Cylinder head

[rmc123]

Hi

I think the valve seats are damaged in my 1100cc clubman. Every time I start the engine after the car has been sitting for a while it blows blue smoke for 1 - 2 minutes. It then clears and when driving there little or none.

I got the timing set by someone who though he was a mechanic. the car overheated twice very badly and i think it burnt the seats.

Does anybody know of a company in Dublin or kildare that would redo the head or maybe it would be better to get a secondhand head?

[Dylan8660]

Howard engineering in Finglas have done a couple of heads for me, reasonable job, turnaround and price.

[macker]

sounds more like valve stem oil seals to me

[rmc123]

Removed the head today. Cylinder 4 has the problem.

Thanks Dylan, I will give Howard engineering.

[woody]

Did the blue smoke start before or after the overheating, could be head gasket and/or warped head.

[rmc123]

The problem started after the overheating. I dropped it onto Howard engineering today. He did warn me that it could be a problem with the piston rings.

I had already checked the piston for movement and scoring and it looked fine.

They said they would give me a call Tomorow. Fingers crossed .

[rmc123]

Got the head back from howard engineering yesterday but they told me that there is nothing wrong with it.

It's look like i will have to take the engine out and strip it down It was suggested to me that a piston ring could be Broken. I'm unsure as there is no sign of scoring on the wall of the bore.

Anybody any suggestions before I start stripping the engine apart?

[macker]

sounds more like valve stem oil seals to me

have you checked these?
I had the same problem some years ago with blue smoke blowing for a minute or two after start up,

they're a cheap fix and could be the root of the problem

[rmc123]

I totally agree. In fact I'm going to take it to cylinderheads.ie in Staffan, Kildare for a second opinion before stripping the engine,

[woody]

First thing to go with overheating is usually the head gasket usually accompanied by blue smoke. A head gasket will go suddenly whereas valve guides or seals will go gradually.

[macker]

yes Woody I'd agree but if the stem seals were already old and it only seems to happen after lying up for some time and then just for a minute or two they might have started to perish or maybe just one or two of them, either way, oil would leak down past them and settle in the cylinder until the next time the engine is fired up, then you get your blue smoke

[woody]

I have had that problem with valve stem oil seals and agree.
Since the smoking stops after a while I would assumn the rings are ok.
Since the head was tested I would assumn it is not cracked or warped.
Before refitting the head will be fitted with all new gaskets and oil seals.
So personally I would go ahead and reassemble the engine and get the timing sorted asap.

[rmc123]

Thanks for all your comments.

[Dilogoat's Gruff]

Would a simple compression test not rule out the rings? I'd be a +1 for the valve stem oil seals too and do a compression test with a new head gasket to check that. Was there any sign of damage on the old head gasket? Might be hard to see but sometimes they split lengthways between the layers as opposed to a complete split.

[rmc123]

Just finished putting the head back on and started the engine. False hope. No smoke for the first couple of seconds and then it was back.

That rules out the head gasket.

The next thing is to test is the compression as Dilogoat's Gruff suggested.

Is there anybody around the Naas, clondalkin area that would be willing to lend me a tester?

[woody]

If its running ok a compression test may find very little, a leakdown test may be better.