Buying advice - puff of white exhaust smoke on down shift?!

[rosswalker 0]

Hi Guys,

 

I need some buying advice. I was out looking at a VR6, I have a few concerns about it (as you usually would buying a used car) but the one thing I'm not sure about is... when downshifting and putting your foot down, there was a puff of white exhaust smoke. This was the only time I saw anything from the exhaust. The smoke disappeared pretty quick and wasnt bluish, so I'm not thinking oil.

 

Am I reading into it too much or could there be a problem?

 

Other problem was trouble engauging 1st but reverse was easy, I assume it just a case of adjusting the cables... easy job??

 

Cheers in advance,

Ross

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

It sounds like its oil burning and on overrun it more than likely stem seals.

 

Don't count on the cables been the fault with the selection,was it tight even when warm?

[rosswalker 0]

Stem seals? Serious or not so?

 

Yeah, even when it was warm it was tough to get in. If you pushed a little further left then up, it seemed to go in fine.

 

- Ross

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

Stem seals is a cylinder head off job.

 

Possible cable adjustment,but you wont know until you try to adjust it.

[double-6s 0]

Unless its way cheap....... walk away! :)

[rosswalker 0]

Not that cheap. I'm guessing that stem seals fix isn't cheap either.

 

I was thinking that it could be a sign of things to come.

 

- Ross

[vr6storm 0]

It sounds like its oil burning and on overrun it more than likely stem seals.

 

Don't count on the cables been the fault with the selection,was it tight even when warm?

 

white smoke isn't oil btw...............its coolant being "burned" if it was oil there would be a noticable blue tinge to it

[rosswalker 0]

I had checked the oil, would I have seen any coolant in it if that was the case? What could be the cause if thats the case?

 

- Ross

[vr6storm 0]

it depends.........its probably the head gasket leaking coolant into the bores rather than into the oil..........check the expansion bottle for signs of contamination

[G60Jet 1]

How hot was the engine, if it wasnt that hot, its probably water vapour

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

It sounds like its oil burning and on overrun it more than likely stem seals.

 

Don't count on the cables been the fault with the selection,was it tight even when warm?

 

white smoke isn't oil btw...............its coolant being "burned" if it was oil there would be a noticable blue tinge to it

 

I've never heard of white smoke from a headgasket on overrun !!!!

if it was gone that badly then it would steam all the time !

 

Oil burring can still look white out the rear of your wing mirror.

[rosswalker 0]

I'm guessing that isn't much better than burning oil though. Would that not lead to further problems and then needing a head rebuild?

 

Either way, I should probably give it a miss?

 

- Ross

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

Yea,walk away.

[vr6storm 0]

thing is tho.......if he's saying its not noticably blue then how would it be oil???...ive always know that .......oil burns light blue........coolant burns white.........too rich is black/dk grey........and water vapour is clear-ish steam.........it could also depend on how small a leak it is too surely.......but hey i'm no mechanic tbh

 

 

 

.................... if its needing either the valve stems done or the HG done........i wouldn't walk away too quickly............perhaps a better bargaining point for a reduction in price.........provided of course that its not a sign of something more sinister........ie bores getting ovalised if it is burning oil

[double-6s 0]

Walk away mate. What's the point? If it aint seriously cheap then just wait for one that isn't feked already!

 

And as for the smoke/steam/genie from the back...... I think it's quite hard to accurately judge the colour when you're driving along looking in the mirror! I would say if it's on the over-run, then it sounds like smoke from a feked head.

[dr_mat 0]

Oil burning on overrun is usually oil pulled up past the piston seals (i.e. bore problems or piston rings). The cylinder experiences a drop in pressure during these times and any weakness in the piston ring tolerances to the bore will show up here.

 

In addition, a weak head gasket will suffer the same fate. Usually under +ve cylinder pressure the gases are forced into the water.. But on the overrun it'll work the other way - pull the water from the galleries into the cylinder == white smoke. Simple checks for combustion gases in the water and/or oil are available.

 

Head problems usually manifest as blue smoke on the first big throttle opening after a time of overrun (i.e. oil seeps into the cylinder but doesn't get burned till you light the fires under the engine and give it lots of fuel and air.

 

If in doubt, walk away. It's not like these rare cars are hard to find on the 2nd hand market!

[double-6s 0]

blah blah blah

 

 

walk away mate :)

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

Ive yet to see water been pulled in on overrun and nothing on tickover ......

[rosswalker 0]

How cheap would you say is cheap enough to make it worth while?

VR6, 120k, karmann int, tidy bodywork, coilies.

Hes looking for 4k.

 

- Ross

[vr6storm 0]

under £3k tbh its going to need the engine apart to make ya happy tbh

 

and Karmann interior is nothing more than standard unless its leather

[G60Jet 1]

How cheap would you say is cheap enough to make it worth while?

VR6, 120k, karmann int, tidy bodywork, coilies.

Hes looking for 4k.

 

- Ross

FYI mate, they all have a Karmann interior, cos they are made by Karmann.

[rosswalker 0]

I said that more to state that it doesnt have leather ;o)

 

How much ££ would i be looking at to solve either problem?

 

- Ross

[vr6storm 0]

I said that more to state that it doesnt have leather ;o)

 

How much ££ would i be looking at to solve either problem?

 

- Ross

 

 

ahhh but even leather has the Karmann badge on the gear surround so in effect all interiors are Karmann interiored(even the recaro ones)

[G60Jet 1]

I said that more to state that it doesnt have leather ;o)

 

How much ££ would i be looking at to solve either problem?

 

- Ross

 

Just making sure you knew as people do try and pass there corrados of as having a special Karmann interior, as a rule of thumb, the only ones that had special interiors where the "Jet" models. Recaro Seat were an optional extra on some if not all models. However some had them as standard.

 

As for the fix ££ wise, its hard to say without finding the exact problem

[rosswalker 0]

I'm guessing either a head rebuild if it is the HG or stem seals. Both of them I assume would be a few hundred £ upwards?

 

I know this is all theoretical, so thanks for humouring me )

 

- Ross