Gasket oil spillage - White startup smoke - MPG

Sahand · Unread post by **Sahand** » 01 Jun 2005, 06:17

Hi,
Got two questions, if anyone kindly helps me through

It’s about couple of months there is some fluid spillage around the head gasket of my Xantia 1.9 TD. It’s a black oily liquid, but I’m not sure if its engine oil as the oil level has not changed over the time. It was OK before, but I think the problem might have raised cause of lots of high-speed motorway driving (90-100 mph, and the highest speed this car has gone hardly reaches to 110 mph). The car has also started puffing some large amount of white smoke on cold start, which disappears immediately.
Going through previous posts, I guessed maybe the head gasket needs replacement. I wanted to buy a new one, but it seems they are categorized on number and formation of notches. Is the gasket the reason of my problem? And how should I know which gasket should I buy before starting the job?
Second question is about MPG. The car seems to burn about 37-39 MPG. However the actual amount is worse and maybe about 30-35, as I think there might be some problem with its calibration. I know this as my GPS shows e.g. 70 mph while the speedo shows about 82-83 mph! What are the main reasons of high MPG for these cars? I’ve recently changed oil and all filters, and used some engine and injector cleaning fluids. No improve though!
Many thanks in advance,
Sahand.

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 01 Jun 2005, 13:15

is oil around cam cover joint or lower down at head joint,what mileage has car done,usuly if head cracked or gasket gone they dont smoke just presurise water system,smoke could be down to worn out injectors or over fueling on start up regards malcolm

oilyspanner · Unread post by **oilyspanner** » 01 Jun 2005, 14:25

Sounds like a rocker cover gasket has hardened and caused the engine to become an oily mess, the startup smoke could be dirty injectors. It does not sound like a headgasket at all.
Stewart

jeremy · Unread post by **jeremy** » 01 Jun 2005, 19:19

Rocker cover may even have come loose - found a bolt on the camshaft end of the ZX 1.9D was loose the other day and oil all down the back of the engine. As its a non turbo its nice and easy to get to espeially as I had the plenum chamber (black box on top of the engine) removed so I could do the leak-off pipes.
White smoke on startup can even be a failed glowplug. Is the start good from cold with no missing at all or is it a bit of a struggle? You can also apply science to the problem and smell the smoke - if its strongly oily then its a combustion problem.
For it to be steam water must be getting in somewhere and the head gasket may be suspect BUT - you would be loosing water and the cooling system would be pressurised.
Other possible sources of oil on the outside of the engine are failed camshaft oil seals, and even the vent pipes on the front of the engine which expand with age and respond to being fitted with jubilee clips. What happens is that the airflow at speed carries the oil round the sides of the engine and it appears to be coming from the back.
jeremy

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 01 Jun 2005, 19:36

If your white smoke dissapears soon after start up its most likely to be one or more failed glow plugs or low compression on one or more cylinders. If it starts and runs OK I wouldn,t worry about it. As far as your poor fuel consumption is concerned I would say it's got a lot to do with the speed that you are driving at!

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 02 Jun 2005, 00:29

as i said earlyer head gasket gone on diesels dont usuly smoke as gases get forced into water system,not water into exhaust,unless your unlucky and head is cracked in an exhaut port,then you will get steam out rear end regards malcolm

Sahand · Unread post by **Sahand** » 02 Jun 2005, 02:25

Hi and thanks all for your replies.
I had a more thorough look at the engine after reading these. Actually it’s hard to say where exactly oil comes from and I think I have to give it a wash before. The area under the cam cover joint is oily down to the head joint. There are even drops of oil under the pipe above the engine and IN the head cylinder bolts! The plugs apart from the one in far left are completely covered by oil and it’s messier in the middle, just under the pipes. I don’t have any idea about back of the engine as I couldn’t find a good view of it. Do these sound good to identify the source or I should degrease the engine and check it again?
About the mileage I have to say it’s done around 250K but I think the engine has been changed before as it runs smoothly and I’ve not had any problems since January when I bought it. It’s done near 8000 miles since then.
I couldn’t smell the smoke and will do it tomorrow; however the engine starts easily and quiet smoothly. There’s a very little strange behaviour which I think was not there before, maybe starting on 3 then running on 4 immediately?? Not sure though. I recall the white smoke began after changing the oil. I used one of those engine flush products before and some additive after. Is it possible this is source of the problem?
BTW about the dirty injector I have to say I've used one other of those products(!) which claim to clean the injectors.
Please help me through as you did

Many thanks,
Sahand.
@superloopy: Just check here, I'll post what I've done about it mate

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 02 Jun 2005, 03:51

almost defanetly cam cover gasket or and rubber breather pipe that goes to cam cover,as oil is above head joint,quite easy job when you have all the cluter out of the way,also sounds like a glow plug down,take them out connect across a battery see how quick they heat up regards malcolm

Sahand · Unread post by **Sahand** » 04 Jun 2005, 02:43

thank u all friends, the problem seems to be solved

i think it was just the rubber breather pipe which goes into cam, as i could fasten it few turns! then i degreased top of engine and no spillage after few miles i did. it needs to run more to make sure however.
about the white smoke, i'm going to change all the glow plugs tomorrow, as i don't know when they were last changed. hope this solves the problem. will write here again if any pros.
thanks again, and please help me with another problem which i've posted in another thread.
cheers - sahand.