19j tick tick bang!

So I am driving along, and notice a tick, loud but more apparent on overrun. Engine rotation related.
I get home, pull the filler cap off, white smoke, its not like a heavy breathing chuff, more a constant flow, I put a cloth over it, take it off again and it doesnt look like oil vapour. Its coming out the dip stick too, switch engine off and see smoke from the air inlet pipe to turbo. Thing is, coolant seems fine although just a little pressure as you would expect when its hot.
Im thinking head gasket.
Any thoughts?
Please no doom and gloom stories about 19j self destructing.

Rings?

Drives and runs fine, no smoke from exhaust, so I dont think so.

Ring(s) gone would pressurise the sump, not the exhaust, hence "smoke" from dipstick and oil filler cap.

You could well be right, but wouldn't it blow back into the combustion chamber on the exhaust stroke?

Are you having probs accelerating? low power?

does it tick on idle? when cold? when warm? under power?

what this "smoke" smell like?

whats the Oil like?

Engine runs fine, power is OK , ticks when hot but I will let it cool down and try again, exhaust is clear, oil looks Ok, coolant looks good, its running like it should, just this tick and this white vapor from the breather system, cant fault it really running wise.

Im gonna try and see if a heavy fresh oil does anything to quieten it down a bit, 20w50 should do, if it does its piston slap and a worn engine, the oil was changed around 4 months ago, maybe longer but it was cheap crapppy eurocarparts oil.

Exhaust leak near manifold? , this can sometimes sound like a ticking.

Does the 19J have a vac pump ?

They tick sometimes ...

Ally pistons expand when hot, if anything it would do it when cold.

Not hot.

If it was piston slap.

or atleast be exasperated when cold. etc etc

My first thoughts were a leaking manifold, it certainly sounds like it, it also has a vac pump, the pump seals are letting past so its probably worn. We are talking about a 19j (late type) with well over 200k on it so most things will be worn. Im going to drop the oil this evening and have a look, I have some 20w50 mineral oil to put in it so if the ticking quietens that will narrow it down some. I thought piston slap because it seems worse under load, so , idle its not so loud, under load its louder, overrun its loudest.

nobber said:

My first thoughts were a leaking manifold, it certainly sounds like it, it also has a vac pump, the pump seals are letting past so its probably worn. We are talking about a 19j (late type) with well over 200k on it so most things will be worn. Im going to drop the oil this evening and have a look, I have some 20w50 mineral oil to put in it so if the ticking quietens that will narrow it down some. I thought piston slap because it seems worse under load, so , idle its not so loud, under load its louder, overrun its loudest.

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I take it you checked the valve clearances etc ?

Dippypud said:

I take it you checked the valve clearances etc ?

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Not yet, all my tools are at work, if this is a valve or tappet or rod its badly out of tolerance, I changed the oil, old stuff was fine, new stuff made no difference, I'm beginning to suspect bad fuel, I'm using a Jet garage for fuel, but I will do the valve clearance on Monday.

Im thinking its the exhaust now, its hard to locate it but a long screwdriver revealed the ticking was only apparent on the exhaust manifold (screw driver handle to ear, blade end to engine components) , I tried injectors, turbo , fuel pumps, head, timing cover, basically everywhere I could.

Exhaust valve, rocker, push rod?

Or gasket?

My guess is gasket, couldn't hear anything coming from the head or rocker cover.

Here is a better vid of my tick tick boom 19j!

And bang it went, boiled over on the way to work, oil in the coolant, no water in the oil and the exhaust is clear, my guess is crank case pressure is getting into the coolant and forcing it out the reservoir , could be a cracked head or block, anyhow, now looking for a new engine, anyone know of a 19J engine for sale?