10 replies to this topic

[jonb_5]

Hi,

I know minis do burn oil and use it up etc.

I just wondered if there is any way of mininimising this, when i really give it some it does smoke rather alot, how could i stop this?

Thanks

Jon

[Boycie]

Not a lot can be done if it smokes under acceleration..

You could try a swap to 20w50 oil but the main cause of smoking under load is excessive clearance between the piston rings or bores- an engine re-build being the only answer.

If however, it smokes with a rev when it's been idling a while, you could get away with a quick head rebuild

[samsfern]

If however, it smokes with a rev when it's been idling a while, you could get away with a quick head rebuild

mine occasionally does this when it idles and fills the road with blue smoke in the morning when i start it up after its been standing all night, i av done a compression test all are 225psi, i rebuilt and rebored the bottom end as well so am pretty sure its not piston associated, would i be right in saying valve guides/stem seals? i didnt do anything other than a skim to the head as funds didnt allow it.

sounds like the piston rings, do a compression test (or get a garage to do it) if all the compressions are fine then as said earlier maybe rebuild the cylinder head, renew the valve guides, maybe the valves if they are worn, and definately the stem seals, ive learnt this the hard way, and will have to have the head off again to do this!!!!

Edited by samsernie, 11 May 2009 - 07:28 PM.

[Boycie]

Yes Samsernie yours does sound like a valve stem/ guide issue. It may just be the stem seals but you want to check the play/ clearance with a valve a few mill off it's seat.

[samsfern]

yeah, pretty sure it is that, wont be doing it before l2b as i dont fancy disturbing everything with the l2b so close. iff you see a cloud of blue smoke, itll probably be me, lol

[jonb_5]

Hi,

Was going to try swapping oil any way as i put slightly thinner stuff in for the first couple hundred miles anyway.

Is this the stuff i need, or can you get better? Not sure if i need fully synthetic etc????

http://www.halfords....tegoryId_165581

Cheers

Jon

[Boycie]

Yup that stuff is great.. but am I the only one that thinks it's damn expensive for 20w50?!?

[Red Bull Racer]

Don't use anything thinne than 20/50 it wil put a glaze on the cylinder bores which will cause the rings not to seal! Take the head off and check the valve guide to stem clearance, minimum it could be is tem oil seals!
Lee

[Retro_10s]

I know minis do burn oil and use it up etc.

If everything's in order and working well it shouldn't use any more than any other engine. there really is only two things to do if you're burning oil - You can replace the valve stem seals incase they have perished.

Or you can inspect the piston rings and see if they're still functioning as well as they should be.

[l_bratch]

Sorry to hi-jack the thread, but on the subject of 20W50 - I recently got an oil change done at a Kwik-Fit, and asked for 20W50, but they told me that was "like treacle" and I'd "be crazy to use that", so I accepted their recommendation of 10W40.

Were they crazy or was I?

[Sleepy Stu]

Sorry to hi-jack the thread, but on the subject of 20W50 - I recently got an oil change done at a Kwik-Fit, and asked for 20W50, but they told me that was "like treacle" and I'd "be crazy to use that", so I accepted their recommendation of 10W40.

Were they crazy or was I?

Most people on here will recommend 20W50 and to be honest it just goes to show that the monkeys at Kwik-Fit have no idea what they are talking about. However more importantly do you know the brand and type of oil they put in? A mini needs a good quality mineral oil but from the comments they gave you I wouldnt be surprised if they put in fully synthetic which will be no good for your engine at all.

10W40 is ran by a lot of people here as well so as long as its of the mineral variety it should be fine. If you have a look in the Haynes manual you will get three completely values for oil.