Any ideas people

[16v Matt]

Hi Gambit, 15/40? I'll give it a go. What do you reckon is causing it to do that?

[Gambit]

get somebody to rev it on & off hard while you look at the back to see if it blows blue smoke

are the plugs soaked in oil also? try changing the rocker cover gasket, pretty inexpensive & easy enough to to do

[tallchap]

Get a compression test done. It should only cost a few ?'s and then you will know. Sounds like the piston rings are worn - changing the oil won't help.

[16v Matt]

Cheers everyone, got a few things to consider there. Can i just have new piston rings fitted or do i need to get the bores done to? :'(

[tallchap]

You might get away with new rings, but I suggest with your mileage, you might have to have the block re-bored and have new pistons/rings.

[16v Matt]

Ok, thats not quite what I wanted to hear! But thanks for the input all the same, next question! I asume we're talking BIG money for a job like that?

[tallchap]

Have a ring around your local engine recon chaps. Some of them will do exchange and some will refurb your unit. Might be cheaper to buy a second hand engine from a breaker or off the forum. Cost depends on how much you are able/willing to do your self.... You will save yourself tons of cash if you were to take the engine out and replace it yourself. Just get a pro to do the recon on the motor.

If it is only a bit of smoke every now and then, it doesn't sound too bad and the engine will last for a while yet, but the problem will get worse (i.e. more smoke, etc) until one day it will give up.

[Gambit]

if it does turn out to be the rings then you may aswell try and source a good 2.0 16v block (9a) from:-

Corrado 2.0 16v
Passat GT's
Seat Toledo GTi's

this block is a straight swap with the 1.8 block, your existing head, gearbox & all ancillaries just bolt on & is uses the existing mounts in your mk2

this will give you more bhp - ur talking about 150bhp straight off, then if setup correctly you can get about 165bhp

[16v Matt]

Thanks very much for the advice everyone, looks like i've got a few decisions to make in the coming months.
Thanks again.

[Alexg40]

You lot have just about written his engine off because of a bit of smoke!  I've followed this car and it only ever smokes occasionally when it starts and once when it was driven hard I saw smoke.

What about valve stem seals? Or breather problems?

This isn't a car that smokes when it's running all the time.