smoking 2.0 engine any thoughts

[wildo105e]

Hi Guys thought i would check with you that i am on the right path. Finally fired up my duratec with retroford sump and it smokes it's nuts off. Checking shows it is all 4 pistons and the amount of oil suggests worn worn engine is not the cause. i am having trouble reading the dipstick on the retroford sump so my suspicions are i have over filled the engine. I did this years ago as kid in an 1100 mk1 escort and got the same effect. Am i on the right path ?

My other thoughts were oil pipes the wrong way round or something. I have only ran it cold and a quick rev shows the oil pressure gauge go of the scale (6 clock dash) 80 psi. But that could be down to cold oil. Is it going through the filter the wrong way I checked it loads of times and think i am correct.

I don't want to yank the engine before checking as i do think the engine is good and all four pistons is too coincidental for me something is shoving the oil in i think.

Any suggestions appreciated.

[alladdin]

yes too much oil will cause it. also as an aside x/f fuel pumps can leak fuel back into sump so you end up with 1 1/2 g of thin oil and a lot of smoke lol.

[Graham]

from the factory Duratecs have low tension rings, low enough that you can take a piston out of one and put it back in WITHOUT using a ring compressor, this means they are prone to burning oil, only we never see it as the catalytic converters do a good job of cleaning the exhaust up.

low tension rings and an over filled engine will burn oil for sure.

oil pipes will have no effect on your problem

[wildo105e]

cheers guys. The amount of oil in the exhaust ports an exhaust suggests overfill i think. I found a thread which suggest i should have a black handled dipstick and the image on retroford shows this i have a yellow one !!

A call is needed i think.

[wildo105e]

spoke to retroford and the dip stick i have should be fine. They reckon 3.5 litres capacity. So i can drain the oil and start again with a realistic amount to add now. Given my filter is full that really need about 3 litres i reckon in there, but i will aim lower and see what i get on the dipstick as i add it.

I think i have more than 3.5 litres in there.

[alladdin]

see what comes out for starters lol

[wildo105e]

Lol yep My plan was to try a measure what comes out.


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[wildo105e]

So a quick drain and I got out around 3.5 litres given i have around 1/2 litre in the filter i was defo overfilled.

[wildo105e]

So, I drained the oil and re filled with currently 2.2 litres so roughlt 2.7 litres including whats in the oil filter. Started the car and it starts and runs initially ok then after a few mins starts to smoke it's nuts off. A couple of theories here.

1. It is burning off excess oil in the exhaust and i need to sit tight cough a bit and see if goes as the car warms and burns it off.

2. As i don't think it is actually overfilled now something else is wrong.

Option 2 theory is this:- when i start the car it is cold so the revs rise (2000) and the oil pressure goes of the standard escort oil pressure gauge. Is this normal cold thick oil etc Will it drop as the oil warms up and the tick over goes down, or my new theory now is does the duratec have pressure relief vlave which is stuck allowing loads of oil pressure all the time and causing it to be forced into the pistons and getting burnt etc.

thought i would ask as i am getting to the point of putting my spare engine in now. The revs are so high as i have never ran this engine before with the ecu and I was hoping once warmed through i could start to get it to settle on a lower idle and fine tune etc. The issue is as the car smokes so much i cannot really leave it running to get to warmed up point as the fire brigade would probably turn up !!

Just thinking out loud here any thoughts theories welcome.

Thanks

[Graham]

i dont think oil pressure will have any bearing on it smoking, but cold oil will give much more oil pressure. all engine have a pressure relief valve.

you really need to warm it up and see if the smoke stops, after all it could be nothing more sinister than oil/water in the exhaust

[wildo105e]

A bit of internet research says the presure releif valve is nothing more than a cap with a hole in it, so that can't stick i don't think. I think you are right with letting it run I just need to get some ventilation fitted to the garage have you spare dyno exhaust for loan LOL.

I will try this weekend.

[fingersnfumbs]

Just a thought but could it be excessive crank case pressure, are vents/breathers clear?

Back in the day I modded a mini with twin carbs, didnt know what to do with vent pipe so just plugged it-off.
Smoked like mad until i sussed the issue.

[wildo105e]

Thanks guys, the breathers awide open at the moment to atmospehere. I inspected the plugs last night and there was a drop of oil on plug 1. I ran it it and ithere was no way it was clearing. My last thought is when i put this bag of parts engine together i renewed all the stem seals (i like to do a good job) maybe that is were the issue lies ?? Anyway i can change the engine quicker than try and rectifiy that in the car.

Some good news though as it came up to temp the oil pressure did indeed drop and the factory water temp gauge worked. What didn't work was my super cheap after market water temp gauge and racetec oil temp gauge. Earthing them they shoot up so that is good, i think it is the sensors need earthing as the water temp is isolated between 2 silicone hoses and the oil temp is sealed with an "O" ring in an adapter so i think that is the cause there. Maybe a 2 wire sensor would be the solution.

Radiator seems to be work as does the bypass hose, but i never got to fan on temp Too smokey.

Next step is to swap the engine i think and the old one can be the donor for rebuild whenever that happens.

[fingersnfumbs]

thats a real shame you havent found the issue.
Something tell me its something simple and easily fixed.
I do agree though there comes a time when its better to take the easiest route rather than chase your tail.

Good luck.

[Graham]

Thanks guys, the breathers awide open at the moment to atmospehere. I inspected the plugs last night and there was a drop of oil on plug 1. I ran it it and ithere was no way it was clearing. My last thought is when i put this bag of parts engine together i renewed all the stem seals (i like to do a good job) maybe that is were the issue lies ?? Anyway i can change the engine quicker than try and rectifiy that in the car.

Some good news though as it came up to temp the oil pressure did indeed drop and the factory water temp gauge worked. What didn't work was my super cheap after market water temp gauge and racetec oil temp gauge. Earthing them they shoot up so that is good, i think it is the sensors need earthing as the water temp is isolated between 2 silicone hoses and the oil temp is sealed with an "O" ring in an adapter so i think that is the cause there. Maybe a 2 wire sensor would be the solution.

Radiator seems to be work as does the bypass hose, but i never got to fan on temp Too smokey.

Next step is to swap the engine i think and the old one can be the donor for rebuild whenever that happens.

stem seals wont make that much smoke

[wildo105e]

So started the strip down for the spare engine to go in. On the current engine the inlet side is perfect (after my budget rebuild). The exhaust side is covered in oil in all ports ?

To me there are only 2 ways this can get there to cause my issue.

1. Oil is coming up through the pistons.
2. Oil is coming down through the valves.

But surely i cannot be so unlucky that all 4 cyclinders are affected ?

This is more curiosty as to the cause now but more investigation will be possible when i have the engines switched over. I can then delve into the old engine and see if anything is obvious.

[Graham]

So started the strip down for the spare engine to go in. On the current engine the inlet side is perfect (after my budget rebuild). The exhaust side is covered in oil in all ports ?

To me there are only 2 ways this can get there to cause my issue.

1. Oil is coming up through the pistons.
2. Oil is coming down through the valves.

But surely i cannot be so unlucky that all 4 cyclinders are affected ?

This is more curiosty as to the cause now but more investigation will be possible when i have the engines switched over. I can then delve into the old engine and see if anything is obvious.

as i said earlier these use low tension rings, i have had engines where i have been able to remove the pistons and put them back in the bores without a ring compressor. they also have a tendency to carbon up the oil control rings so the oil wont drain away and gets pumped UP the cylinder walls into the bores