Hi, ive got a smoke problem on my car, i think the stem seals are the culprits! Any way of finding out for sure without lifting the head!?

 

stem seals will make the car kick out blue smoke on start up!

 

and it'l smoke more or less all the time? Specially when you give it some? Turbos new, am i right in thinking that if the intercooler pipes have oil in them, then that means stem seals? Any other checks like that?!

 

how many miles has the engine done? im thinking rings.......

 

Re-built not long ago, how much would rings be to sort out, not including taking off, and putting head back on?

How about the oil in i/c pipes?

 

if you had a full re build not long ago it will have new rings anyway!

 

It was rebuilt before i bought it probly about 20k on the engine max!

how much would rings be to sort out, not including taking off, and putting head back on?

How about the oil in i/c pipes?

 

 

you can do valve stem oil seals without takin the head off if you have the rite stuff

 

elaborate please mate

 

you have to keep the valve in place by pressurised air from a compressor and remove the nessasary parts, not the best way of doing the job but by far the quickest

 

up

 

U havnt said what car its on?!?!?! ERSTs etc are a peice of piss to do, if its a cossie it can still be done but is a bit more of a pain in the arse.

 

yep a cos!

 

If it's stem seals then it'll only blow blue on startup and then dissapear when run for a bit. If it blows blue when you boot it then something more serious is fooked!

cheeRS

 

It does dissapear after a boot, are doing the rings, and stem seals about the same kinda job? i.e labour once the heads off?

 

And it is deffo blue smoke, if the stem seals have been like this for a while untreated, can they get worse? What else could it be?

Thanks alot for your help everyone

 

They will get worse after time... as they become more brittle and let more oil past them
Other possibilities are worn rings (as said above) you would tend to find that the car smokes (blue) throughout the rev range and especially when under heavy load.
Of course turbo is a poss but unlikely as you say the smoke goes away after a while. turbo would normally only smoke on over-run (ie after you back off the throttle) pouring blue smoke out the back
To change the rings is... erm well not easy! the sump will have to come off and dependant on wether the car is 4x4 or not then it can be time consuming.
You will then need to remove the pistons and re-ring them.
This in itself is not guaranteed to cure the problem as the bore itself may be worn and ovaled therefore letting oil past the piston anyway.
Best option it to change stem seals and check bore condition (obviously with head off!) if there is a big lip at the top of the bores then i would say oil is passing the rings this however should be unlikely as you say the car has been rebuilt recently"!
CheeRs
Phil

 

stem seals will smoke between gear changes as well , similar symptoms to a worn turbo.

you can change the seals without taking the head off , and the seals are only around £25 i would start by doing that as it saves you from taking the head off.

rings are about £100 and a lot of hassle to change.

are you sure the engine has only done around 20k , what kind of spec is it??

 

Hi, thanks for the help everyone So the seals can be changed by just removing the cam cover? Is the set of seals £25, how many are needed? The cars a 2wd, im sure it hasnt covered more then 20k, its just a stage 3

Thankyou!

 

The previous owner told me the car recently had an exhaust valve or something replaced, and the head was sent off to the engineers for this to be done, they didnt replace the stem seals when this was carried out! I would have thought you would have had to?!

 

do the stem seals first you will need 16 and the cams need to come out!

 

Just the cams? so all ill need is a cam cover gasket?

 

Just the cams? so all ill need is a cam cover gasket?

 

you need the tool to this as well mate , sorry forgot to mention it!!

 

Ok thanks, what about the above questions?

 

up

 

as for gaskets only the rocker set yes.

if you are going to do it yourself , please make sure that the cambelt tensioner is good when you put it back togehter, if its old replace it!!

give A1 rally a call for the stem seals 01767 691617 they should have them in stock