white smoke! - Land Rovers Only

mr andy · 02-07-2005, 02:15 PM

I have a series III land rover and theres a lot of white smoke coming from the exhaust. My dad said the timing chain might have streached. So I got a new one and we put it in. We think the timing was out by maybe a tooth.. But i havent put it back together yet (its too dam cold!)

Is there anything else that might be causing the smoke? And do landys always give out a lot of smoke?

DickFox · 02-07-2005, 02:36 PM

My 2.6 L series 3 doesn't give out much smoke at all, mind you I rebuilt the engine not the long ago. I dunno what could be causing it though. Have to see what the more knowledgable land rovers have to say, I'm still a novice
Dick

Bogatyr · 02-07-2005, 07:59 PM

landy andy,
A lot of white smoke usually indicates that water is entering the combustion chamber...ie, a coolant leak, usually attributable to a head gasket problem.

To make sure a compression and/or leakdown test would be in order...or you could run a used oil analysis to check for coolant in the oil.

In any case, check on it ASAP as ethylene glycol isn't too friendly to bearings...

Bogatyr

Disco Mike · 02-07-2005, 09:12 PM

Rule of thumb.
White smoke is coolant
Blue is oil
Black is fuel.
Sorry but you are looking at some head gaskets.
Mike J.

edwardatherton · 02-08-2005, 02:57 AM

My 2.25 petrol smokes a lot for several minutes but clears completely - it seems to do it more on gas than petrol for some reason.
How long does it smoke for? Does it clear completely? What engine is it?

It does sound like head gasket though - thats the most common cause.

mr andy · 02-08-2005, 12:44 PM

It's a 2.25 diesel. I was planning to take the head off anyway. I have a new gasket set in the garage. Is there anything else i should check whilst i have the top off? Its 26 years old (i think), and has probly never been opened up in its life..

jozg44 · 02-08-2005, 03:18 PM

If the engine's a diesel, it may be the injector pump that is at fault.

If the injector pump is over-advanced or not balanced correctly, the fuel just swirls around in the cylinder without burning properly, then chuffs out the exhaust as blue/white smoke.

Having said that, it sounds more like a head gasket to me, but just bear it in mind

Jack

Moeras · 02-08-2005, 10:20 PM

First (and least trouble and expencive) drain your diesel tank and clean it out with "fresh clean" diesel.
It might only be that you have water in your tank and that is the reason for the smoke! Some guy might have gotten rainwater in his tank and sold you some diesel with water in!

Moeras · 02-08-2005, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disco Mike

Rule of thumb.
White smoke is coolant
Blue is oil
Black is fuel.
Sorry but you are looking at some head gaskets.
Mike J.

Very true!

Also consider Rings & Piston sleaves. If they are worn you will have Blue smoke. The way to see this is that the Enjin will use oil faster than normal. Fill up the oil, go for a long drive (Take a back up car along) if the oil level dropped significantly during your drive your rings is worn. The oil is burned in the combustion chamber.
A compression test will also tell you that something is wrong in you pistons, but it might be that you have a blown gasket.

mr andy · 02-09-2005, 12:12 PM

hmm, I had herd about the fuel pump thing too... The oil level never really went anywhere when it was idiling. I'll try the gasket.

I had drained the tank and refilled it too.. still the same problem..

mr andy · 02-09-2005, 12:57 PM

would it be worth changing the rings while im at it? Or is it too much hassel?

Bogatyr · 02-11-2005, 06:08 AM

landy andy,
Hmm, it depends on how far "into it" you want to go. Do a compression test before pulling the head if it is indeed a head gasket problem and that should tell you if you might as well work on the lower side of the block...

Bogatyr

edit: Hmm, not sure about diesels...I'd think it would be the same in principle though...also, read up on the green bible...what's the situation? Scoring on the cylinder walls? Other symptoms?

mr andy · 02-15-2005, 01:04 PM

well, i took off the head today, there was a chunk of gasket missing. It was easier than I expected. I cleaned it all up like, but its not back together.

I noticed on the inside of the cylinder head (where the valves are) theres a load of dents as if someone battered it with a screw driver.. weird..

Moeras · 02-15-2005, 10:46 PM

Could be where the part of your Gasket went to. The small metal ring in the gasket (around the pistons) is hard enough to do that kind of damage, so if part of that is missing it most likely did that.

Is it possible that you can post photos of the Damage?

Better take that to a qualified machanic to see if it is OK or should be Fixed/replaced.

regards

mr andy · 02-16-2005, 02:13 PM

well the damaged cylinder head wasn't the one where the gasket was dammaged. I cant take photos, coss i put it back together today. lol. It wasn't much like, probly be ok.

02-07-2005, 02:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
mr andy Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 18 Gallery: 0	white smoke! I have a series III land rover and theres a lot of white smoke coming from the exhaust. My dad said the timing chain might have streached. So I got a new one and we put it in. We think the timing was out by maybe a tooth.. But i havent put it back together yet (its too dam cold!) Is there anything else that might be causing the smoke? And do landys always give out a lot of smoke?

02-07-2005, 07:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
Bogatyr Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: upstate NY Posts: 317 Gallery: 0	landy andy, A lot of white smoke usually indicates that water is entering the combustion chamber...ie, a coolant leak, usually attributable to a head gasket problem. To make sure a compression and/or leakdown test would be in order...or you could run a used oil analysis to check for coolant in the oil. In any case, check on it ASAP as ethylene glycol isn't too friendly to bearings... Bogatyr __________________ Current Rover Fleet: 1996 D1 120k (finally on the road) 1970 IIa 88" (the running one) 1970 IIa 88" (parts truck - need any parts?) 1966 IIa 109" (next project...)

02-11-2005, 06:08 AM	#12 (permalink)
Bogatyr Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: upstate NY Posts: 317 Gallery: 0	landy andy, Hmm, it depends on how far "into it" you want to go. Do a compression test before pulling the head if it is indeed a head gasket problem and that should tell you if you might as well work on the lower side of the block... Bogatyr edit: Hmm, not sure about diesels...I'd think it would be the same in principle though...also, read up on the green bible...what's the situation? Scoring on the cylinder walls? Other symptoms? __________________ Current Rover Fleet: 1996 D1 120k (finally on the road) 1970 IIa 88" (the running one) 1970 IIa 88" (parts truck - need any parts?) 1966 IIa 109" (next project...)

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02-07-2005, 02:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
DickFox Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 66 Gallery: 0	My 2.6 L series 3 doesn't give out much smoke at all, mind you I rebuilt the engine not the long ago. I dunno what could be causing it though. Have to see what the more knowledgable land rovers have to say, I'm still a novice Dick

02-07-2005, 09:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
Disco Mike Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Parker, Colorado Posts: 5,760 Gallery: 0	Rule of thumb. White smoke is coolant Blue is oil Black is fuel. Sorry but you are looking at some head gaskets. Mike J.

02-08-2005, 02:57 AM	#5 (permalink)
edwardatherton Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Manchester Posts: 18 Gallery: 0	My 2.25 petrol smokes a lot for several minutes but clears completely - it seems to do it more on gas than petrol for some reason. How long does it smoke for? Does it clear completely? What engine is it? It does sound like head gasket though - thats the most common cause.

02-08-2005, 12:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
mr andy Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 18 Gallery: 0	It's a 2.25 diesel. I was planning to take the head off anyway. I have a new gasket set in the garage. Is there anything else i should check whilst i have the top off? Its 26 years old (i think), and has probly never been opened up in its life..

02-08-2005, 03:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
jozg44 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 222 Gallery: 0	If the engine's a diesel, it may be the injector pump that is at fault. If the injector pump is over-advanced or not balanced correctly, the fuel just swirls around in the cylinder without burning properly, then chuffs out the exhaust as blue/white smoke. Having said that, it sounds more like a head gasket to me, but just bear it in mind Jack

02-08-2005, 10:20 PM	#8 (permalink)
Moeras Profesional Hunter Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On the banks of the Great Grey-Green Greasy Limpopo River (Rudyard Kipling 1902) Posts: 442 Gallery: 0	First (and least trouble and expencive) drain your diesel tank and clean it out with "fresh clean" diesel. It might only be that you have water in your tank and that is the reason for the smoke! Some guy might have gotten rainwater in his tank and sold you some diesel with water in!

02-09-2005, 12:12 PM	#10 (permalink)
mr andy Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 18 Gallery: 0	hmm, I had herd about the fuel pump thing too... The oil level never really went anywhere when it was idiling. I'll try the gasket. I had drained the tank and refilled it too.. still the same problem..

02-09-2005, 12:57 PM	#11 (permalink)
mr andy Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 18 Gallery: 0	would it be worth changing the rings while im at it? Or is it too much hassel?

02-15-2005, 01:04 PM	#13 (permalink)
mr andy Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 18 Gallery: 0	well, i took off the head today, there was a chunk of gasket missing. It was easier than I expected. I cleaned it all up like, but its not back together. I noticed on the inside of the cylinder head (where the valves are) theres a load of dents as if someone battered it with a screw driver.. weird..

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02-15-2005, 10:46 PM	#14 (permalink)
Moeras Profesional Hunter Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On the banks of the Great Grey-Green Greasy Limpopo River (Rudyard Kipling 1902) Posts: 442 Gallery: 0	Could be where the part of your Gasket went to. The small metal ring in the gasket (around the pistons) is hard enough to do that kind of damage, so if part of that is missing it most likely did that. Is it possible that you can post photos of the Damage? Better take that to a qualified machanic to see if it is OK or should be Fixed/replaced. regards

02-16-2005, 02:13 PM	#15 (permalink)
mr andy Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 18 Gallery: 0	well the damaged cylinder head wasn't the one where the gasket was dammaged. I cant take photos, coss i put it back together today. lol. It wasn't much like, probly be ok.