Stem Seals??????

[16v Matt]

Hi everyone,
I have posted about this before, but could do with a lttle advice. I've got 92 16v which creates a puff of smoke when its started from hot. I'm pretty sure its the stem seals as i have done a compression test & all cylinders appear to be fine & The car does not smoke during normal driving. Somtimes after i start the car,say after getting fuel it will blow smoke at idle until the car has been driven for say 15mins, then nothing. The stem seals & valve guides were done in 2002, but the car only did 6000 miles in 2 years & sat in a garage for most of that. So,

1. Is there a test i can do which will prove it to be or not stem seals.

2.There is no smoke when i start it from cold,is this normal if the stem seals are shagged?

3.Can a long period of inactivity cause the stem seals to fail?

Sorry it rambles on, but i want make sure that it is the stem seals before i start chucking money at it!

Cheers,
Matt.

[SoundillusioN]

Don't take what I say as fact but I hope it helps.

1. I'm sure of a test as the syptoms you have seem to answer your question.
2. There probably won't be any smoke from a cold start due to the fact that cold oil is thick and in the sump to start with.
3. Yes if it's been the same oil thats been in there for 2 years and is dirty.

What kind of mileage has the block done?

[16v Matt]

Hi Soundillusion,
Saw the thread about your car, hope things are getting sorted matey.
I've changed the oil twice in the last 4000 miles so its not dirty oil.

The block has done 122k which i did'nt think was mega milage on these engines?
I just don't want to chuck Xhundreds of pounds at the stem seals for it to still do it. Might just be a suck it & see type job!

Cheers,
Matt

[SoundillusioN]

Haven't started yet, don't know where to.  Can't even get the battery out.   I really hope she's repairable and I get it sorted too.  Missing her like crazy.  :'(

?100's? I take it a garage would be doing the job if required.
With the right tools it's not too hard.  Always scary tho.

Is it defo oil burning and not over overfueling?

[16v Matt]

Mate, anything is repairable with enough time & patience, just don't give up on her.

Pretty sure its burning oil its blue & i can smell it. Also she needs toping up every couple of weeks.

[mk1]

Sounds like valve stem seals to me, one way to check is to get the engine hot and accelerate up to a good speed and then come off the throttle so the car is driving the engine. Let the car slow for a few seconds and then accelerate, if there is a puff of smoke  , stem seals.
Steve.

[richandhazel]

One of the ways I always thought you could tell, was exactly as Steve mentions above. When my first mk1 GTI did it, I noticed it smoked when approaching a roundabout at the end of a fust run up the dual carriageway. Where the car is driving the engine I think you get a lot more oil going to the top of the engine and down the valve guides.
I also used to notice it on start up in the morning where the oil has seeped down overnight.

Having said all that, Hazels Audi (basically the 1.8L 8V engine) is now burning oil......it was an advisory in last years MOT. I've noticed that if it stands at idle for a few minutes and then pulls away, it blows some smoke. Checked the compressions and they are good so I'm wondering if it's the valve guide oil seals or the just oil control rings......the compression rings being ok

Whilst we are on the subject, has anyone changed the valve guide oil seals 'in-situ'. As I have a compressor, Iwas looking at purchasing one of these:-

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=040211463&r=2076&g=111

and one of these:-

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=040211452&r=2076&g=111

I thought for the little expense required for tooling, a set of valve guide oil seals and a few hours, if nothing else I'll eliminate them........bound to need doing sooner or later anyway. Of course I would change the timing belt and tensioner whilst I'm in there

[richandhazel]

I also thought that the air adapter would be really useful for carrying out a 'leak-down' check, which can be a lot more conclusive than a compression check......opinions

[16v Matt]

Hi everyone,
my mate said he saw a puff of smoke when i backed of once when i was giving it a good beating. Sounds that it might be the stem seals then??

Someone also mentioned the oil control rings,is there a way i can check for this or is it just going to be a process pf elimination??

Thanks everyone.
Matt.

[kniterider]

hmmm thinkin this is what me 16ver has got also


same sort of probs interested in these air tools that enable you to change stem seals without removing head!!! saves a bomb if so!! just concernened about deepth of spark plug air tool as looks a bit short for a 16v!!!!!

would be a cheap option if valve stem seals are on the cheap, just a case of removing spring/caps/collets, removing old seals, fitting new, refitting springs/caps/collets etc then bingo job done easy!!, if anyone gets this tool let me know of results sounds a good idea!!


Gaz