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Post by gpw on Nov 17, 2012 19:32:05 GMT 1
How mucky was the cap please Dave?
Have you got a rubber / plastic hose from the engine that goes to say the filter?
If so, how clean / kinked / squashed etc is it?
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Post by gpw on Nov 18, 2012 12:10:13 GMT 1
Bertie Haynes has been copying off me again Miss?24 Crankcase ventilation system - description and servicing1 A semi-closed positive crankcase ventilation system is fitted. A breather valve in the oil filler cap allows air to enter as required. Crankcase fumes travel out through an oil separator and emission control valve, and then via a connecting tube back into the inlet manifold. In this way the majority of crankcase fumes are burnt during the combustion process in the cylinders. 2 Clean the valve and rocker box cover breather cap every 18 000 miles (30 000 km). To remove the valve, disconnect the hose and then pull it from its grommet in the oil separator box. Ha Ha Ha, ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Bertie Haynes scanner has gone wrong so he can't copy from my book anymore Miss.
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Post by davev6newman on Nov 18, 2012 17:13:54 GMT 1
Well i have to agree on the water vapour, if you click on the video you will see. It never has been blue or dirty emissions , just this sort of whitish stuff , but its the fumes that is getting me. Not a petrol smell just heavy fumes. Ive done a compression test today, and it goes like this No 1 11 bar, with oil 12 No 2 9.5 bar, with oil 10.5 No 3 10.5 bar, with oil 12 No 4 9 bar, with oil 10 Im not sure what thats tellling me really. But if i got smelly vapour comeing from the exhaust then its coming from the engine, so could this head gasket failure in some way?
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Post by gpw on Nov 18, 2012 19:20:15 GMT 1
Your compression test tells me your pistons / rings /valves are not knackered, but aren't brilliant either. If I were looking at it to buy, I've reckon I'd get a fair few miles out of the engine.
Every gallon of petrol you use turns into 2 gallons of water in your engine I'm afraid. On a cold day, steam will pour out your exhaust pipe until the pipe is warm all the way to the back.
If you are getting fumes in your cab, it sounds like you've got an exhaust leak somewhere. If you put your foot on the end of the tailpipe when the engine's running, you'll probably hear a hiss from the leaks. If you go underneath while someone else puts their foot on the end of the exhaust, you' soon find where the leak is.
Do you have to keep topping the radiator up? If so, water may well be getting into the engine from past the gasket. You might be lucky and get away with torquing the head down. If you don't have to top up frequently, then it's not rad water through a faulty gasket.
Don't make the mistake many people make. They overfill. Just enough to cover the bottom of the top tank in you rad when your engine is cold.
Have you cleaned the engine breather? A dirty engine breather can cause problems similar to yours.
Last and not least, how good is your heater? If it doesn't fry your knee knobs, then you may need a new thermostat. Personally, I'd put a new stat in anyway, as half faulty stats can bring all sorts of problems in their wake..
Most importantly, check for exhaust pipe leaks. If necessary get an expert opinion from a specialist exhaust supplier. if you have fumes in the cab you are living dangerously. Very dangerously.
Trouble with motorhomes is that they are built on trucks that are designed to be mercifully thrashed up and down the country's roads. Transits thrive on hard work. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
If they aren't worked hard, they don't like it. .
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Post by davev6newman on Nov 18, 2012 19:50:52 GMT 1
I cleaned the cap but to be honest it wasnt dirty, but just to make sure i run thinners through the gauze, i also cleaned the oil seperator the same way and checked the PCV, it was fine and working correctly.
I was getting fumes into the cab, so i traced a leak in the join under the drivers seat and i extended the exhaust outside of the body as it stopped short before, so i dont notice fumes in the cab now, or notice anymore joint leaks.
What i will say is that the emissions are constant, even if the smoke is not so visible the fumes are.
My heater is red hot, as ive fitted new matrix and blower, also fitted new thermostat and had a new rad fitted with electric fan.
As for topping up, thats difficult to say as i dont use it that often, what i will say tho, is that when the engine gets hot, water does blow out from the overflow, even at higher temp cap never stopped it, or a lower temp stat. Sive fitted a catch pot for the overflow and like you say, only fill rad up past the fins.
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Post by davev6newman on Nov 18, 2012 20:03:37 GMT 1
Just to clarify things, Its not a transit engine, it a Cortina lump circa 1978. 2 litre running on twin webers.
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Post by gpw on Nov 18, 2012 20:33:08 GMT 1
Sounds like you've got crankcase ventilation sorted then Dave, Side exit pipes are a recipe for fumes in the cab in my book.
I converted an ambo to a camper a while back. The exhaust pipe came out the side. The exhaust was sound all the way.
The inside of the ambo was dirty from diesel fumes. Fumes in the cab and back, just the jolly job for an ambo eh?
I take the exhaust out the back offside corner at about 45 deg now. It extends a bit beyond the towbar, about 8" beyond the body.
It's much better, but I still get exhaust fumes in the cab when it ticks over on a calm day. Even with the fan on high blowing air in from over the scuttle.
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Post by davev6newman on Nov 18, 2012 21:02:40 GMT 1
Im at a loss what to do now, but weve established its not the valve guide seals or the rings, so i think i might just change the head gasket and see if that makes a difference.
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Post by gpw on Nov 18, 2012 21:47:31 GMT 1
I'm getting three messages Dave.
One, you are worried about water getting into your engine through the gasket.
Two, you are loosing water is out the radiator overflow, but you don't lose much.
Three, you are worried about exhaust fumes getting into the cab.
If it were me, I'd test the pressure in the rad when I revved the engine. There's a proper gadget to do it, but if you put a prophylactive (Johhny) over the filler hole and rev the engine cold, you'll soon seen if there's a compression leak through your gasket.
I'd also get an over axle section, and take the exhaust out the back corner. I expect you'd need to cut teh tail pipe and extend it. If you look up Transit exhausts on eBay, I think you will find that most of them extend beyond the passengers airspace.
What are your plugs like when you take them out after a run please?
I'm always a bit hesitant about taking a head off on the off-chance. For a start, I'd feel I'd need to skim the head just to be on the safe side. Whilst I had it off, it's got to make sense to do the valves. Then there's the cost of gaskets.
It all comes to a tidy wedge. And it could be a wild goose chase. .
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Post by muttleymk2 on Nov 18, 2012 22:42:59 GMT 1
Excessive white could be moisture in the exhaust, do you do short runs? Weber may be a bit rich on idle too
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Post by gpw on Nov 19, 2012 10:20:14 GMT 1
Looking at the fumes it looks like it may be water vapour which would be more obvious when the weather is cold. Usually reduces as the engine warms up but if there is water in the exhaust pipe it would cause it to happen as well. Have you taken the van on a long run lately? Any ideas on stopping the fumes getting into Dave's motor please Muttley?
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Post by davev6newman on Nov 19, 2012 17:21:18 GMT 1
My overriding concern is the fumey emmisions and the smoke/vapour. As there has to be something wrong. I have got the problem sorted with cab fumes, this was due to the exhaust pipe finishing under the van, so i have extended it out the back like so.... I went down to my MOT centre today and he hooked up the emission probe and the Co2 well over 5 and he said it should be 0. So i came home and got the colourtune out and the tachometer and fine tuned the mixture and idle speed The spark was already blue, but tuned it to the tacho at the highest speed. Plugged the vacuum into the servo as well just to veryify the settings. Then got the timing light out to check that @ 8 deg btdc. This picture was taken using the strobe light Exhaust was still fumey and very wet, will need to take it back to get the emissions checked again, if its still high i give up!!!
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Post by FredTransit on Nov 19, 2012 17:54:41 GMT 1
OK it shouldnt be 5 but how can it be 0?? Turn it off? What is that, CO2?
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Post by muttleymk2 on Nov 19, 2012 18:21:08 GMT 1
Co should be 1.5 +/- 0.5 % Do you have any exhaust leaks and check the rear of the van to see where the fumes are being drawn in
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Post by davev6newman on Nov 19, 2012 19:09:17 GMT 1
I dont have any exhaust leaks as ive sealed them up and if i put my hand over the tail pipe it will stall. i dont have fumes bieng drawn into the camper now i have extended the tail pipe. What i am concerened about is the heavy fumes its pumping out, it really is very strong, if you stand behind it it will make you feel ill.
Im assuming the heavy fumes and the water vapour are linked in some way, either way, something is not right and i want to get it sorted.
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