am i getting paranoid?

[kiwi_bloke]

The other day i got my car out, it was left at idle for a minutes or so and upon pulling away it left a cloud of white / blue smoke (slight tinge of blue). Since ive discovered the previous owner hadnt changed the oil / filter for 70,000 km. Changed the filter and oil which was like tar. Noticed alot of sludge. From then its been fine no blowing of carbon (it was doing this under quite moderate acceleration.). or smoke. Its not using water or oil. Oil isnt cloudy. Spark plugs are burning a brown / light yellow colour. Am i getting paranoid ? is my car fine?

 

[NormanB]

I preface this with - I am no expert...

But if your oil was really like tar then this cannot have been good for your engine, particularly when cold and who knows how much wear rates have been 'accelerated. But your signature says it runs like a dream and you are obviously in the business of giving the 'old girl' some TLC so I would say her prospects have improved!

I would consider using an engine flushing oil and maybe even drop the sump and give it a good boogee out and take the opportunity to give the bottom end an optical bollicking to judge how effective engine flush has been.

I cannot recommend any particular flushing oil hopefully there will be some experts along soon!

 

[alec]

My son had a Toyota with a similar problem.

We drained the oil and filled with a flushing oil (existing filter).then ran the car for about 50 miles on light load.

Drained the flushing oil fitted a new filter with cheapish oil and ran it again for 50 miles.
Then drained again and fitted a new filter and good oil.

Car ran on for 60000 miles before rust got it.

 

[kiwi_bloke]

im way ahead of you!

When i first got it i drain the oil and it was tar like. New oil was put in with the old filter still there. ive done 1000km on that and drained it yesterday. Was like tar once again. Put a new filter in and oil and the oils fairly clean now. Ive had a "bush" mechanic have a look at the engine and drive it. He reckons its as good as gold. No smoke or anything now. No tapping, knocking or any obvious damage. No "excessive" blow by. apparently all cars have some blow by?

Itll keep going like a dream. Its a merc! of course it will!!!

 

[kiwi_bloke]

ahh reasurance.

ok...ive fixed the problem for now. But ive been told by someone the smoke maybee a head gasket about to go? its not using oil the oil isnt cloudy but my coolant has gone a cloudy white although its not getting used. It does have quite a loud chug under heavy load but i cant see any hole in the exhaust (although i can smell fumes) ( the noise is only in gear while on hill or heavy acceleration). The smoke only happened when it was cold.

Im getting worried! someone reasure me that a head gasket isnt the problem!

josh

 

[dieselman]

It's probably just the valve guide seals have gone hard and are passing oil under high manifold depressions, i.e. when idleing or coasting down hills.
Try coasting down a long hill then accelerate. If you see a good cloud then the seals are duff.
If it doesn't smoke normally and doesn't use oil then don't worry.

 

[kiwi_bloke]

no smoke

not valve seals....it hasnt done it since (1000 km since) so im just guessing the car was neglected...its running like a dream