Digifant death

[Bluefox]

Well, I'm despairing.
Our digi's playing up - which means I'll shortly be driving the sister in law's old 1.2 Nova. Therefore... HELP ME!!!

Right, here's the problem so far. The rocker cover gasket was leaking oil pretty badly all over the place, although not bad enough to poor running or anything like that, just used oil and looked a mess.
Anyway, so Slick & I decided to change it with the a proper VAG part (A028 103 500) instead of something made out of old wine corks we sell at work.
All went well, except upon starting she ran like poo, and when I came to tune her the next day there was a fair amount of blue smoke coming from the exhaust manifold in the engine bay. We put this down to oil leaking out the breather pipes -  part of which, incidentially, was replaced (A023 129 101 breather pressure regulator & bung) to try and cure poor running - and I carried on trying to tune her up. To no avail.
So, I whipped the gasket off again, cleaned the surfaces and used some blue Hylomar to re-seal. Sucess - she starts up again and purrs like a kitten... until she starts smoking again.
I had cleaned the whole engine with gunk, and sprayed around the place with plenty of water - and, to this end, the smoke got less and less as the engine got warmer. Then, I noticed there was more oil getting onto the manifold... again...
So, she's been sat on the drive for the past two weeks while I sulked. Anyway, the thought of driving the Nova's, well, bothered me a bit so I'm trying to get her fixed up.

My thoughts are as follows:

1. I don't think it's the cam cover gasket again, as it's been sealed up and it's running properly - also, when you take the oil filler cap off when it's running the revs drop and it splutters, so I don't think there's a problem with the crankcase ventilation system.
2. Perhaps it's coming from around the injectors? Are there oil lines around here somewhere?
3. Is there some kind of breather or oil line around the back of the engine near the manifolds that could be leaking?
4. Has anyone got ETKA to see if there's anything I've missed?

It's not a major leak as she's not really using any oil, and there's nothing under the car to suggest a big hole somewhere - it's just enough to flood the street with blue smoke when it's burned off the exhaust manifold.

If anyone could help me? Pleeeeeeeeeease? I really don't want to drive the Nova!!

Sorry about the essay!

[turbodub]

You haven't quite made it clear in your post, but is it burning off the oil every time you start the car? There is very little chance of oil escaping from your injector ports.

The nuts on the cam cover are only meant to be torqued to 10NM, or 84 inch lbs.  If you overtighten them they can leak.  It sounds as though you have overtightened them and oil is seaping from the back of the cam cover onto the manifold, I have had this problem myself in the past.

[Bluefox]

It burns off the oil when the exhaust manifold gets warm.
As for the torque, good point - I've not got a torque wrench. Think that might be my next purchase, thanks!

Any other possibilities?

[turbodub]

It burns off the oil when the exhaust manifold gets warm.
As for the torque, good point - I've not got a torque wrench. Think that might be my next purchase, thanks!

Any other possibilities?

No not really tbh. If there is a leak on the rear side of the engine it is bound to be the valve cover gasket. The replacement you got was a genuine VAG rubber one wasn't it?

One other thing, applying sealant to the valve cover is not really a good idea. Get the VAG rubber gasket from your local dealer, then torque the nuts down to 10nm / 84 inch lbs - and all should be fine.

Note: That's INCH LBS not FT LBS, not much pressure at all.

[J.stafford16v]

I take it that you cleaned the intergal breather gauze that is set into the rocker cover, as this does get blocked up from time to time. My previous 8v had a slight crack in its breather pipe and that caused it to run like a bag of nails.

[Bluefox]

No not really tbh. If there is a leak on the rear side of the engine it is bound to be the valve cover gasket. The replacement you got was a genuine VAG rubber one wasn't it?

yes. pics will follow in a how-to, as soon as i get my ass into gear and send them to slick who will (get his ass into gear and) write it

Note: That's INCH LBS not FT LBS, not much pressure at all.

oh.

i think i might have found my problem...

I take it that you cleaned the intergal breather gauze that is set into the rocker cover, as this does get blocked up from time to time. My previous 8v had a slight crack in its breather pipe and that caused it to run like a bag of nails.

and yeh, it seems the one thing i did do properly was give the cam cover a complete de-greasing.
erm, which, incidentially also de-greased my drive quite well!

thanks for the help guys

[rubjonny]

Did yopu replace the rocker cover studs as well?  If not this is likly to be your problem, the old studs have a shoulder on them to prevent you from over-tightening the rocker cover bolts.  Unfortunatly the gap is too large when you replace the crappy cork gasket with the new rubber gasket!

VW sell a repair kit which includes the gasket & the studs, and believe it or not its cheaper than buying the rubber gasket on its own

PRoblem with oil is when it gets on the manifold it takes AGES to burn off!

[Bluefox]

Um, yeh, of course...i...er..did... ahem... yeh...

Slick? Come round mine when you get chance mate?



thanks rubjonny

[Agreeable Slick]

Aye ok, will be round er..... friday?

[Veedubgt18v]

you pair of monkeys lol!