Blue smoke

[Dr Fingers]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but I'll be interested to see the outcome. My N reg is smokey at start up, but it's blue smoke. It's better if I wait a while (15-20 secs) between plug light going out and turning the key, but she has suddenly taken to occasionally belching LOTS of blue smoke when driving, even if warm..

Like you though, no coolant loss or overheating.

Going back to the dealer on Friday


Derek

[francophile1947]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but I'll be interested to see the outcome. My N reg is smokey at start up, but it's blue smoke. It's better if I wait a while (15-20 secs) between plug light going out and turning the key, but she has suddenly taken to occasionally belching LOTS of blue smoke when driving, even if warm..

Like you though, no coolant loss or overheating.

Going back to the dealer on Friday


Derek

Blue smoke is usually burning oil - do you use any oil at all?

[Dr Fingers]

Blue smoke is usually burning oil - do you use any oil at all?[/quote]

That's what I thought..could it be piston rings? Head was done last summer (according to the dealer). Had oil change and flushout at dealer's 2 weeks ago, so oil is currently on the mark, can't see any obvious leaks anywhere. Smoke is purely from the exhaust, so it must be an 'internal' problem. No missing, no overheating, she runs enthusiastically, but latest big belching prompted urgent call to dealer: would be anti social to drive it as is.


Derek

[francophile1947]

It could be rings, valve guides etc. It's unusual to have it happen suddenly, but I'm afraid I don't know much about the Bongo engine to be able to advise - hopefully somebody more knowledgeable will appear shortly.
I've split the topic to form a new thread, so that the other thread can continue with their particular problem

[Dr Fingers]

Thanks..didn't mean to hijack..

Derek

[dandywarhol]

Does it happen when the turbo spins up - usually over 1800 rpm under load? Could be a turbo seal problem if it does.

[Dr Fingers]

Could be it. It doesn't smoke when idling, only when under load..

Thanks, will suggest this to the dealer when he picks her up!


Derek

[M 80NGO]

My guess is turbo seals are letting oil past when it cools down thus giving you the smokey start up and also leaking oil past the seals under load, basically its gonna want a turbo rebuild under dealer warranty, my advise is to go in there and explain it all nicely and see what he's gonna do about it ( dealers don't generally like paying out ) if you get little or no joy tell them politely that you'll take the issue up with your local trading standards at no point get balshy or go in guns blazing. Explain the facts of turbo care to the dealer ( see below ) and he'll no that your no muppet

Its not the dealers fault but it is his responability to put it right, the fault lies with owners who don't do turbo care and let the turbo run down for 10 to 30 seconds prior to switching the ignition off cos when the engines switched off the oil feed is cut to the turbo and without a rundown period the turbo could be spinning at up to 60'000 rpm with no oil feed

[Dr Fingers]

Dealer has already fixed a few minor things under warranty, so I hope there's no problem there. I assume the turbo would be cheaper for him to repair/replace than doing piston rings etc?

Car was sold with a verbal 3 month warranty (we got her at a pretty good price), which as he said himself is a minimum legal requirement.

A little puzzled re your comment on turning off ignition..do you mean that you shouldn't let the engine idle more than 10 secs before switching ignition off?

Many thanks all, hugely appreciated.

Derek

[jaylee]

Think of it like a Dancer/Athlete warming down after an event.... (Prolonging the life of the turbo.)
If i pull in to a service station after a long run, i let the engine idle for a couple of minutes... That's what a turbo timer does (If fitted with an alarm system.) though i don't like the idea of leaving my van running & unattended...! I normally sit & have a ciggy...

Just to add i wouldn't smoke a fag on a garage four-court... Just the car park..

[Dr Fingers]

Got it.. just don't pull in and bang the ignition off?


Derek

[jaylee]

Yep, manual turbo timer.!

[jaylee]

In fairness after a run (Say.) on the UK motorway, you probably be snaking yer way slowly round a car park looking for a space anyway.. So, it's kind of already warming down..? The foreign ones you tend to turn off & hit the pumps..

[M 80NGO]

In fairness after a run (Say.) on the UK motorway, you probably be snaking yer way slowly round a car park looking for a space anyway.. So, it's kind of already warming down..? The foreign ones you tend to turn off & hit the pumps..

Absolutely bang on , i always just take the last couple of miles nice n easy then let her idle for 30 seconds while i get my things together before switching her off

[dandywarhol]

To be honest, it's really only a problem with old non coolant cooled turbos - modern turbos, including the Bongo, are cooled so the shut down procedure isn't that important (except as mentioned before, foreign motorway exits with little slow down)