Smokey 200TDi

Hi,
I went tohave a look at a Discovery last night. It's an L reg and the bodywork and chasis are in exceptionally good condition.
However, the 200TDi engine is very smokey when running. The smoke is mainly white although it does go slightly blue after about 5mins of running. It smelt very diesely but not oily.
I was wondering if anyone had any idea as to what might be casuing the problem as apart from this it is a good machine.
Cheers, Joe

Leave it alone. A bit of white smoke on startup is acceptable so long as it clears pretty much straight away. Blue smoke is a sign of a worn engine letting oil into the combustion chambers. Could keep going for ages but might be a problem come MOT time. You're probably looking at a top end rebuild ie possible rebore, pistons and rings and valves/guides in the long term. You could get a compression test done to give you a better idea. Has it done a big mileage 200tdi's are usually good if they've been looked after.

On the other hand, 200TDi Disco injuns are readily available and reasonably cheap. If the bodywork and chassis are really good, and the price is right, it might be worth a punt.

Not done that many. Hot 93,000 on the clock and it matches the service history details so i think it is genuine.

That's a very low mileage for a smoker. Makes me wonder if someone hasn't been checking their oil? 200tdi's with that kind of mileage are barely run in. Like trewy says though you could get another engine for 3 or 4 hundred quid and jobs a good un.

Hmmm,
Not likely to be a lack of oil as it has a full service history which matches the mileage so the oil would have been changed at each service one would hope.
Not sure what the problem is. I thought white smoke could mean water in which case i was thinking a head gasket. The bloke did isay that he had put some Redex through ir. I'm not sure if this would make it worse or better!!!