwall...
Starting consuming oil.
Replaced head gasket but advised by mechanic that piston rings were broken.

Think my rings have broken. Can't afford to fix it or replace engine so i'm breaking it by the looks of it.

You had a compression check done then?

Can you get the sump off in situ? if so do it yourself

I have not had a compression test done, but have exhausted every other possibility.

Doing it myself is possible but would be such a pain, mean more expense and add no value to the vehicle.

I am best off cutting my losses and breaking it.

It's eBay auction finishes this evening and if not sold will be broken up.

linky?

Would guess its this

1994 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY TDI AUTO GREEN on eBay (end time 24-Mar-11 21:08:38 GMT)

That's it.

how much?

There is a price on the link. No reserve.

I think he was implying it was a tad expensive

Everyone has there opinion, but it has cost me far more than that and I will get more breaking it.

That will be going ahead now.