80 with a smoking habit!

[ollyb]

hey guys after a bit of advice really, (sorry for long post) had the 80 series petrol for about a year now and it suddenly has started with a very intermittent smoking issue. I drive it aroun locally and it’s always been great no smoke on start up and uses no coolant or oil, however just come back from a weekend of camping and was driving great did about 70km on bitumen (80-100kmh) slowed down to turn off the road and she belched a huge cloud of blueish/grey smoke (so bad you couldn’t see the road) no noises, temperature and oil pressure gauges sat as normal. Switched it off then back on smoke cleared and was then fine? Did a bit of 4wd yesterday no smoke at all. Yet again driving home traffic free stopped at traffic lights after about 50km then exactly the same thing, loads of smoke switch it off and then cleared. Any ideas? it doesn’t seem to be a ring or valve seals as it seems very intermittent and doesn’t smoke on start up, possible pcv valve sticking open? It literally seems to be taking a gulp of oil from somewhere as you come to a stop after a run. Any ideas will be much appreciated, And have a picture of her as a thankyou for taking the time to read the long post.

 

[StarCruiser]

Hi Olly, have you checked the oil level? If too high I can imagine it could cause something like this. Could also be worth removing the rocker cover and checking that oil return paths aren’t blocked. Not sure if the engine uses PCV but as you suspect, that would be an area to investigate too.

Nice truck BTW. And don’t worry, that wasn’t a long post.

 

[clivehorridge]

Certainly it’s a good looking 80 Olly, but I’m not so clued up on the petrol version to offer comment.

An outside shot, Blue-grey smoke could suggest brake fluid getting sucked into the inlet manifold if the brake servo runs from a manifold vacuum pipe, unlike the diesels.

I had this same problem on an old ford cortina eons ago, where the master cylinder was leaking brake fluid into the brake servo diaphragm, and when the level reached the vacuum pipe the engine sucked the excess fluid in, causing an occasional total white-out behind me.

I really don’t know the petrol 80 at all, so someone could rule this possibility out if it’s too far ‘out of the box’.

 

[flint]

From the symptoms I'd be thinking valve guide seals, but as already checked, a sticking pcv isn't too hard or pricey to change.

 

[ollyb]

Thanks for the comments, absolutely love it to bits even if she does like a drink! I was also thinking valve stem seals but it is so intermittent and there is absolutely no smoke first thing from cold where I would expect it to puff a little also when it does do it it is a huge amount of smoke so much so that anyone behind would have zero visibility in front. Oil level is correct and is changed every 5000km with castrol 10/40 and it doesn’t really use any between changes. Checked the brake fluid and transmission fluid and both of them are at the same level they always seem to be at.

 

[Gary820]

Pcv valve to start with, be careful the rubber seal doesn't fall apart and drop in when replacing.

Mine used to do it after a few motorway miles, hasn't done it since new pcv valve fitted, worth replacing the breather hoses too if done a few miles.

 

[ollyb]

New pcv valve and grommet ordered as well as a new hose to the intake, im thinking taking the valve cover off will save any drama of brittle hard rubber falling inside, all being well they should arrive Wednesday

 

[leeloo]

You can pull the spark plugs and take a look, if they have a lot of black crap on the tip and the ceramic part, than oil is burned in the combustion chamber.