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Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: ollygti on 18 July 2010, 23:33

Title: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: ollygti on 18 July 2010, 23:33

Hi.  I was stuck in traffic the other day in hot weather.  I noticed the exhaust note change (sounded like it had a hole in) and then  blueish smoke from the exhaust!!!  It started running rough and had no power, smoothed out a bit on the way home and the smoke seemed to clear but still down on power  :cry:  The exhaust still sounds weird and smells of fuel.  Oil and water seem fine.  Its an 8v GTi digi. Please Help.   :undecided:

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: danny_p on 19 July 2010, 02:02

compression test calling

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: Wayne on 19 July 2010, 11:04

As above, carry out a compression test.

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: ollygti on 19 July 2010, 20:13

Thanks for the advice. Should I avoid driving it?

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: danny_p on 19 July 2010, 21:18

thats probably wise.

the symptoms you list chould indicate a very big gremlin is about to mature and come out of hideing.   

the rough running and noise you describe allong with the lack of power suggest that for some reason it's stoped fireing on a cylinder.

untill you investigate it's hard to tell what it would be, it chould be just a sparkplug or HT lead  but it chould equaly be somethign much more serious

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: ollygti on 19 July 2010, 21:42

Oh great  :sad:  Thanks for the advice.  Thats what it feels like when driving.  I checked the plugs and leads yesterday. They look ok visually.  Dizzy cap looks ok too.  What could stop one of the cylinders firing assuming the plugs are producing a spark? a blocked injector?

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: weazgti on 20 July 2010, 18:59

This thread has me worried now. my 8v has done this when its been idling for ages and i ve switched it off and tried to restart also when i had the car on a ramp the other week it filled the garage with smoke and was gutless for a bit afterwards.
My valve stem seals are shot but i ve been driving it for a while and i even managed 350 mile round trip to santa pod last week and it was fine apart from using a bit of oil.
I was hoping it was just valve stem seals.

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: danny_p on 20 July 2010, 20:09

that chould just be valve stem seals.

if your sparks are fine it chould be an injector gone down ( or more likely the wires to it ) or that cyl has lost compression.

you chould try running it with a plug lead off 1 cyl then the next,   if on any cyl it dosent change the way the engine runs compared to when all 4 are connected you have found where the problem is.

chould be a plug given up ( rare but it dose happen )
choudl be an injector ( also rare but it dose happen )
infact it chould be meany things once you have done a CR test all will be much clearer

to stop a cyl fireing it's  ether got no fuel, no spark or no compression

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: ollygti on 20 July 2010, 22:25

Thanks for the info.  Ok I'm a bit confused.  Checked compression and all four are at about 190psi +/-5. Listened to the injectors (with a screwdriver!) and they are clicking away ok.  Removed HT leads one at a time and it ran worse each time so i guess all cylinders are firing. It still sounds like the exhaust is blowing when it revs and it defo gets worse when its hot.  Don't know what temp its running at because the computer(and rev counter) not working. Also cleaned pcv and checked for vacume leaks all seem fine. What do i check next?

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: danny_p on 20 July 2010, 23:03

so you have good compression on all 4,   it's fireing on all 4.  but it's not happy.

i would be tempted to pull injectors out and see if they are all squirting evenly

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: ollygti on 20 July 2010, 23:04

Just noticed the oil was over filled about 1/4 of a litre. may have been more as it's been driven about 150 miles since it was last topped up. I only checked to see if it was sludgy not the level  :embarassed: What have i done to it?
Just drained off the excess cleaned everything i can get to, put in fuel cleaner and run it for a bit to clear it out.  Still weird exhaust.  Help

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: weazgti on 21 July 2010, 18:35

Over filling oil increases the oil pressure, a little bit over might make it smoke a bit but too much causes damage.

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: ollygti on 21 July 2010, 19:23

Oh  :sad: Thanks for the reply. What sort of damage should i be checking for?

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: danny_p on 21 July 2010, 20:36

over filling oil dosen't increase oil pressure.   1/4 ltr isn't going to do any damage ether

if you extreemly overfill oil the enigne will start blowing oil out the breather or the cranck will start whipping it up,  usual result is a big plume of blue smoke from exhaust and it'll murder the cat and any lambdas  but a mk2 don't have a cat or lambdas

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: Horney on 21 July 2010, 20:40

I would be looking at the cast exhaust manifold. These are known to blow with age and can cause a drop in power and the noise you describe. THe smoke is more likely related to your over fill of oil.

Nick

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: ollygti on 21 July 2010, 20:49

Thanks I will check it out.  Would a crack in the eqhaust there change the exhaust note actually coming out the tail pipe. it doesn't sound like its coming from the front?

Title: Re: Smoky, smelly and slow.
Post by: Horney on 21 July 2010, 20:56

It can do.

Nick