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Gorgy69 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2019 Posts: 1 Location: Brighton UK
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 6:17 am Post subject: Smoking Vanagon |
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Hi folks, I,ve been lurking for a while and wow what a mine of info, great. I have a 90 Vanagon. Its a 1.9 injection. I bought it some months ago, had a recon gearbox and stainless steel exhaust fitted. It did have a cat on the old exhaust bur has been removed. (legal in the uk before a certain date). I also had a service. A new co2 (bosch) fitted. There is now a very frustrating problem that is making my van unusable. It starts and runs fine, pulls well thru the gears. Then on tickover after a few minutes starts bellowing blue smoke. Switch off all good then a min or two starts smoking. I've 2 garages (one specialist for these vans and loads of work done and diagnosis but nothing helps. I have followed some similar threads on here but never seem to get a final answer as to what the problem may be. Any ideas folks. I'm going crazy with this and its starting to cost loads of $$$$$$. Thanks in advance to all you clever guys. |
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DanHoug Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016 Posts: 4777 Location: Bemidji, MN
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 6:29 am Post subject: Re: smoking vanagon |
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you losing any brake fluid? if so, sometimes the master cylinder/brake booster can leak brake fluid into the vacuum hose and cause that issue, tho it is rare and is white smoke, not blue.
otherwise, make sure you have a very fresh oil change as diluted oil will sometimes do that once warmed up. _________________ -dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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Team WorldTour Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2010 Posts: 2426 Location: Der Vaterland
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 7:08 am Post subject: Re: smoking vanagon |
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I'm going to assume by 'billowing', you mean out of the exhaust?
Blue smoke is oil. You have an oil issue.
Or your valve covers are leaking all over your exhaust. _________________ 1990 Feldjäger Syncro AAZ
Click to view image
H6 Subaru Engine Swap Thread
WV2ZZZ25ZFH094138(x)/ WV2YB0257LH057308(x)/ WV2ZZZ25ZLG113270/
"Where am I going? And what am I doing in this handbasket?" -Nicodemus Jordan
When All Else Fails: Lather, Rinse, Repeat! |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16503 Location: Brookeville, MD
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9800 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 7:52 am Post subject: Re: smoking vanagon |
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Colour of smoke is critical yet possibly subjective.
Though 'blue' suggests oil the rest of your description suggests a rich mixture.
Has your gas mileage (whatever you call it when it is petrol & kilometers) dropped dramatically?
Gorgy69 wrote: |
...It starts and runs fine, pulls well thru the gears. Then on tickover after a few minutes starts bellowing blue smoke. Switch off all good then a min or two starts smoking... |
That timing sounds like the issue occurs once the ECU is using the signal from the O2 sensor (it ignores it for a short time after each start-up).
The most common cause of that problem is a short between the coax and the center lead in this (green) wire:
Another reason I suspect this is that you say:
Gorgy69 wrote: |
...A new co2 (bosch) fitted... |
By which I think you mean a new O2 sensor was installed. Could be when the short was introduced.
Several threads on this in the archives but the basic test is an ohmmeter to check for continuity between the conductor and the coax shield (should be zero). |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6544 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 8:43 am Post subject: Re: smoking vanagon |
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A little birdie that looks like a relative in the mirror said it will do this if the oil breather is clogged. _________________ ‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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smd333 Samba Member
Joined: September 08, 2018 Posts: 55 Location: Maryland
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 3:10 pm Post subject: Re: Smoking Vanagon |
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If the oil level is a little on the high side apparently that can cause a ton of smoke. When I test drove the van by myself everything was fine. When I had my mechanic check it out and test drive it like a week or 2 later it was a ton of smoke. The owner had topped off the oil just a day or 2 prior. My mechanic drained a few ounces of oil and the problem was solved. He said to keep it maybe like 7/8 full idk maybe others can tell me if this is correct |
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AZ Landshaper Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2009 Posts: 1698 Location: The Old Pueblo
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 3:54 pm Post subject: Re: Smoking Vanagon |
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head gasket. _________________ Support Small Business.
-------------------------------------------------------
85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug. |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9800 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: Smoking Vanagon |
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smd333 wrote: |
... My mechanic ... said to keep it maybe like 7/8 full idk maybe others can tell me if this is correct |
I like mine about midway between the marks -- it is (or I am) so particular that I made a third mark at the exact point where all is well:
You can see my mark in this photo (arrows are original marks):
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16503 Location: Brookeville, MD
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outcaststudios Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2015 Posts: 1732 Location: Maine
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 12:59 pm Post subject: Re: Smoking Vanagon |
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smoking vanagon:an expensive high that leaves you wanting more...vanagons. _________________ '88Doka JX td
'69 westy
(rip)couple bugs
(rip)three type III"s
(rip) '81 vanagon
a bunch of french stuff,and 9 motorcycles.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2573791 |
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SyncroButter Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2016 Posts: 383 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 2:10 pm Post subject: Re: Smoking Vanagon |
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Some very good guesses above (I like the brake booster one!), but what would really help us nail it down to a small number of possible causes is confirming the following (in addition to questions others have already asked):
Question already asked by Team WorldTour but re-stating it here: the smoke is coming out of the exhaust (and not just coming out from the general engine area), correct?
Smoke appears to have a blueish tint correct? (would usually indicate oil as others have said)? A picture would be helpful here.
What does the smoke smell like? Oil smoke and coolant smoke have very different smells, so this is helpful info.
A pic of all four of your spark plugs will also go a long way, lots of "hints" to be found there. _________________ Grant
In the stable: 1986 Syncro Westfalia/Bostig, 1989 Doka Tristar, 1974 Vespa Rally 200, 1973 Vespa Primavera 125, 1963 Solex 2200, 1938 Buick Special
Gone but not forgotten: 1989 Porsche 944, 1973 Standard Beetle |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32598 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9800 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 2:54 pm Post subject: Re: Smoking Vanagon |
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Well, he did say...
Gorgy69 wrote: |
...I'm going crazy with this... |
Perhaps he arrived at his destination. |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6544 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 9:09 pm Post subject: Re: Smoking Vanagon |
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Bro, that is soooo Freudian.
Or was it Wayne's World? _________________ ‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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