One for the mechanics.

[izwozral]

Been away for a couple of days and noticed blue smoke blowing from the exhaust on start up which disappears after a few minutes of driving. My thoughts [after looking on YouTube] that it is either worn piston ring seals or possibly something to do with the coolant getting into the mix.
I gather it is an expensive job to replace to replace the rings via a garage and to do it myself is a non-starter.
Again, looking through YouTube a cheaper and quicker fix would be to add an additive. However, some vids recommend a fuel additive and some recommend an oil additive.
Result = totally confused!
Any thoughts guys?

MH is an Autosleeper 1998 with 34k on the clock.

I will be logging back in later today.

Thanks all.

 

[Val54]

First question is are you losing a lot of oil when driving, you won't necessarily see a noticeable blue plume. I would be topping up the oil and then check the dipstick (when cold) again after say 500 miles. You'd get an idea of how serious the loss is before taking any remedial action, it could well be within acceptable tolerances for a 30k diesel.

 

[barryd]

My old Kontiki 2.5td did this for at least ten years and nobody ever got to the bottom of it. New Glow plugs once fixed it but it didn't last long. Then they suggested it was the injectors. They were fixed and it improved a bit but returned to form eventually. In the end I just left it. It would be a bit lumpy in the end on start up as well as kicking out smoke. Like yours as soon as you drove it up the road it was fine and stayed fine until you left it overnight and started it again the next day. I ran it like that for years and tens of thousands of miles. Every time I started it the ice cap lost another metre and a dozen polar bears died.

 

[caledonia]

As said keep an eye on oil and coolant levels.

 

[edina]

Possibly oil weeping through the valve guides when the engine is not used, then burns off after a few minutes when the engine is started.

 

[RichardHelen262]

If it is clearing fairly quickly, then it is unlikely to be the piston rings, as Edina has mentioned it could just be the valve guides,

 

[trevskoda]

Ex valve oil seals, buy a can of stop smoke and add to oil, my car was doing this and now does not, rings only glase if town slow driving & some engines dont like semi or full senthetic oils, if yours is a older donkey only use standard 15/40 oil.
It will take a few weeks for the oil additive to do the trick.

 

[izwozral]

First question is are you losing a lot of oil when driving, you won't necessarily see a noticeable blue plume. I would be topping up the oil and then check the dipstick (when cold) again after say 500 miles. You'd get an idea of how serious the loss is before taking any remedial action, it could well be within acceptable tolerances for a 30k diesel.

Hard to tell tbh. The MH is relatively new to us and we have only done 600-ish miles in it. Safe to say it hasn't lost a lot I suppose?

 

[izwozral]

Thanks for all the replies.

If my interpretation of the answers given by Chris and Richard is correct, it sounds like Trev's solution of adding Wynnes Stop Smoke could be the first 'go to' solution.

 

[izwozral]

@barryd. The idea of just ignoring the smoke, therefore depleting the ice caps and killing a few polar bears appeals to me enormously, if only to pish off the Just Stop Oil looneys and make the doom goblin Greta Thunberg cross eyed with rage.

 

[molly 2]

Could show a fail on mot emissions, if not don't worry, or try giving it some welly also known as the Italian decoke , it could have 134 k ,have you got service history

 

[izwozral]

Could show a fail on mot emissions, if not don't worry, or try giving it some welly also known as the Italian decoke , it could have 134 k ,have you got service history

Got full service history and receipts for work done. The MH spent most of it's time in Euroland so not really a 'go local shopping' vehicle, which is why I am surprised by the blue smoke.

 

[jeffmossy]

Our first motorhome used to do the same. I was told that it was excess diesel burning off on the first start, when it was warm it started fine with no blue smoke, so I just left it and it was fine

 

[trevskoda]

Our first motorhome used to do the same. I was told that it was excess diesel burning off on the first start, when it was warm it started fine with no blue smoke, so I just left it and it was fine

Yes some do this, but if it happens after a run then valve seals which happens as they get old and harden, stop smoke softens them, worth a try for a tenner a tin.
Also put a bottle of injector cleaner in a tank of fuel.

 

[Drover]

Is it a transit motor. Don't mix mineral and semi synthetic oil. Use one or the other.the mineral is a bit thicker.
Does it smoke when warm or just when cold. Are you using the heater plugs ..just turn on ignition and wait for the lights to go out before starting it.
Check how much oil it uses before taking any action.

 

[Wooie1958]

As already mentioned Ral the first option is to try an additive.

I`ve used Liquid Moly before and found it worked, just follow instructions and add to warm oil.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[izwozral]

Is it a transit motor. Don't mix mineral and semi synthetic oil. Use one or the other.the mineral is a bit thicker.
Does it smoke when warm or just when cold. Are you using the heater plugs ..just turn on ignition and wait for the lights to go out before starting it.
Check how much oil it uses before taking any action.

Tbh I'm not sure what the motor is.
Smokes only when cold.
When cold I turn ignition on twice and wait both times for the lights to go out.
I also let the engine run for a minute or two before switching off after a journey.

 

[trevskoda]

As already mentioned Ral the first option is to try an additive.

I`ve used Liquid Moly before and found it worked, just follow instructions and add to warm oil.

Pardon our interruption...

Moly is a oil inchancer, it wont soften valve guide seals, as i stated above use a stop burning oil additve, it will take a few th miles to do the trick.