blue smoke!
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GrumpyGel
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Erm, hands up everyone who removes and cleans their inlet manifold for every service!
I've removed and cleaned (with a screw driver) the plenum chamber on my sooty L Series once in the 6 years I've had it and never had the manifold off.
Surely somewhere between lazy and anal is the correct way of doing things
I've removed and cleaned (with a screw driver) the plenum chamber on my sooty L Series once in the 6 years I've had it and never had the manifold off.
Surely somewhere between lazy and anal is the correct way of doing things
Hi grumpy, this td4 is the first diesel iv'e had so diesel is a whole new world to me. Wish i'd been able to hang on to my old Mk1 petrol Defender but had to sell it years ago when bringing up a family that had over 300,000 on the clock and still purred like a kitten. Didn't realise how many things
caused one problem on a diesel. Still, live and learn.
caused one problem on a diesel. Still, live and learn.
It's sealed with O rings. It takes 10 minutes to take off and if crudded up, several mucky hours to clean.
I would clean it every service if my EGR wasn't deactivated. Obviously no crud builds up without the EGR working.Erm, hands up everyone who removes and cleans their inlet manifold for every service!
I've removed and cleaned (with a screw driver) the plenum chamber on my sooty L Series once in the 6 years I've had it and never had the manifold off.
Surely somewhere between lazy and anal is the correct way of doing things
GrumpyGel
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I don't think a diesel is any more difficult to maintain than a petrol. Its easier to get you head around how it works and as the years roll by and engines get more and more complicated all the bits that were common place on diesels first are now on petrols anyway - eg injectors, turbos etc. On a diesel you don't have the complicated ignition stuff to contend with and go wrong. They also seem to burn more efficiently and have less overheating type issues. So give me a diesel any day
Yes. Must say, i'm really taken with the td4 despite the niggles and problems i seem to be having. Only wish the previous owner had kept some sort of service history to give some clues. Only had it since July and already had to change the battery, all brake pipes with full slave strips, exhaust, bald spare tyre, rear diff bushes, full filter system, although i must admit i didn't change the fuel filter as i couldn't find it and the weathers a bit rough to be under there at the moment .Glad to say i am getting there. forgot to mention, i have removed the egg but am in two minds of putting back on.Do you think after cleaning the inlet i should leave it off?
GrumpyGel
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Looks like the previous owner saw all these routine maintenance issues coming up all at once and decided to sell it on. Bad news for you as you had to replace them, good news for you is that they're done
Incidentally, as you've replace the diff mounts, have you checked your VCU is operating correctly? Mounts can go with a good VCU, but a bad one will assist in their destruction and the destruction of other much more expensive components. Have you done the One Wheel Up Test?
I'm no ninja mechanic, so technically I'm not really the person to answer whether EGR removal is a good thing or not. My mechanical ability is based on common sense and seeing 100s of threads going through LZ and what the outcomes are My view on it though is that people with a smattering of understanding who buy diesels immediately whip the EGR off because "that's the done thing", but usually there is no benefit - as I say, my view. There are others with actual faults with the EGR that whip it off and many more with faults they put down the the EGR, so whip it off just to find the problem is elsewhere (eg MAF)! So I recon EGR removal benefits a very small percentage of people who have done it. They do not appear to go wrong that often compared to other components.
Its true that removing the EGR will stop plenums and manifolds clogging up with soot over time and obviously remove the possibility of faults developing with the EGR operation that need fixing. They are the only possible benefits.
The engine's ECU will be programmed to expect an EGR, so this may explain where people suffer strange engine behaviour after removing the EGR, maybe a rough patch in the rev range etc.
Similarly, there will be a huge number of vehicles scrapped at some point and a huge market for EGR parts when the MOT is changed to state that if an engine was built with an EGR, that it must still be present. I'm sure it will come along 1 day, I don't know why its not there now, it should be.
So my view is that they should not be removed, do not go wrong that often and when they do, should be fixed just like any other component - or maybe removed then - but that's the only time and the bits should be kept in case they need to be fixed and put on for a MOT at some point in the future.
Incidentally, as you've replace the diff mounts, have you checked your VCU is operating correctly? Mounts can go with a good VCU, but a bad one will assist in their destruction and the destruction of other much more expensive components. Have you done the One Wheel Up Test?
I'm no ninja mechanic, so technically I'm not really the person to answer whether EGR removal is a good thing or not. My mechanical ability is based on common sense and seeing 100s of threads going through LZ and what the outcomes are
My view on it though is that people with a smattering of understanding who buy diesels immediately whip the EGR off because "that's the done thing", but usually there is no benefit - as I say, my view. There are others with actual faults with the EGR that whip it off and many more with faults they put down the the EGR, so whip it off just to find the problem is elsewhere (eg MAF)! So I recon EGR removal benefits a very small percentage of people who have done it. They do not appear to go wrong that often compared to other components.Its true that removing the EGR will stop plenums and manifolds clogging up with soot over time and obviously remove the possibility of faults developing with the EGR operation that need fixing. They are the only possible benefits.
The engine's ECU will be programmed to expect an EGR, so this may explain where people suffer strange engine behaviour after removing the EGR, maybe a rough patch in the rev range etc.
Similarly, there will be a huge number of vehicles scrapped at some point and a huge market for EGR parts when the MOT is changed to state that if an engine was built with an EGR, that it must still be present. I'm sure it will come along 1 day, I don't know why its not there now, it should be.
So my view is that they should not be removed, do not go wrong that often and when they do, should be fixed just like any other component - or maybe removed then - but that's the only time and the bits should be kept in case they need to be fixed and put on for a MOT at some point in the future.
guineafowl21
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Out of interest, how often do you change your breather filter, and what brand?
I change it at the same time as the oil/ air filter. I generally use Bearmach service parts.
Skinny Mike
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Never had a problem since I put the cyclone filter in rather than the sponge type. But I do change the oil at a maximum of 6 months. So this keeps things clean.
If you didn't realise, the o'rings on the manifold are reusable, just check they aren't hard or perished.
Mike
If you didn't realise, the o'rings on the manifold are reusable, just check they aren't hard or perished.
Mike
teddywood1
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I agree with GrumpyGel I am not one for removing the EGR is a no no just keep it clean and it will do its job if you are burning oil it could be either piston rings or leaking valve stem oil seals I am only saying it could be.
Last edited:
Tony e
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Stop takin things off, it was there for a reason. Some profesor tec head desined it that way, not some chancer who thought it would be a good idea at the time
Hi y'all.
I've been going around in circles trying to find out if the 1.8 petrol lump has a crankcase breather; everything I click on directs me to one diesel thread or another.
It's a 2004 Sport ( a very subjective word!) with 81000 on the clock. Recon cylinder head with proper gasket fitted a couple of years ago and it drives fine.
Occasional blue smoke on start up but not when driving so I don't think it is valve stem seals (shouldn't be after only a few thousand miles) so was wondering about the crankcase breather; is there a filter or similar that needs looking at?
Thanks
I've been going around in circles trying to find out if the 1.8 petrol lump has a crankcase breather; everything I click on directs me to one diesel thread or another.
It's a 2004 Sport ( a very subjective word!) with 81000 on the clock. Recon cylinder head with proper gasket fitted a couple of years ago and it drives fine.
Occasional blue smoke on start up but not when driving so I don't think it is valve stem seals (shouldn't be after only a few thousand miles) so was wondering about the crankcase breather; is there a filter or similar that needs looking at?
Thanks
GrumpyGel
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1.8 Sport? I think not. I'm often proved wrong but I thought the Sport was only available as TD4 or V6. Dunno about the 1.8 breather.
See what I mean? Back to the TD4 again.
I can provide photos to prove that it is a Sport as it has 'Sport' badges on the side (probably because it has a soft top) and it has a 4 pot petrol engine; at least, we have been putting petrol in it for the last 7 years without any ill effects other than on the wallet!
I can provide photos to prove that it is a Sport as it has 'Sport' badges on the side (probably because it has a soft top) and it has a 4 pot petrol engine; at least, we have been putting petrol in it for the last 7 years without any ill effects other than on the wallet!
No breather filter in the 1.8. There's just a strainer gauze in the cam cover. Blue smoke on starting is likely valve guide oil seals. They harden with age, not necessarily miles. So while 80K miles doesn't seem far for such issues. For 13 years old, it's an acceptable maintenance interval.
I'm assuming it has the correct grade of oil in it. The K series likes 10w40 semi synthetic. It often gets smoky if the oil gets overdue too.
The Sport was available in a 1.8. Sport is a suspension and trim level. It's not a performance improvement.
Yes a Sport was available in a 1.8 K as well as V6 and the TD4. It's a trim level that came with road handling suspension upgrade and 18" rims. It's not a performance upgrade.
Thanks. The recon head was only fitted about 2 years ago so in theory that should be ok. If the valve guide seals were shot would it not smoke constantly, at least until it was fully warmed up?
Oil change was done at the same time so is probably due but it still looks clean.
Whereabouts is the strainer gauze? is it possible that it can get gunged up and cause the smoke?
Oil change was done at the same time so is probably due but it still looks clean.
Whereabouts is the strainer gauze? is it possible that it can get gunged up and cause the smoke?
A recon head would explain things. Unless OE valve guide oil seals were used, smoking on starting can result. I've yet to find on aftermarket guide oil seal that lasts as well as a factory seal. My guess is that non OE seals were used, hence the smoke.
Worn seals only smoke at start-up because the oil running down the valve stem accumulates on the back of the valve head. This is flushed off as soon as the injectors spray fuel at it. This makes the initial dose of fuel into 2 stroke fuel, hence the smoke. When the engine is running, the oil flowing down the stem washed off before it accumulates and so massively diluted by the fuel, so the smoke stops.
Change all the guide seals for genuine Rover seals and the problem should go away.
Worn seals only smoke at start-up because the oil running down the valve stem accumulates on the back of the valve head. This is flushed off as soon as the injectors spray fuel at it. This makes the initial dose of fuel into 2 stroke fuel, hence the smoke. When the engine is running, the oil flowing down the stem washed off before it accumulates and so massively diluted by the fuel, so the smoke stops.
Change all the guide seals for genuine Rover seals and the problem should go away.
