blue smoke!

Lexi 1 · Jul 17, 2017

Thanks Nodge.
After breakfast I'll then go and figure out why I don't have any front brakes on the Jag.
Surely though, if the problem was as you suggest, would the smoke not occur every time that the car was left for 24 hours or so?
Because it doesn't, it happens only at random cold starts.
Even if they were non-oe seals would they not be expected to last more than 5 or 6 thousand miles?
Or am I being overly optimistic?

Nodge68 · Jul 17, 2017

I've seen aftermarket valve stem seals not even touch the stem, straight out the packet.

Lots of factors can alter how much oil goes down the valve stem. Things like the engine being hot after a motorway blast can increase the amount of oil getting past the seal. If the engine has been left idling for a few minutes before switch off could well increase oil down the stem.

As a little test for the guide seals, try this test. Give the engine a good 10 mile run at 60. Then stop the car somewhere safe, but leave the engine running. Get out and watch the tailpipe carefully. If after 10 minutes idling, no blue smoke is visible, then give it a good hard rev up, twice. If blue smoke is now visible, then the guide seals are past there best.

If it still makes no blue, then I would ignore it, until it becomes a more persistent problem.

Lexi 1 · Jul 17, 2017

See, that's all I wanted to hear; ignore it and it will go away!
Sorted.
Failing that, any recommended additives?
Port works fine for me but not much beneficial effect on engines.

Alibro · Jul 17, 2017

Probably won't help the smoky exhaust but if the oil hasn't been changed in two years then it really should be a priority. I've seen what happens inside an engine if the oil isn't changed often enough and it isn't pretty. I took the head off my first K series Freelander and the oil had crystallised in the oil ways, blocking half of the engine. No idea how it survived but thankfully it did.
The guys in the Rover forums recommend Magnetec 10W40 oil and in all the time I had 1.8K Series motors it worked well for me.

Lexi 1 · Jul 18, 2017

Thanks; again, any recommendations for oil additives?

Nodge68 · Jul 18, 2017

Lexi 1 said:
Thanks; again, any recommendations for oil additives?

No additives are needed in the oil. Just use a quality 10w40 semi or full synthetic oil.
I always use Fuchs Titan SYN MC 10w40 for all Rover/ LR engines. I'm lucky as I have a UK supplier, jist down the road.

Lexi 1 · Jul 18, 2017

What I meant was, are there any recommended additives for helping the valve guide seals, Slick 50 or similar?
Also, if the guides were leaking then would the blue smoke not appear on every cold start up after being left for a day or so?

Nodge68 · Jul 18, 2017

Treatments like Slick 50 are pure "snake oil". They'll do nothing to restore a mechanical problem.
Just change the oil and see how it goes.

guineafowl21 · Jul 18, 2017

Lexi 1 said:
What I meant was, are there any recommended additives for helping the valve guide seals, Slick 50 or similar?
Also, if the guides were leaking then would the blue smoke not appear on every cold start up after being left for a day or so?

If valve guide seals and just on their way out, it could be that one particular cylinder is worse than the others. Then the blue smoke could be worse or better depending on in what position the crankshaft ends up the last time it was run, or even what angle the car is parked at.

I would follow Nodge's advice.

Lexi 1 · Jul 18, 2017

Ok, thanks all.
Fired it up today and the smoke was more grey than blue; same cause?

Nodge68 · Jul 18, 2017

Lexi 1 said:
Ok, thanks all.
Fired it up today and the smoke was more grey than blue; same cause?

Grey smoke is often just steam. The K series is good at doing impressions of a steam engine.

digby · Jul 27, 2017

Hi guys

All this talk of blue smoke reminds me that my Td4 also gives a bit of a puff of smoke at cold startup.
I havent tried to check the colour yet but i was wondering if there is some way of replacing the valve stem seals without taking the head off - like pressurizing the cylinder with air and somehow compressing the springs with everything in place ????

thanks

digby

Nodge68 · Jul 27, 2017

digby said:
Hi guys

All this talk of blue smoke reminds me that my Td4 also gives a bit of a puff of smoke at cold startup.
I havent tried to check the colour yet but i was wondering if there is some way of replacing the valve stem seals without taking the head off - like pressurizing the cylinder with air and somehow compressing the springs with everything in place ????

thanks

digby

Mine makes a small puff of blue if I fluff up the start. I sometimes release the key before it's started, so have to crank it again. When that happens, I get a small puff of blue. I put it down to age and miles. It doesn't do it when it's running, so I'm not worried about it.

Lexi 1 · Nov 1, 2019

Ok, to revive an old post......
The smoke slowly got worse and then a few weeks ago the head gasket went again so now for sale for spares or repair.
She purchased a 2010 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 which is a much nicer machine than the Freelander 1, which I largely hated.
In fact, I liked hers so much that I bought one too!

Lexi 1 · Nov 2, 2019

Not so impressed today; drove through a large puddle on the road (I thought that they were designed to do that?) and promptly got 'Transmission Fault - Traction Reduced' on the info display.
I've done numerous searches, all of which were inconclusive; basically it could be anything.
The fault shows intermittently and is not always in the display after a start. The car seems to drive fine apart from a slight hesitation when lifting off after pulling away and then speeding up again; hers does that too.
What water related issue would be a likely culprit?
The car had a new diff earlier this year.

Jonny H · Nov 2, 2019

I'm no expert but by brother in law had the same 'Transmission fault - traction reduced' message on his FL2 and it was a problem with the Haldex. Pump had failed as the Haldex had not been serviced regularly. The puddle may be a coincidence.

Lexi 1 · Nov 3, 2019

Thanks.
The car had a new diff fitted earlier this year and as I understand it the Haldex has to come off so presumably it would have had new oil and filter.
My chap read the codes last night and there were loads (he reckons that it must have had a flat battery at some time to throw up that many).
Cleared them all and I'll go for a good run today and see what is stored tomorrow.

Hippo · Nov 3, 2019

If it only happened after going through deep water then the electrical connection to the haldex may have got water in it.

Lexi 1 · Nov 4, 2019

Thanks: I did reply but don't know where my post went.
Anyway, that is kind of what I am hoping, ever the optimist me.
It had a brand new diff at the beginning of the year and as I understand it the Haldex has to come off so the oil and filter should be changed in the process.
I'll get the codes read again this afternoon and see if I can have a crawl underneath; where would I be looking for the connector.

Lexi 1 · Nov 5, 2019

Actually the diff was changed in 2015, should have gone to Specsavers.
Cleared the codes and the same ones came up:- UO437-94 Invalid data received from the rear differential control module, and P1889-14 Oil pressure pump performance.
Returning it to the dealer tomorrow to get it sorted.

blue smoke!

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