Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[F1 9LFG]

Hi all,

Over the last few months I've been using oil, every couple of weeks the MID shows 'oil level low' and it always has been, I've topped it up but within a few weeks it'll need more.

I've left it parked over a white blanket over night, no leaks.
Checked all areas of the engine for any signs of leakage, nothing found.
No oil in water/mayo in filler cap.

But what I have noticed is a slight puff of blue smoke on start-up.

A friend has followed me round for half hour, under all types of driving conditions and cofirmed that there is no sign of blue smoke whilst I'm driving, so it's only on start-up.

The only thing I can think of is valve stem seals, at rest, when cold/cooled, a slight amount of oil seeps into cylinder(s) via the stems and is then burnt off on start-up? Are the late 2.6's known for this?

Cheers

Rob

[Jimbob]

what year?  certainly its a well known problem with the early 2.6's with the cheap valve stem seals fitted briefly

[martin42]

i would check the cam gaskets,my 2.6 used oil over the past month of ownership,i had done over 1200 miles in that time,but also the cam gaskets had gone aswell,which doesnt help either,and there was no signs of oil leak under car when parked up over night...

[Elite Pete]

As Jimbob says, its common on the early 2.6

[F1 9LFG]

Cam covers done 3months ago with the correct rubbers and sealent from vaux and none of the common oozing from the area.

I say late, 2002 y26se.

Cheers

[noel]

mine does exactly the same first thing in the morning, i have put it down to valve stem seal my mig is a late 2002 2.6

[kcl]

I had this issue with my previous car which was manufatured in November 2000. This current one, made early 2002, has given a puff of smoke a few times but not that often, the older one puffed on almost every start.

[Seth]

Valve stem seals!

[F1 9LFG]

fairly conclusive then! Thanks chaps

Are the stem seals something worth renewing?

Thanks

[Andy B]

fairly conclusive then! Thanks chaps

Are the stem seals something worth renewing?

Thanks

I'd be reluctant to remove heads just for £30's worth of valve stem seals. I'd live with it till the heads had to come off for something else.
Just my thoughts ........... 

[vauxsull]

Ive been topping up the oil in my 2.6 ever since i bought it over 2 years ago Usually get around 1k of motoring between topping up....had 84k on the clock then and now has 145k... I make sure i keep a 1ltr bottle of oil in the boot incase the " check oil level" warning comes on...

[Martin_1962]

Valve stem seals - sounds like a 2001 engine.

The red ones do harden and fail

Mine has been fitted with new green ones

[albitz]

Whether o not its worth doing depends on if you have - A. The budget to pay someone to do the job (I would guess at upwards of £250 ?) or B. You have the tools and knowledge to spend a day or two doing it yourself. Even then you need new seals,head and other gaskets, and probably do the cambelt and possibly water pump while your down there.
I would be tempted to live with it, although it will probably make the car difficult to sell in the future.

[vauxsull]

Mine was registered on Jan 2nd 2001 so it is an early 2.6?... I have no issues with trying to sell it with buggered valve seals as i'm keeping it...

[Ralph]

Whether o not its worth doing depends on if you have - A. The budget to pay someone to do the job (I would guess at upwards of £250 ?) or B. You have the tools and knowledge to spend a day or two doing it yourself. Even then you need new seals,head and other gaskets, and probably do the cambelt and possibly water pump while your down there.
I would be tempted to live with it, although it will probably make the car difficult to sell in the future.

Mine does exactly the same, I plan to live with as long as possible.
I would think a main dealer charge for replacing  the seals would be a four figure sum.