Blue Smoke Issue!

[david.hanagan]

Hi all

I am new here, and im sorry my first post is a plea for advice. I am a massive VDub fan, currently restoring my MK1 GTI Golf, its my complete baby however as my daily i am driving an awful Saxo 1.1l, the worst car ever but to be fair to it its helped me out of a whole for running around! Anyways, i want a VW daily as they are realiable (Ironic im posting about a problem), and in my eyes alot cooler!

I have a chance to pick up a Lupo 1.4S cheap, only problem is it has a Blue smoke issue. I have done a search on here, and it seems its quite common but barely any of the threads have a resolution, people seem to give an idea as to what the problem is but noone posts to say they have sorted it. It seems piston rings and stem seals pop up quite a bit. The body of text below is the advert for the car, can anyone give me any ideas what the chances of it only being the stem seals are, as i dont mind doing them but i will begrudge removing the block to do the rings...

'VW 1.4 Lupo. 2001 Y registered. It has a few marks here and there but for an 11 year old car is in good order.It drives very well and has 7 service stamps, with a reference to a cambelt and water pump replacement at 56,000 miles and is Mot 'ed until November 3rd 2012. Thats the good bit then the other day for no reason that we know it started to smoke badly from when it warms up.There are no rattles or any other symptons except white/blue smoke and lots of it.Could be as simple as a head gasket or piston rings but without taking it apart we do not know.If you are or know a mechanic with VW knowledge then this could be the ideal car for a learner or as a run about that could be repaired cheaply. If you need to know anything please ask.'

Can anyone offer me some advice?

Regards

D.

[FatelError89]

if its white/blue smoke more onto the side of burning water and oil meaning head gasket but also known for steam seals going a lot only way really to see if its piston rings gone as well is compression test but saying in the post white/blue smoke sounds more like head gasket

[boconnor]

Hey,

I had/have this problem on my lupo, its burning oil (blue smoke)

I myself (apprentice technician for ford) replaced the valve stem seals, head gasket, i got a complete gasket set. the lupo does not tend to have a rocker cover gasket, so i put some sealent under the rocker cover to act as a gasket. i built it back up and for about a week i never noticed it burning any oil, but after that week it started again blue smoking and burning oil.

I myself think it requires piston rings, but im the same as you, its a pretty big job and to be quite honest i cant really be bothered to do it.. i will get round to doing it eventually.

but if you're going to get this lupo i would recommend doing it all at once, valve stem seals, complete gasket set, piston rings, full service..

Hope this helps

Thanks

Brodie

Red1.4Lupo

[Defcon5]

Piston rings? Simple?

Replacing a sensor is simple. Dismantling half the engine is not.

How much is it?

[grazo22]

I would seriously consider buying it and putting a new engine straight in, providing all the ancilories work okay that would be the best bet, then you don't stand the chance of a false economy replacing load of parts and not solving the problem. I would think the cat has burnt out with that much oil going through it

[Owen33]

How much is it?! i like how he advises piston rings to be a possible cheap fix!

Stem seal leaks are apparent when starting car and smokes then dies down, which i think relates to him saying 'during warm up'

Rings are a guess... doesn't matter about compression test as its the oil rings which would be at fault.

I just redone my engine, cheap as i could, some non genuine parts probably came to around 350

Just be sure to know what you're doing. I'm advised now, after i've done it to have the head skimmed had a little issue with leaky coolant and steamy exhaust but some k-seal cured it Oh and the 350 excluded head refurb, i had a spare in the garage

[FatelError89]

I have now got to take the head off mine looks the rings have gone and drinking oil

[GeoffD]

sometimes a replacement engine is cheaper, but you always run the risk of getting the same or worse. if you rebuild your engine properly at least you know what you 've got . dilemma , dilemma . the choice in the end is yours. by the way i never just did piston rings its not a solid fix. if youre going that far you might as well bite the bullet and go for pistons and rebore and oh while youre there what are the bearings like? you can go on forever. geoff - sophies dad

[FatelError89]

yeah i do a rebuild and change everything with high lift cams and remap and have a play around with it till i can afford to save up for something rear wheel drive not stripped it yet wont be doing it till end of the year when i got the money.. if the engine is gone i just get a recon one ..i should of done the work on it when i had the engine out in may

Edited August 22, 2012 by FatelError89