Intermittent Smoke While Driving

[jakeandgenny]

'72 weekender, type 4 engine. I searched, and read, and searched and read, and naturally, nothing that i found is the EXACT SAME problem as mine.

Ok, so I just got the timing and carbs adjusted, and changed the oil, and on the way home from the garage, once i got off the highway, smoke starts pouring out of my tailpipes (my dad was following, so he described this to me). Then it stopped, and it was fine. No power loss at any point, no noises, no lights, just smoke...white-ish, grey-ish, smoke...smells like oil.

Bus fires up fine, drives fine, just occasionally i get smoke out the back. Doesn't seem to be related to anything...hills, start-up, revs, gears, load, weather, mood, planetary alignment. Like i said, no power loss, no brake problems, and the smoke is not constant, nor is the smell. I checked the oil level when it first happened and it was high, and will check again tonight to see if levels have changed.

I'm wondering what's going. I don't expect that anyone can fix this via the internet, i'm just looking for thoughts. I am NOT mechanically inclined enough to tackle this myself, but would just like to understand better. ALSO, I need to drive the bus about two hours at the end of next week, and am wondering if that's (un)reasonable so I know whether i need to take action immediately.

TIA.

[busdaddy]

[Wildthings]

You should check out the crankcase ventilation system, especially if you have an aftermarket carb or aftermarket air filtration.

How about pictures of your engine.

[jakeandgenny]

Thanks for taking an interest.

When I take a look at the oil level tonight, I'll snap some pics of the engine. I'm unsure exactly of the carb, but i know its aftermarket, and I know its not the highest quality. Again, I'll take a look tonight.

Could the culprit be the adjusted carb/timing, or perhaps too much oil when it was changed?

Either way, I'll check back in later with updates and photos.

Thanks again.

[Wildthings]

[busdaddy]

[quote="Wildthings"]

[jakeandgenny]

FWIW, i took pics and checked the oil. No shock, but the oil's lower than it was last i checked. So in two weeks, and 4 or 5 trips (about 30 minutes each) she's gone from just at the second line to just at the first line.

here's the pics:

In speaking with my father, we're thinking bad rings, but i'm unsure. What I'm really wondering is if i can drive this for a few weeks with a case of oil in the back and then attend to it, or is this an emergent situation.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks again.

[busdaddy]

That's remarkably clean
Where does the hose coming from the rectangular black box on top of the engine behind the carb go?

It's not an emergency until you can't see behind you anymore due to the smoke, maintain the oil level though.
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[bugger101]

also get the fuel filter out of the engine compartment
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75 west deluxe http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5270450#5270450

2010 ford focus

[Wildthings]

[udidwht]

Leaking brake booster.
_________________
1972 Westy Hardtop/Type-4 2056cc
96mm Biral AA P/C's~7.8:1CR
Headflow Masters New AMC 42x36mm heads w/Porsche swivel adjusters
71mm Stroke
73 Web Cam w/Web solids
Dual 40mm IDF Webers - LM-2 - 47.5 idles/125 mains/190 air corr./F11 tubes/28mm Vents - Float height 10.45mm/Drop 32mm
Bosch SVDA w/Pertronix module (7.5 initial 28 total @ 3400rpm)
Bosch W8CC plugs
Pertronix Flamethrower 40K coil
S&S 4-1 w/Walker QP 17862
3 rib 002 Trans
185R14 Hankook tires

[jakeandgenny]

Wow, lots of great feedback, thanks a lot.

I do like to keep the bus as clean as I can. Its the one thing I can do.

So, bear with me as I reveal how truly mechanically disinclined i am.

Busdaddy/Wildthings: the black box and tube (t, do you mean A&B, or C? How do i tell if it restricted? Anything in particular i should look for? I'll take a look and see where that tube goes tonight.

Bugger: you suggested getting the fuel filter out of the engine compartment. (that's D, right?) if you can, could you elaborate?

udidwht: could you possibly elaborate on a leaking break booster? this is not something i had considered.

Thanks for the time and patience.

[Wildthings]

"A" is the breather box which should have a hose attached at "B". The breather and hose need to be open and able to pass any and all blowby gases produced by the engine. It is common practice to vent the breather into the air cleaner so that the blowby and the oil it carries gets burned up.

I don't have qualms about a fuel filter being in the engine compartment so long as it has clamps on the hoses and is fastened down so it doesn't bounce around. I prefer a metal filter myself, but each to their own. Placing the filter before the fuel pump will protect the pump from foreign material though.

[aryue]

Where is the routed to from the breather box?

There should be a hose from the right side of the breather box that connects to a fitting on the air filter.

- Andrew in Austin, TX -
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OldandSlow - but still chuggin.
http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/VW/VWBus.html

[udidwht]

A ruptured diaphragm in the booster will allow brake fluid into the intake where it's burned causing white smoke. Follow your line from the booster back to the engine and verify there are no leaks. You won't find the leaky diaphragm by doing this but you also want to eliminate any vac leaks.
_________________
1972 Westy Hardtop/Type-4 2056cc
96mm Biral AA P/C's~7.8:1CR
Headflow Masters New AMC 42x36mm heads w/Porsche swivel adjusters
71mm Stroke
73 Web Cam w/Web solids
Dual 40mm IDF Webers - LM-2 - 47.5 idles/125 mains/190 air corr./F11 tubes/28mm Vents - Float height 10.45mm/Drop 32mm
Bosch SVDA w/Pertronix module (7.5 initial 28 total @ 3400rpm)
Bosch W8CC plugs
Pertronix Flamethrower 40K coil
S&S 4-1 w/Walker QP 17862
3 rib 002 Trans
185R14 Hankook tires

[jakeandgenny]

Awesome, guys, thank you.

I'll check all this out when i get home from work and update then.

[udidwht]

When you step on the brakes what happens to the idle?
_________________
1972 Westy Hardtop/Type-4 2056cc
96mm Biral AA P/C's~7.8:1CR
Headflow Masters New AMC 42x36mm heads w/Porsche swivel adjusters
71mm Stroke
73 Web Cam w/Web solids
Dual 40mm IDF Webers - LM-2 - 47.5 idles/125 mains/190 air corr./F11 tubes/28mm Vents - Float height 10.45mm/Drop 32mm
Bosch SVDA w/Pertronix module (7.5 initial 28 total @ 3400rpm)
Bosch W8CC plugs
Pertronix Flamethrower 40K coil
S&S 4-1 w/Walker QP 17862
3 rib 002 Trans
185R14 Hankook tires

[Desertbusman]

The smoke could be a brake fluid into the engine issue. But it's when the master cylinder leaks and dumps fluid into the booster. It's a result of a bad MC and not a bad booster. Although when brake fluid get in there it can wreck the booster.
_________________
71 Superbug
71 Westy

[jakeandgenny]

Alright, as you can see, the tube from breather box goes to the filter:

FWIW, the tube was jammed pretty tight under those two pipes (name?).

udidwht: As far as I know, nothing changes when i hit the brakes while the bus is idling.

As usual, thank you. this is all a huge help.

[Wildthings]