GTI Blowing smoke....

[Neilmk1gti]

Hello,

What do you guys think is my problem? engine is 1.6 8V EG Motor

At cold start up no smoke

Once the car comes up to temp regardless of idling, acceleration, cruising the car blows smoke. The smoke is oil burning and quite a bit of it.

The car has been sat for around 3 years without turning a wheel so first I thought stem valve seals when engine warms up the vacuum from the piston draws the oil in past the valves. Whipped the head off, stem valve seals appear ok but i will change anyway. Valve guides have been changed.

There is no apparent signs of head gasket failure.

What I have noticed is quite a lot of oil in the intake manifold...I don't think is is normal?

The pipe for the PCV valve is worn and cracked but not split and the PCV valve it self doesn't appear broken, but once again a bit of oil here.

So while the engine is in bits what else should I check/replace?

Any pointers and help is well received.

Neil

[ericcs]

just throwing it out there, but possibly stuck rings?
shouldn't it be a 1.8l if it's a gti?

[sports racer]

If there's no smoke on startup then you don't have anything leaking oil due to gravity such as stem seals. If you get oil smoke when driving it can be worn rings. Oil in the intake manifold will be from the oil breather which is plumbed into the manifold. If that's sucking in oil that will be blowing smoke out the exhaust.

How many ks has the engine done? Was it quiet or rattly?

[Neilmk1gti]

engine was rebuilt about 7 years ago and has ran approximately 1500 miles, then did nothing for the last 3 years.

oil breather or the system has an issue as I have set the intake manifold on the bench over night and oil has run out, not a lot but if i wipe my finger just at the base where it bolts to the head there is oil in the intake chamber - if that makes sense.

engine was quiet, i have heard worse but i wouldn't say no were near rattly

[Petska84]

Have you changed the oil since? Also as ericcs said could be a stuck ring, I would do a comp test and also squirt some oil on the cylinder wall while the plugs are out to try and free the sticky ring. Some people might disagree on this as your prone to glaze the cylinder but it beats rebuilding the engine again.

[Neilmk1gti]

changed oil twice, went 10 40 first, then thought it was too thin and went 20 50...still the same...

I'm leaning to a bad ring, i did a comp test way back and cylinder 3 was down compared to the rest, i can't remember the figures but it wasn't a lot of difference so i didn't worry about it.

Maybe time to just re-ring it again...

[gldgti]

rings could be stuck, but that might show up with a leakdown test or even a compression test. A good bottom end should give pretty consistent numbers from 1 end to the other.

You could try some kind of liquimoly oil additive, like lifter free up or the cleansing one before an oil change - then change the oil and see what its like.

If the rings are stuck for a long time (engine running wise) its possible you'd end up with scoring in the bore.

[Neilmk1gti]

I thought if the rings had failed or is stuck why would it only cause an issue when hot? I thought rings are a constant issue cold or hot?

Anyways, pulled the head off, stem seals look ok, valve guides have been done there nice and shiny brass.

Bores look like bores no real scores, pistons are very heavily carbon up, probs from burning all the oil

I will just take the block out, hone it and ring it, new stem seals, clean everything out and see what happens

What a bummer....only driven 5 times since registering it.

[Stanton]

Its common that mk1 motors don't like being re ringed.New pistons and overbore fixes the problem.

[Stanton]

just throwing it out there, but possibly stuck rings?
shouldn't it be a 1.8l if it's a gti?

What !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mk1 GTI s ran 1600 engines for at least 6 years

[ericcs]

What !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mk1 GTI s ran 1600 engines for at least 6 years

sorry, didn't do my homework, pardon my ignorance!