My landie has always been a bit of an oil burner, but these days whenever I start up I seem to be enveloped in a plume of smoke that would make you think it were burning oily rags in there.
Once warmed up and running though it seems to be clear enough.
Is it time I started considering what I can do about it before the next MOT ?
Depends whether it's a petrol or diesel engine I guess.... TonyB
The fact that it makes lots of 'orrible smoke aside.. I thought that your landy was old enough to be a visual test only at the MOT?
Petrol I forgot to say, but with that smoke you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise.
Valve stem seals. JD
Perhaps the unleaded has got to it at last.
My 2.5 petrol is doing the same and I presume you have to take the head off to replace them? Little rubber cups aren't they?
Yes - unless you know someone who has (or has made out of an old spark plug) an adaptor for a compressor that pressurises the cylinder so you can do the job with the head on. But then you'd probably best be having a look at the valve seats and checking for play in the valve guides, so taking the head off isn't such a bad idea.
Yes - little rubber cups ia a good a description as any!
Cheers Richard
Thanks Richard, the exhaust gasket is leaking slightly too so I can do it all at once idc. Would you think it worth getting new springs whilst I'm at it?
I had my head off a few weeks ago and I found that it was the valves that needed replacing, two had holes in them. I replaced the little rubber caps as well (oil seals)
The engine is now pulling like a good 'un. Its still burning too much oil but the speeds I can now drive at are scary.
If you are going to remove the valves make sure you get some extra valve collets, these can fly off to the other side of the garage, some did with me. Machine mart do a valve removal tools but the one I bought broke on the first valve. A large G clamp did the job just as well and was cheaper.
My springs looked to be ok.
It was a nice straight forward job but the cylinder head isn't light, I did it by myself but it was very heavy and awkward to lift as you are leaning over the car. Don't forget the new cylinder head gasket! You will also have to reset the valve clearance.
You will also have to drain the water so some more anti freeze will be required.
Nigel
The valve springs should not need replacing, but as Nigel said, some of the valves may. In addition, you can assume the seats will need light grinding. You will need a torque wrench to tighten the head down, and a workshop manual with the correct order of tightening will help. As Nigel comments, the head is heavy, and I found it better to remove the left hand mudguard simply to make it easier - whether this is easier for you will depend on how easy the bolts are to remove. But the head IS heavy. JD
[..]
Sod the MOT - think of the environment. You'll have Greenpeace activists chaining themselves to you if you're not careful.
(Mind, there's one who lives down the road who is very welcome to chain herself to me whenever she feels like it...)
can they make diesels use more oil or is it just petrol's with high intake vacuum?
It's not that bad a job. I once changed a holed exhaust valve in a lane behind Inverness station in less than three hours (including cooling off time having driven from the west coast first). If you leave the manifolds attached they make lifting it easier. I'm not a large chap and the weight was not a major issue - but I was able to stand up in the engine bay. Definitely no need to remove any bodywork.
In diesels in general, they would have to be pretty bad - but many series 3 diesel Landrovers have an intake throttle to provide vacuum for the brakes, and in these the situation is exactly the same as the petrol engine - high vacuum while idling, although possibly not quite as high. So if you have an intake throttle, yes, they can make a diesel use more oil, although since the effect is only there at idling speed, the actual oil used is a lot lower than the level of smoke would suggest. (The smoke is most in just the circumstances you see it, least when you can't see it) JD
I remember many years ago striping down a Vauxhall head on the bench (with a "G" clamp) and one of the collets flew across the garage and went straight down one of the pushrod holes into the engine!!!!! You couldn't do it if you tried. :-)
Mines an 85 naD if it was worth doing (at 115000 miles) I could prolly do it without taking head off.
Not for the sake of it, but if the engine is of unknown mileage etc then for just under £8.00 while the lid is off......
Richard
Yes - but one tends not to notice on a diesel ;-)
Richard
Equivalent to a golfer's hole in one eh Bob? Bet you'll never do it again! TonyB
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