mawby Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 I have done a search and I think I know the answer, but it's always good to check. My cars been pretty good up to now with no loss of oil, except for recently where ToyodaTech diagnosed rocker cover bolts were lose and oil was leaking down the side of the engine. Well some of you on the Saturday Gumball may remember my car was smoking a bit which it has never done before. This was most noticable when we stopped at LongLeat. There was a good mile or so drive at sub 20mph up to the gate, and when I pulled away from the gate there was a big puff of oily smoke. It did it again in the car park when I pulled away. When I got home I checked the oil and it was half way. I then checked it again after the Sunday Gumball (320+ miles of spirited driving) and it was still half way. However, on my way to work this morning I accellarated hard to get into the fast lane and for a second or so the oil level warning light came on. It didn't do it again but I was not happy. I'm just letting the engine cool down now and I'll go and see if any more oil has been lost. There is an oil burning smell, but not all the time. When I started the car this morning there was no signs of burning oil nor any smell. So, given the details above and the fact I was running 1.2-1.3 bar for a few months without knowing it, and the fact the car is just about to clock 80k miles, what d'ya think it is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soonto_HAS_soop Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 An Oil Leak? Ben.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawby Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 I've not noticed it since ToyodaTech tightened the rocker cover bolts. Given the puffs of smoke I'd say it's definitely being burnt. So does it sound more like value stem seals or turbo oil seals? I think I know which one it is and I it's not going to be cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soonto_HAS_soop Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Neither are going to be cheap, but look in the inlet for lots of oil, if there is a load of the stuff in there then 99% sure it's turbos. If there ain't much in the inlet, could be the vlave stems, or knackered piston rings? But I'd sit and wait for a techie to come in. Ben.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Terry S Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Mawby, does it only smoke on vacuum, i.e. when you are not making boost, sitting at idle or with very light throttle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyefi Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 turbo seals can go on the exhaust side and u'll not notice loads of oil in the inlet pipes (some oil is normal). valve stem seals classic symptom is smoking on startup from cold after being stood for a while. turbo seals eventually lead to a massive white smoke screen thats quite hard to ignore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branners Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 how long has the oil been in the car? Higher boost and higher temperatures reduce the life of the oil which is why a lot of people do oil changes at 3000 miles. If you are using a thin oil to start with then when its past the end of its life its going to be so thin it will blow past the seals. I would suggest getting a full oil change and then see how bad it is after that. JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawby Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 I've only noticed it smoke when I jabbed the accellarator having been crawling for a distance and then idle for a few seconds to a minute. I didn't/haven't noticed it when driving, but given the amount of oil gone I presume it must be burning it at other times. I asked at the Gumball if anyone saw it smoking and one person said it was a little but nothing major. The puffs at LongLeat were very noticable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawby Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 Originally posted by Branners I would suggest getting a full oil change and then see how bad it is after that. Well it's due its oil change service right about now actually. It's just it seems a bit sudden and with the 120+ miles I do a day I don't want to be running out of oil on the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawby Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 Originally posted by eyefi valve stem seals classic symptom is smoking on startup from cold after being stood for a while. That's what I was thinking, and with the MOT due in Novermber I'm guessing it wont pass if the problem isn't sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawby Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 Just checked the oil, there's just under half on the dipstick. However, the car is on a slight slant with the front end lower than the rear. would this cause the reading to be higher or lower than it actually is? Also, looking under the car it might well be leaking oil again. Not massives, 10ml maybe. Hard to tell as I don't know how much was already from the previous leak. Terry, I'm interested in your opinion as to what you think this might be. I was the one enquiring about using the Blitz boost controller to limit boost. (I e-mailed Leon about it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Terry S Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Mawby, if it does it at vacuum it is more than likely stem seals. Leon has a leak down tester that will help eliminate things. If it were turbo seals you'd know pretty quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawby Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 Sounds like I'm going to have to give it to ToyodaTech to sort out... along with my credit card. I'd like to take it to JPS as I'd like the Blitz controller done as well, but it's a bit of a trek and if it is something serious then I might not be able to afford the controller anyway! Rest assured that if it is a turbo problem I'll be in contact for some big hybrids! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Lee, keep us posted on this one please mate?. cheers and good luck dude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Originally posted by Terry S Mawby, if it does it at vacuum it is more than likely stem seals. Leon has a leak down tester that will help eliminate things. If it were turbo seals you'd know pretty quickly. You're saying that once turbo seals start to go, they die big-style soon after, right? Mine has had the same symptoms as Mawby's for a while now, I guess it'll be good news if it's not the turbos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 DEF' sounds (and LOOKS - I saw it Sunday... just a big PUFF then stopped when you took off !) like Stem Seals... ! ! ! Stem seals is when it creeps down the guides during slow running and Idling, then when you WOT it burns it all off and not a lot of smoke at high speeds (as YOURS was doing) Turbo seals SIMILAR , but, the more you boost the more it smokes (usually!). Yours looked classic Stem Seals. Let it tick over for a while (~2/3 minutes) then just rev it up a fair bit... if it smokes then dies down 'fairly' rapidly... = STEM SEALS. Mine was doing it if I let it tickover for a LONG while just before my 'mishap'.... since the repair (Stem Seals done as part of Head refurb) it doesn't do it AT ALL. (touch woodY ! ) FatS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawby Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 Originally posted by Steve W DEF' sounds (and LOOKS - I saw it Sunday... just a big PUFF then stopped when you took off !) like Stem Seals... ! ! ! It would also explain the big loss of oil on the Saturday (with all the 18mph cruises we were doing) and the seemingly no loss of oil on the Sunday when doing 70-100 leptons for over 300 miles! I'll get it booked in for it's service and see what they say. If it is the stem seals then how much (roughly) would you expect to pay to get it sorted... worse case senario? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Originally posted by mawby If it is the stem seals then how much (roughly) would you expect to pay to get it sorted... worse case senario? I've seen £1000 quoted by folks on here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 I would GUESS somewhere around.... £500-700 ? ? They need to un-hitch T-Belt off pulleys which may (?) mean fudging about re-tensioning the tensioner afterwards ? SO THAT, they can remove cams and then the task of taking shims/buckets out to get at stem seals, and, they're probably fairly nasty likkle buggers to get at ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawby Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 ARGH!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 POSSIBLY less mate.... sorry ! ! ! Just not sure how much RE-doin is needed on belt/tensioner.. I'll ask the 2 lads who did mine 'cos between them they'll DEF' know how bad/long a job it is ? ? (then you'll know if anyone's giving you B*LLSH*T when you price-it-up ?! FatS. (ps. unfortunately, NOBODY will GUARANTEE the stem seals will cure it ! ! - there's always a slight doubt - ie the turbo seals etc as said before.... miniscule chance guides themselves... so it will always be "PROBABLY" - it is when we diagnose even a FORD FIESTA ! !) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawby Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 Cheers mate. The garage that services my car is ToyodaTech, and I've recommended them to a dozen or so people since I've owned the Supra. It would be a BIG mistake for them to try and shaft me with a bullshit price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terminator Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 What grade oil are you using? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawby Posted September 24, 2003 Author Share Posted September 24, 2003 That I don't know. I checked the service document and it's not written on there, and to date I've not needed to put any oil in. I've just driven all the way to work (62 miles) not going .1 bar boost and as far as I could tell there was no smoke or oil smell. Then, just as I reached work at a roundabout I had to blast it to onto the roundabout and although it was only for a second, and I didn't see any smoke, I could definitely smell something funny. I don't know. I'll check the oil level again soon and see if it's gone down given I've been driving with -.5 to -.7 bar vacuum this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Terry S Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Mawby have you checked the PCV valve ( I should have thought of that first). It is a small non return valve between the inlet cam cover and the intake manifold, connected by a piece of rubber hose. Blank it off and try the car. It's only a £5 part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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