I see smoke coming from my breather, what is the cause? Here is the answer.

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tersplat

Member +
A common problem if you run an engine un-tuned is detonation(combustion before the piston is at Top dead center, caused by timing being too far advanced for the engine). Detonation causes a shockwave throughout the cylinder and the pressure escapes through the weakest point, which in the stock E-series engines is the piston's "ring lands" and breaks them. When you take the engine apart, you will only see a few tiny cracks on the side of the piston between the piston rings, but behind that wall, those cracks are connected, exposing the crankcase to the full onslaught of the cylinders pressure, which is going though tiny holes in the piston's lower oiling ringland. This can allow your fuel, and combustion gasses to enter your oil and break it down extremely fast, but no worries, as you will burn oil faster than the gasses can deteriorate it. The symptoms of this are:
1: a rough idle, due to a cylinder misfiring.
2: turbo oil seals being damaged due to excessive oil pressure
3: oil coming out of your breather or catchcan filling up very fast
4: oil vapors or smoke coming out of your breather, pcv valve, or any hole in your valve cover.
5: exhaust sounds vaguely like a boxer engine.
6: very low compression on one or more cylinders(190,190,190,120, or something like that)

This video and these pictures will show you what to look for and how to diagnose these symptoms.

here are the pictures
hairline cracks:
Picture176-1.jpg

Picture175-2.jpg

Picture181-1.jpg

Picture180-1.jpg


and once you remove the piston rings, you will find out that the cracks are connected.
this is what you will find.
Picture192-1.jpg

Picture190-1.jpg

Picture189-1.jpg


You can slightly see the oiling holes I mentioned they are only about 1mm in diameter each
Picture193.jpg


and the video. Excuse the squeaking, the radiator squakes due to a loose mount, but is being replaced while the engine is out.



Well I hope that maybe someone is able to learn from this post, and that nobody ever has to deal with this problem.
 
A

AdamB

Member +
Good read mate, seems a typical problem for these little motors, the ringlands breaking up due to bad mapping, or no map at all and a lot of boost. As well as spinning a bearing.
 
J

jamhustla

Member +
I have experienced this twine in a year...the boxer engine sound is a little cool until you realize you got no power. Best advice if you running boost is to get a good tune.
 
Ben89

Ben89

Lifer
STARLET N/A said:
what if there is slight oil build up around the spark plug, after you pop the cap off?
Click to expand...

There's a gasket that goes between the head and the rocker cover like a donut shape which seals the spark plug tubes, worth checking that out it's an easy and cheap fox, unless the oil is actually on the electrode side of the spark plug?
 
P

Paul_JJ

Member +
Re:A common problem if you run an engine un-tuned is detonation(combustion before the piston is at Top dead center, caused by timing being too far advanced for the engine).

Is it because the Engine was build for 100 RON and most of the people use 92-95 RON, which cause detonation because it burns FASTER?
 
Gilly2006

Gilly2006

Member +
If properly mapped anywhere between 92-95ron isn't a problem, someone please correct me if im wrong but the higer the octane the less resistance of detenation.
 
T

tersplat

Member +
the higher the RON, the more resistant it is to detonation due to it being able to withstand higher temperatures before igniting, therefore allowing it to ignite when the fuel is completely compressed in the cylinder when the spark plug ignites it, not by compression ignition due to fuel igniting from the increased pressure.
 
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Paul_JJ

Member +
tersplat said:
the higher the RON, the more resistant it is to detonation due to it being able to withstand higher temperatures before igniting, therefore allowing it to ignite when the fuel is completely compressed in the cylinder when the spark plug ignites it, not by compression ignition due to fuel igniting from the increased pressure.
Click to expand...

ANd the slower it burns! Correct?
 
S

STARLET N/A

Member +
Ben89 said:
There's a gasket that goes between the head and the rocker cover like a donut shape which seals the spark plug tubes, worth checking that out it's an easy and cheap fox, unless the oil is actually on the electrode side of the spark plug?
Click to expand...


thanks for the clearing that up, good to know its nothing serious.
 
B

Brad1128

Fresh Recruit
Exact symptoms of mine. Can't rebuild for at least a month and need the car on the road for work. Is driving it off boost going to cause severe problems to the turbo's oil seals?
 
Aidan@EP-styling

Aidan@EP-styling

Trader
Brad1128 said:
Exact symptoms of mine. Can't rebuild for at least a month and need the car on the road for work. Is driving it off boost going to cause severe problems to the turbo's oil seals?
Click to expand...

Excessive crank case pressure will blow turbo oil seals very very quickly. I believe the main reason for turbo oil seals to blow is down to people not changing their PCV valve or cleaning the breather pipes.
 
P

Paul_JJ

Member +
GTti said:
No.

RON is rating of how resistant the fuel is to detonation (ignition by factors other than the spark), this doesn't have any reflection on the quality of the actual fuel.
Click to expand...

I've always thought that it burns faster when the RON is HIGH, and it causes detonation on lower RON for the same reason - BURNS too quick! I also did a massive research about it and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

"It might seem odd that fuels with higher octane ratings are used in more powerful engines, since such fuels ignite less easily. However, an uncontrolled ignition is not desired in a spark ignition engine."
Another WORDS - BURN SLOWER!

Where about in MK are you? PM me if you're interested to see me and other members, who lives locally!
 
T

tersplat

Member +
the fuel ignites less easily meaning that it can be compressed much more before igniting. I dont know if it actually burns slower once ignited, but I do know you are looking at it wrong. there is something called compression ignition, also known as the diesel effect. when you take any fuel and compress it, it will heat up, and if the fuel has a low RON, it will ignite under this pressure instead of waiting for the spark in the cylinder to ignite it. this is also how diesels work(hence the name)except they use glow plugs to increase the ambient temperature of the cylinder then when the fuel gets compressed, it ignites with no spark. that is what happens when you use a lower RON fuel, it ignites due to the increase in temperature due to the increase in pressure. I see what you are trying to say, but your interpretation is incorrect.
 
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Paul_JJ

Member +
I totally agree with you, but I still tend to think that high ron = slower burn or slower time to ignite compared to low RON petrol. So many articles about it, look at the aviation forums when they use 130 RON in a car and it burns way too slow for what the car was designed for originally...
 
P

Paul_JJ

Member +
tersplat said:
the fuel ignites less easily meaning that it can be compressed much more before igniting. I dont know if it actually burns slower once ignited, but I do know you are looking at it wrong. there is something called compression ignition, also known as the diesel effect. when you take any fuel and compress it, it will heat up, and if the fuel has a low RON, it will ignite under this pressure instead of waiting for the spark in the cylinder to ignite it. this is also how diesels work(hence the name)except they use glow plugs to increase the ambient temperature of the cylinder then when the fuel gets compressed, it ignites with no spark. that is what happens when you use a lower RON fuel, it ignites due to the increase in temperature due to the increase in pressure. I see what you are trying to say, but your interpretation is incorrect.
Click to expand...

American web site!

http://www.state.mn.us/mn/externalDocs/Commerce/Gasoline_Octane_Facts_102902052227_OctaneFacts.pdf

" High octane gasoline burns slower than low octane gasoline. The slow burn prevents engine knock when
cylinder pressures are high"

The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Weights and Measures Division regularly checks the quality,
safety and labeling of motor fuels, heating fuels and gasoline sold in Minnesota.
The Division also ensures the accuracy of all commercial transactions in the state involving products that are
weighed ore measured. These products include grain, produce, livestock and gasoline.
For more information on these services, contact the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Weights and
Measures Division, 2277 Highway36, St. Paul, MN 55113-3800, Phone: 651-215-5821
 
T

tersplat

Member +
I really don't think that's correct, but I dont have any proof, just logic. I'll look in to it, and maybe do some research.
 
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