2.4 Owner's Paranoia? Or is it more?!

[jim_5elf]

Evening, I've got two 2.4 Surfs - of which one has had the head replaced. Ever since, I haven't been able to look at the other one quiet the same as I used to. I am bricking it! But, I think I may have reason to worry...

It's using oil pretty rapidly and smells like burning oil. I also have oil all over the underside of the engine. Hopefully it's 'just' a leak..

The engine does smell of burning, so I lifted the bonnet today and steam is drifting out/near/from under the block. I unscrewed the engine oil cap, and steam was for sure coming out. Maybe this is normal. I had only been driving for about 10minutes...

I check the coolant level in the rad cap pretty much every time before I drive it (as mentioned paranoia!) and thankfully, this isn't moving. It's always at the brim.

So, steam coming from the block but NOT using coolant- any ideas what I should be checking? Could it be the head anyway...!?

Thanks people,

[andyverran]

Could the steam actually be oil smoke?

[GRASSMAN]

Jim,

I'm sure it's the cam cover leaking put a new gasket
on, and clean the engine, all will be OK. check
the oil level too.

hope this helps.

Gman.

[Rob5464]

If the water is not going down. then its probably not steam. If its burning oil all the time. then maybe the piston rings are gone. If the rings are gone maybe unburnt fuel is passing the pistons into the block, then vaporizing from the heat and rising up through the rocker cover. Or it could be exhaust fumes?

My Shogun was passing exhaust gasses through the rocker cover when it bent rods.

Do you run waste veg oil/biodiesel? I can't see any other way water could be getting into the engine if its not loosing coolant.

Are you sure its not losing it? Have you checked the level in the radiator as well as the expansion bottle?

[jim_5elf]

Thanks Andy- unsure how I would tell the difference, but i'm thinking maybe now, it could be more oil burning. Maybe as Rob says, the piston rings?

I'm going to take it to a local mechanic here (Estonia not norwich..!) but it's good to have some ideas. I will forsure ask his opinion on the cam cover gasket Grassman. Top idea!

Yeah - I am using WVO and the last batch was from a new contact. Didn't leave it to set the water maybe as much as I should have... But would this water cause steam in the block? Can water in fuel (wvo) cause any serious damage?

[andyverran]

They smell and feel very different, use a bit of paper, will be obvious which is which.

As for water in the WVO, I wouldn't expect that to cause an issue like this sounds, wear in the pump or corrosion in the end maybe...have you used it for long? unmodified it may stick the rings up, but that does take ages, by reputation at least. I've used it before and nothing nasty happened in 12K miles in a GV.

Is it something you could video?

Head gaskets can just blow oil out, it's just not what 2.4's are known for...

[jim_5elf]

It's pitch black out here now, but a video is well in order for tomorrow morning! Thanks,

[BUSHWHACKER]

Valve stem oil seals worn?

Pull off the rubber elbow from the turbo and see if there's oil pooling inside the intake ducting. This would indicate a worn turbo.

[andyverran]

by way of illustrating Bushwakers point...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7yk0l6gpo7...uff_turbo2.mp4

You can see the oil bubbling at the back of the turbo (if you have good eyes)...and that was just blipping the throttle.

[jim_5elf]

by way of illustrating Bushwakers point...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7yk0l6gpo7...uff_turbo2.mp4

You can see the oil bubbling at the back of the turbo (if you have good eyes)...and that was just blipping the throttle.

Nice video to accompany Bushwakers point eh! Will be checking that in the morning also. If it looks shady, I'll post a video also for the second opinion.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Check the PCV valve isn't block as well.

[NiftyNev]

PCV valve?

Nev.

[jim_5elf]

Morning, ok, so my video atempt was a massive failure! The camera is not picking up any of the 'steam'. I've also noticed that this 'steam' does not happen when the Surf is in idle, it only appears once in gear. Of course, I can't watch it when in gear but when I pull over & pop the bonet it continues for some time! The camera won't pick this up though. I also put a piece of paper over it, but nothing seemed to happen. Its not a crazy amount of this so-called-steam, but there is some which is more than I care to have! Esp after 3minutes of driving.

It's really hard to say where exactly is it coming from, but maybe that gasket on the top of the block as previously mentioned. It is possibly more on the left side, near the turbo- which is my next area of investigation...

Thought you might appreciate the up date.

In danger of making this complicated and digressing, my o/d light flashes on and off. It has been doing it for ages, likewise the speedo doesnt work nor the km clock. Having read on here previously, I think the three are connected, but thought it may be worth mentioning about the o/d light incase it is related to this problem. The o/d does amd always has worked fine.

[shokenore]

So this so called steam is coming from the general turbo area.
Is it possibly a leak on the one of the exhaust gaskets?
Do you have a noticeable staining in theses areas?
Run your hands around the air pipes and see if these come away oily.
The rubber air/turbo hose sections will probably be perished, could be oily vapour from one of these.

[jim_5elf]

I took the turbo elbow off and there does seem to be oil in there. If i wipe my finger in it, it comes oil black..

The 'steam' (as ive been incorrectly calling!) is now visable through the air filter pipe. As it is removed from the turbo, I can see it coming out of both ends. (The other end being the airfilter...)

I'm guessing this is burning oil? What does it mean?

Thanks for all of your help so far!