Is my engine on its way out?

[jgvonza172]

Hi guys,

Maby i am blowing this way out of proportion but i did a 180mile trip lastnight back from my home in scotland and just as i arrived at work the service light came on and the oil sign on the led computer started flashing.

Now when i start the car there is a serious amout of white smoke and only 1 day after washing it the exaust tip dose become blackend i also check the oil every 2 weeks or so and i checked it on sept 27th and checked it this morning and it has gone from max to barely reading on the dipstick.

The engine light came on also that weekend i read the code with my obd app on my phone (mabey not the greatest reading) it said somthing about the catylist and somthing about bank 1.

I would be very gratefull for your opinions.

Kind Regards

Josh Grainger

 

[andrewc2102]

It sounds like a head gasket to me the code is probably just a result of it burning oil I'd advise you to stop driving it and get it to a garage the more you drive it the more likely you are to more damage.

 

[imprezaworks]

Quite rare for a headgasket to go.

 

[franx]

White smoke.. water vapor . Seems like a head gasket indeed. Strange cause it's also rare for them to blow from experiences i've read on here for quite some years

 

[16_Valve]

I'd agree ^
Maybe worth removing your engine oil filler cap to see if there's any 'mayo' on it.. also check to see if there's any coolant contamination. Cheaper than going straight in for a compression test.

 

[jgvonza172]

oky thanks guy i will keep you updated.

 

[Poopensharten]

I really doubt it will be HG failure - according to our specialists, its very very rare.

Is it a 172?

 

[The Fatty]

as your oil s going down, it sounds like its burning oil as opposed to coolant (which is what normally caused white smoke), are you sure its white smoke and not blue/grey? Possible causes could be piston rings or valves if so...

my 182 looses a lot of oil somewhere. it normally takes about 100ml per 100miles iirc.

 

[STEVE.M]

I'd agree ^
Maybe worth removing your engine oil filler cap to see if there's any 'mayo' on it.. also check to see if there's any coolant contamination. Cheaper than going straight in for a compression test.

Cheap compression test.Put it in third gear on level ground and push the car.If it is a pot down,there will be a variation in resistance.
While you have the cap off,run the engine and see if it blows oil everywhere(hold a rag over the top to stop it making a mess).
If it does,could be a blocked breather(the nice cheap option),or piston rings are worn.
If the coolant in the bottle is clean,and at the correct level,I doubt the head gasket has gone.

 

[jgvonza172]

Cheap compression test.Put it in third gear on level ground and push the car.If it is a pot down,there will be a variation in resistance.
While you have the cap off,run the engine and see if it blows oil everywhere(hold a rag over the top to stop it making a mess).
If it does,could be a blocked breather(the nice cheap option),or piston rings are worn.
If the coolant in the bottle is clean,and at the correct level,I doubt the head gasket has gone.

I will give this a try to. It's pure white vapor that comes out when started cold. Could it be over fueling also as the engine light came on before all of this happend I was thinking lambada sensor. Engine has only done 10k from a rebuild. Also i need to get it home and that is a 180 mile trip can I fill with oil and take it steady? How much would it cost for piston rings roughly? Coolant hasn't budged and no mayonnaise on oil cap? Thank you for all the reply so far!!

 

[STEVE.M]

I will give this a try to. It's pure white vapor that comes out when started cold. Could it be over fueling also as the engine light came on before all of this happend I was thinking lambada sensor. Engine has only done 10k from a rebuild. Also i need to get it home and that is a 180 mile trip can I fill with oil and take it steady? How much would it cost for piston rings roughly? Coolant hasn't budged and no mayonnaise on oil cap? Thank you for all the reply so far!!

Before we get too far in,is there anyway you could have some diesel in your tank?That burns as white smoke.
Also,what did your engine rebuild consist of?
I think you meant lambda sensor,not a dance.

 

[jgvonza172]

Haha sorry auto correct. No, no way diesel could have gotten in. Well the full story is iv had the clio about 4 months and the guy I bought it of dose up clios and sells them on he is a mechanic to trade and is a member on this site. He bought mine as as non runner as it had dropped as valve so he bought a second hand engine and took it right back to the block and rebuilt it with all new parts that are common for failing. He used it as a daily for around 8k and had no issues atol. He has done many of these rebuilds and I trust his work. Iv had 4 172s now and never had this fault. I want to make this trip home tomorow for a full diagnosis at my local garage but I'm concerned about filling it with oil then it drains even quicker.

 

[Addicted]

Haha sorry auto correct. No, no way diesel could have gotten in. Well the full story is iv had the clio about 4 months and the guy I bought it of dose up clios and sells them on he is a mechanic to trade and is a member on this site. He bought mine as as non runner as it had dropped as valve so he bought a second hand engine and took it right back to the block and rebuilt it with all new parts that are common for failing. He used it as a daily for around 8k and had no issues atol. He has done many of these rebuilds and I trust his work. Iv had 4 172s now and never had this fault. I want to make this trip home tomorow for a full diagnosis at my local garage but I'm concerned about filling it with oil then it drains even quicker.

Ask him, he may not tell you if he knew there was an issue, but by the sounds of it he may also know what could cause it if he does it for a living.

Imo if you can, get it to a specialist, it'll cost you less in the long run!

 

[STEVE.M]

Haha sorry auto correct. No, no way diesel could have gotten in. Well the full story is iv had the clio about 4 months and the guy I bought it of dose up clios and sells them on he is a mechanic to trade and is a member on this site. He bought mine as as non runner as it had dropped as valve so he bought a second hand engine and took it right back to the block and rebuilt it with all new parts that are common for failing. He used it as a daily for around 8k and had no issues atol. He has done many of these rebuilds and I trust his work. Iv had 4 172s now and never had this fault. I want to make this trip home tomorow for a full diagnosis at my local garage but I'm concerned about filling it with oil then it drains even quicker.

Top up the oil and stop every 30 miles to check it.It will give you a better idea of consumption rate.If it`s that bad,a known good engine with the belts done might be the cheapest repair.
Did you check the compression and crankcase pressure as I suggested?

 

[The Fatty]

I will give this a try to. It's pure white vapor that comes out when started cold. Could it be over fueling also as the engine light came on before all of this happend I was thinking lambada sensor. Engine has only done 10k from a rebuild. Also i need to get it home and that is a 180 mile trip can I fill with oil and take it steady? How much would it cost for piston rings roughly? Coolant hasn't budged and no mayonnaise on oil cap? Thank you for all the reply so far!!

hmm white smoke really is normally water vapor, but as your coolant isn't going down, this makes no sense! Does the white smoke go away when the car is warmed up? Its normal to get some white smoke from a cold engine on a cold or damp day.

I would take some oil with you on your journey and then stop and check it after 5 miles, then 20 if its OK, then 100 if its still ok etc. remeber to let the car sit for a few mins to let the oil reach the sump again before checking! worse that happens is you break down and have to be towed home (have you got recovery?).

 

[warwickstingray]

My mum is currently having a zafira engine replaced because it does a very similar thing to yours. They balls around with a few cheap options before agreeing that oil was getting into cylinder number 4 which is why number 4 spark plug continues to get all fouled up, the engine doesn't pull right and pinks and misfires and the emission light comes on occasionally. I've had a Ford CVH that had been rebuilt by a previous owner that occasionally chucked out white smoke but would pass a compression test. Eventually the head gasket went at a track day and it turned out the block face hadn't been cleaned perfectly. Not saying your previous owner screwed it up but there could be a minor fault with the head gasket or maybe one of head bolts got a little stuck and gave a false torque reading. Maybe a stem seal has completely failed. If that applies to the F4R's design. s**t happens.