2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

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luqies
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2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by luqies »

I need some guidance here. I need to sell the C5 with 165000 kms

There was an oil leak. Seals were done over by mechanics.

Now there is a leak again and when i look into engine bay i see some smoke rising up from the front of the engine close to the radiator.

Took the car and Citroen themselves don't know whats wrong. They useless in South Africa.

Before this the car was apparently also over filled with oil. we drained it out so the oil is at the correct level now.

Whats killing me is that awful smell when the oil is burning and the smoke gets in the cabin.

Please give me some direction before we work on the car this weekend. Otherwise this car is in immaculate condition inside and out.
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by Stickyfinger »

Welcome

How many miles have you covered since you drained the oil to the correct level >?

Did it spay out (when running) when over filled ? If so where did it come out from>?

Take great care of oil onto the exhausts.....oil fires can start very easily. ......Make sure you have an extinguisher ready at all times until you solve the problem.
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by xantia_v6 »

My experience is with the earlier ES9J4 engine, but it sounds like you have a case of leaking cam covers or cam blocks. It is good that it it at the front of the engine, not the back, as access and diagnosis are much easier.

You need to remove the plastic cover on the top of the engine, and also the ignition coils on top of the spark plugs. The spark plugs are fitted into wells in the cylinder head, and you may find that some of these are filled with oil, which will eventually overflow and hit the exhaust. This is a real fire hazard.

If you find clean oil around the spark plugs, then it may just be that has been badly filled, and the oil has flowed under the cover, rather than into the engine, but it is more likely that the cam covers or support blocks need resealing (resulting in dirty oil around the plugs.

If it is just the cam cover that needs resealing, then the job is fairly easy, but if it is the cam block to head joint, then the camshafts need to come out, which is a timing belt removal job, and a fair few hours work.
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by Stickyfinger »

These shots of the cam covers may assist you
Image
You can see the spark plug in their wells above....

The sealing is as said, very important. I used Loctite 5920 after a standard silicon failed. (my fault)
Image

The plastic cover in place, under here are the coil packs and plugs as Richard has described.
Image

The sealant I used in the end
Image
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by luqies »

Thanks for the response guys. much appreciated.
Stickyfinger wrote:Welcome

How many miles have you covered since you drained the oil to the correct level >?

Did it spay out (when running) when over filled ? If so where did it come out from>?

Take great care of oil onto the exhausts.....oil fires can start very easily. ......Make sure you have an extinguisher ready at all times until you solve the problem.
This is actually my dads car so I only have the facts that he gave me. The smoke refused to go away no matter what mechanics did. Once my dads friend relaised the car was over filled he drained the oil to the correct level. After a 100kms of problem free driving the car started again with the smoking.

Did it spray out? I'm not sure but I remember my dad saying that he would see a lot of smoke coming out of engine.

Also the reason for the overfilling of oil was he use to check oil and it would be low so he would top up thinking it needed oil. Well he obviously overfilled. So i'm not sure why the dipstick would be showing wrong readings?

@Xantia

Nice pics. Hopefully it is a small fix
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by luqies »

Image

That is the exact spot where smoke is coming out
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by Stickyfinger »

The image does not show
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by luqies »

Image

sorry about that
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by Stickyfinger »

NP....works now.

That will be your forward cam cover. The over fill has over pressured the seal I would think.
NOTE the design is slightly different shape but the rest/principle is the same

Follow what I did with mine and use a good sealant (such as the one shown), clean it well and set it set for about 30/60 mins then tighten down each bolt bit by bit in a "star" method so it goes down flat and even. Do not use to much sealant, a good thin bead will do. Care is needed not to damage the new sealant bead as you replace it.

Remember it is an Alloy head so take care not to over tighten and strip the threads.

FIRE is a danger if you leave it ! Please STOP driving it until it is fixed/sealed.
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by luqies »

Car is not been driven, no fire hazard. Just sitting in the yard. It was replaced with W204 Merc C350

I spoke to my dad now. He tells me the cam cover was resealed already, but this was done with the over filled oil.

so yeah. seals must probably be done over
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by Stickyfinger »

Glad all is well then :)

Sorry to be over careful about the fire hazard :).....sounds like you have in under control.
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by luqies »

well further speaking to my dad he tells me the mechanic told him that the C5 does not come with a rubber gasket so he added his own one. Would anyone in there right mind do this? I am definitely taking it out this weekend. I hope that is the problem.
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by Stickyfinger »

LOL.....lekker job

That area gets very hot, I bet it cooked it, as said, use a HIGH temp type
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by luqies »

Image

Didn't have loctite is this fine?
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Re: 2002 Citroen C5 3.0 V6 oil burning smoke smell...help

Post by xantia_v6 »

That stuff should be OK, certainly better than nothing.
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