Smokey Series III

HI, pulled the heater plugs from the old girl and they had all had blown and the coil bit had disapeared from two of them( 1971 2.25 diesel with the old style heater plug). If these have gone through the engine could this be why so is so smokey lately? If you take the breather off there is no noticable flow of air coming out so I assume the bores and rings are ok and the oil is coming though worn valve stem seals etc? any ideas before I whip the head off.
Cheers all !

Check injection timiing. Mine did the same thing. There is a washer under the cav pump which needs to be in good order otherwise it smokes like a sod. Cheap to replace it though.

Smokey all the time or just at start up? If at start up then it is probably unburned diesel because your glow plugs have not be working. Fairly cheap and easy to replace all 4 and see if there is a difference.

Smoke blue for 10 mins then clears. Has been sat for a few years but I regular run the engine up. I had a 110 2.5 na that did the same but with new injectors and a head overhaul ran clear afterwards so hoped it was head based problem as engine isn't a heavy brether.

Could be just valve guide oil seals then.....oil runs down the valve stem and then burns off when engine is started.

andyb66 said:

Could be just valve guide oil seals then.....oil runs down the valve stem and then burns off when engine is started.

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I agree, and the oil actually helps it to start better by slightly raising the compression ratio, and by wetting the valve-seats and piston rings making them seal better. But the smoke will only get worse ....

It is easy to sort valve stem oil seals, and you do NOT need to take the head off to do it.

The trick is to do one cylinder at a time, and when you take off the collars collets and springs you let the valves rest on the piston which you just parked at top dead centre first. DO NOT DROP A WHOLE VALVE INSIDE!

You can imagine the rest, but if not, take the head off.

CharlesY