SMOKING

[kenno 0]

Hi

 

Hope you guys will be able to help me and give me some advise on whats causing my 1.8 16v corrado to smoke so badly.

To me it seems to be overfueling as the smell from the back is just a fuel smell, and if it was oil it would smell quite bad.

The car is ready for its MOT and i don`t think its gonna pass when its smoking so bad like this. Is there any thing i can adjust to stop the suspected overfueling.

I have been really sad and recorded it, am not sure if you can host vids on here but will try.

I read on a different post that it could be the temp switch but i have disconnected this and it made no difference, or would it no make any difference just disconnecting it

 

Any help is appreciated

 

Thanks Kenno

 

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

Looks more like headgasket mate,its more white and a lot of it,is the car warm?

[kenno 0]

the car had been running approx 5 mins, but that makes no difference at all, it does this all the time

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

Headgasket mate,it will smell of fuel aswell.

[kenno 0]

so the smoke will smell quite heavy of fuel if it is the headgasket, what other signs will tell me weather its the headgasket, white residue in the oil is that headgasket.

 

is it a big job

 

thanks kenno

[Riley 0]

Aye,tis definately steam/head gasket :(

 

May be a bit of water in the oil,depends where the gasket has gone...Looks like its split between water way/cylinder.

 

Not a massive job if you have the tools/time.The bits can be a touch expensive so it is worth having a go yourself if you can to save on labour.

Need a top end kit along with new head bolts.

 

Neil. :)

[davidwort 0]

Aye,tis definately steam/head gasket :(

 

May be a bit of water in the oil,depends where the gasket has gone...Looks like its split between water way/cylinder.

 

Not a massive job if you have the tools/time.The bits can be a touch expensive so it is worth having a go yourself if you can to save on labour.

Need a top end kit along with new head bolts.

 

Neil. :)

 

could just be the heat exchanger/oil cooler?

 

White=steam

Blue =oil

Black=unburnt fuel

[kenno 0]

it does seem to be white, but with the headgasket would it smell really strong of fuel,

could just be the heat exchanger/oil cooler?

 

how can i test the oil cooler/heat exchanger :roll:

 

thanks

[davidwort 0]

it does seem to be white, but with the headgasket would it smell really strong of fuel,

could just be the heat exchanger/oil cooler?

 

how can i test the oil cooler/heat exchanger :roll:

 

thanks

 

firstly, is there mayonnaise in the oil filler cap? This would suggest a mixing (emulsifying) of oil and water. If it's just a straight water leak from the gasket into a cylinder you might not have a mix of oil and coolant.

 

The heat exchanger can be removed by taking off the oil filter and undoing the two water hoses and big shallow nut underneath (when the filter's off). all you need is a large adjustable spanner.

You'll have to drain most of the coolant out of the engine and if it is this you'll probably see bad corrosion where the water hoses connect to the exchanger. If it's the original part, chances are it's on it's last legs anyway even if it turns out to be the headgasket.

[kenno 0]

no mate, there aint no white residue in the oil oil filler cap area, have just this minuite took it off and checked. Strangly though i have just started car up again after it being left for a couple of hours and there was no smoke at all. BUT after approx 4-5 mins it was back with avengence.

 

So there is a possibility it could just be this heat exchanger. And not the head gasket but then it could be both or just the headgasket .

If it were the heat exchanger would it just be a case of replacing it with a new 1.

 

Would i need any special tools to do the head gasket or would a socket set do it. I am not that mechanically minded but will give it a go

[dr_mat 0]

Definitely sounds like the head gasket to me. The heat exchanger would dump water in the oil or oil in the water, I wouldn't expect it to dump water in the cylinder ..

 

And if you're not happy with a spanner, it's probably not worth doing yourself. I don't think it's a very expensive job on the 16v .. (could be wrong though .. )

[davidwort 0]

Would i need any special tools to do the head gasket or would a socket set do it. I am not that mechanically minded but will give it a go

 

you need a torque wrench, hex bit for the headbolts and knowledge of how to ensure the engine timing (cams to crank) is set up right, a Haynes manual or similar covering the VW 16v engines would help loads.

It's not the sort of job you'd wan't to experiment with basic DIY car maintenance skills on though really, although once you've done one it's not that difficult.

Unfortunately it's one of those jobs that can unexpectedly reveal all sorts of niggles and end up taking ages to get done, like an injector you can't get out or an exhaust stud that shears off.

I'd at least experimented on an old very simple and easy to work on polo before I did major work on the Corrado so it wasn't my first headgasket job. It's fairly straightforward and the bits are more accessible than a lot of engines though.

[kenno 0]

ok, will give it some thought on weather to attempt it myself or, just get me mate to do it, or help me do it, he is a mechaic

 

are the non-vag gasket kits any good, and do i have to replace the headbolts once they are removed.

 

is this the only thing i would need if i was to buy from GSF PART NUMBER

11490 CYLINDER HEAD GASKET SET CO 1.8 16V 4/89 >7/91 £39.60

 

Thanks Kenno

[dr_mat 0]

I'd buy the real thing if I were you. The genuine gaskets aren't that much more expensive, and if the original lasted this long .. well the quality speaks for itself.

IIRC engine internals have a 2 year warranty from VW, too.

[davidwort 0]

ok, will give it some thought on weather to attempt it myself or, just get me mate to do it, or help me do it, he is a mechaic

 

are the non-vag gasket kits any good, and do i have to replace the headbolts once they are removed.

 

is this the only thing i would need if i was to buy from GSF PART NUMBER

11490 CYLINDER HEAD GASKET SET CO 1.8 16V 4/89 >7/91 £39.60

 

Thanks Kenno

 

headbolts are of the stretch variety, you shouldn't reuse them.

[PhillT 0]

I'd start spraying the exhaust manifold - head bolts now if your planning on doing it yourself, fairly straight forward job

 

worth replacing the timing belt + chain and timing belt tensioner while your there

 

has it lost any water/oil?

 

on a side note, my 16v smokes just like that for the first 5-10 minutes on warm up