Does your van have a drink problem?

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by Little Nellie, Jul 16, 2019.

  1. Little Nellie

    Little Nellie Supporter

    Abraham Lincoln or George Best? Is yours a drinker?

    Battled away and cured oil dipstick gator and pushrod tubes on one side and almost no oil incontinence now on garage floor.

    Still a bit Oil iver Reed though . Went to Lakes and back so some big climbs but still using 1 litre per 250 miles. Engine sounds sweet and absolutely no grey smoke visible from exhaust and no smells.

    I’m sure new well built engine will get more than 1000 miles per litre, but is 250 miles per litre a concern for a typical old engine?

    Thoughts appreciated
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  2. Yes, definitely. the fridge is nowhere near big enough.
     
    Lasty likes this.
  3. Mine dribbled a bit and hardly used any on 700 miles . Sounds a bit thirsty
     
    Little Nellie likes this.
  4. nicktuft

    nicktuft Supporter

    New out of the box 127 circa late 1990's (1800) took a long time to settle down. Piston rings needed to bed in, as on start up it would be smoky. Was using about a litre for 1000 miles.
    Now around half a litre between changes.
    Seems to have settled down and after having been dormant for about 20 years...fingers crossed seems to be in fine shape.
    .
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
    Merlin Cat, Little Nellie and Lasty like this.
  5. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    My old engine was anywhere from 1 litre in 20 miles (pinched rockee gasket) and up to a litre per 1000 miles, drips, smoked.

    My new engine uses about 0.5 to 1 litre/1000 miles.

    Yes your engine is wearing out but until the oil light keeps constantly flickering when its idling and warmed up rather than just maybe flickering at the end of a motorway run, keep topping up the oil and enjoying it. At the same time start saving for another engine.. about 50k miles per major maintenance/rebuild seems typical.
     
    Merlin Cat, Lasty and Little Nellie like this.
  6. I guess mine is like that, good compression and oil pressure, no smoke except a bit on start up, no drips. Just a bit of a film on the underneath, but I’ve driven all over Europe constantly topping up every day getting about 4-500 miles/ litre. Bentley says I should be rebuilding. I don’t know where it goes if it doesn’t obviously burn or leak. My latest idea is that it comes out under pressure on the road, then stops when I turn off the engine and park, but I’ve no evidence for this, or where it might be escaping from.

    For my idea to work it would have to be coming from somewhere high up, above the normal oil level, say the oil filter or the oil pressure sender. I’ve looked hard to no avail so far.
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  7. Could be breathing a bit heavy from the crankcase breather which gets sucked in via the air cleaner & burnt. If you have good oil pressure. Decent pulling power & no nasty noises I wouldn’t worry.
     
    Merlin Cat, Lasty, mgbman and 2 others like this.
  8. Saves having to worry about oil changes!
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  9. Aps

    Aps

    I'm using about 1ltr per 1000 miles, there is a constant faint black haze coming from the exhaust, a little brown staining in the heads, breathing oil into the airbox and averaging out at around 18mpg with a laid back driving style. The engine feels reasonably strong and sounds great but I think a top end rebuild is imminent so I am thinking that I might get one of those VW Heritage 1641 top end rebuild kits and do it during the salty months.
     
    Merlin Cat and Little Nellie like this.
  10. Little Nellie

    Little Nellie Supporter

    Some rocker pics
     

    Attached Files:

  11. Looks OK to me. The oil comes up the push rods and gets distributed around the rockers etc, then collects in the lower side of the chamber before running back down the push rod tubes. I'm assuming the push rod tube seals and the rocker gaskets are OK?

    As it's not smoking I'd also assume that oil is not being lost down the valve guides.

    Can somebody comment on whether anything can be gleaned from the MOT emissions test for hydrocarbons. The test is aimed at detecting unburned fuel but would it also detect oil?
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  12. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    Oil in the exhaust is usually a white haze, and the golden staining in the heads can just be hot oil. If you see a blacker mess round the exhaust valve springs thats a sign of valve guides wearing as the exhaust directly cooks the oil..

    Black haze is more likely carbon from too rich jetting, the 18 mpg is a sign of that also.

    So your idea of replacing the top end is a good one but you might be needing a bit of tweaking of the carburettor too.
     
    Merlin Cat and Aps like this.
  13. Aps

    Aps

    Thanks for the advice, I am going to check the valves when I get a minute so I shall work through the rest of the ignition system and on to the carb and see if I can lean it up a bit and rid of the black haze. Carb set up still seems like witchcraft to me but with every time I try it does seem to run a little better.
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  14. redgaz

    redgaz Supporter

    Thought i'd use this thread to share my odd oil experience today. i recently had new barrels, pistons and new heads due to a blown out spark plug / melt down on the way home from Dubs at the Pub.
    Anyway the 'new' engine has done 150 miles so i checked tappets, only minor adjustment required, and changed the oil, cleaned strainer and measured
    2 litres of new oil in, but the odd thing is it took nearly 2.3 litres to get the dipstick to read full (van on the level).
    After running the engine for 10 mins and letting it stand for 20 mins, the oil level was then half way between middle and full , went for drive and have now just topped level up to full,..again. Is this 'normal' for a new engine that is still running in?.
     
  15. A type 1 will take 2.5 litres, the recommended amount.
     
  16. 77 Westy

    77 Westy Supporter

    If it’s a ‘new’ engine that has only had new barrels, pistons and heads you need to get a few load reversals on the engine to bed in the rings, then drive it normally. Running the engine for 10 minutes at idle or no load is the worst thing you can do. And definitely don’t run it with a low oil level.
     
    snotty likes this.
  17. + half a litre if you've got a remote filter ...


    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
     
  18. I can squeeze almost 4 litres into mine :thumbsup:
     
  19. redgaz

    redgaz Supporter

    Thanks, i had it in my head 2 litres was max capacity o_O where did i get that from? Doh !.
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  20. redgaz

    redgaz Supporter

    Is 'load reversal ' coming on and off gas pedal in gear?.
     

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