Smoke from the exhaust and rattle from engine

[Dave54]

Blue smoke is oil.
I wonder if as Mursal said, you have excessive end float (caused by worn thrust bearings as I said earlier). Cornering hard might (I don't know but it would seem possible) throw the crankshaft far enough over to make the rattle. Bearings worn on one side would give the effect of only making the noise on a right bend . . .
Causes of worn thrust bearings here
http://www.4secondsflat.com/Thrust_bearing_failures.html
which includes torque converter probs. if you read down.

Whatever I'd drive it pretty steadily until the cause is known.

 

[Burnerman]

Not very happy about this chuff of smoke......any comments on that?
I'd like to see any compression figure results too.
Still scratching the head!
John

 

[Dave54]

Only a theory John, but would the crank moving pull the pistons over far enough to give "slap" and give a bit of smoke?
I'd get a dial gauge and check the crank for end float if possible.

 

[Peter.N.]

This is very puzzling, the only thought that has occurred to me possibly a broken oil control ring allowing oil into the cylinder and burning it when the oil is at that end of the engine.

Peter

 

[AlanE]

Start thinking again from basics how can oil get into the fuel or inlet side of the engine?

Several expensive theories have been voiced here but oil can get from engine to low pressure/vacuum side via the network of breather pipes car manufacturers deem necessary now in order to meet emission levels.

So how about this for a theory. The car is 10 years old so there could be a build up of muck in the breather pipe/valve system. If this doesn't drain back into engine correctly as intended it could pool in one or more components.

Going round a bend could force some of this collected oil to enter inlet manifold, result blue smoke on some bends in road.

So John is this a possibility and the car is simply in need of this system being checked and cleaned? Not a diesel so no turbo, or similar, to be leaking oil back into inlet.

As said just bit of idle thinking.

 

[Burnerman]

Only once in my life have I come across a situation which could be similar - but unlikely in this case!
Land Rover Defender, J reg petrol, SWB.
For some reason, this vehicle would give a large chuff of grey / white smoke from time to time. Eventually I traced this to brake fluid leaking from the master cylinder, into the servo. Every so often, the vacuum in the manifold would suck the fluid up, and burn it - hence the smoke!
In dcawkwells case, I really don't know......blue smoke is oil, and oil can only be combusted if the level is miles high, or the oil control piston rings have failed, or there are other piston issues.
I've never even considered thrust crank bearing problems in a modern motor.....if the thing has been horribly abused, it's piston or camshaft trouble that shows up first. Truthfully, even if I'm doing timing belts, I never even think about checking crank end float!
John

 

[Burnerman]

Here's another of my long shot theories
The auto transmission will shift courtesy of the throttle cable or a vacuum operated modulator. If it's the latter......
Now, if the transmission oil level isn't correct, or there's a problem somewhere in the vacuum line, then it could be possible for the engine to gulp the odd draught of ATF.
(Thought of this one in the shower - which really must prove I need to get out more )
John

 

[Peter.N.]

Its the mind set John, I used to solve most of my mechanical problems in the night if I woke up.

Peter

 

[Burnerman]

Start thinking again from basics how can oil get into the fuel or inlet side of the engine?

Several expensive theories have been voiced here but oil can get from engine to low pressure/vacuum side via the network of breather pipes car manufacturers deem necessary now in order to meet emission levels.

So how about this for a theory. The car is 10 years old so there could be a build up of muck in the breather pipe/valve system. If this doesn't drain back into engine correctly as intended it could pool in one or more components.

Going round a bend could force some of this collected oil to enter inlet manifold, result blue smoke on some bends in road.

So John is this a possibility and the car is simply in need of this system being checked and cleaned? Not a diesel so no turbo, or similar, to be leaking oil back into inlet.

As said just bit of idle thinking.

You could well be correct Alan.....I was thinking maybe there was some oil residue in the air filter housing but that would only really be relevant on the older frying pan type.....anyway, it's a while since I've seen one as bad as to do that. At 70k you wouldn't expect huge issues, unless it's first oil change was at 55k
John

 

[Mursal]

Yes, AlanE has something with the oil coming in from the sump breather pipes. It starts to run on the oil/fumes at high revs (overtaking), but not sure why on the roundabouts.
Well worth letting the sump breath to the outside and see if the problem goes away. A nice cheap alternative to my possible causes