Blue smoke on start-up after fitting of recon TD cyl head

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 6:48 pm

My feeling on this is the timing on the injection pump. Did you set it by hand or using a test indicator? I had similar smoke conditions which I couldn't ease until it was set properly by a mechanic friend using an indicator.
The fluctuations in tick-over you mention I also had at some point and it seemed to correspond to the click of the accumulator for some odd reason - I'm sure someone can explain this.
Good to see a little bit of South London in your vid too. I originally derive from those parts.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:17 pm

My tickover is ever so slightly slower when the hp pump is working

Post by **Defender110** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:59 pm

andycadabra wrote: I was revving it at 15,000 to 20,000, and finally leaving it at tickover.

Are you sure???????Not surprised you've got smoke! you won't have any pistons left!

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 7:49 am

Defender110 wrote:
andycadabra wrote: I was revving it at 15,000 to 20,000, and finally leaving it at tickover.
Are you sure???????Not surprised you've got smoke! you won't have any pistons left!

Everybody else was just far too polite to mention that diesel turbine he's got spinning away under the bonnet!

andycadabra · Post by **andycadabra** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:01 am

Defender - I don't make a habit of revving it every time I start it from cold. I did so mainly for the video, but I would have thought 15 to 20 K represents quite subdued driving and those folks that don't drive cars that need to get up on their hydraulic feet every time they start them tend to drive off straight away, presumably putting more strain on the engine by virtue of it having to propel them?

toddao - that's interesting. I hadn't considered that the injection pump had 'timing' as such. Do you think I should take it to a tune-up guy, a diesel specialist, or Citroen specialist? Because the smoke was blue I assumed it was an oil issue, yet the oil level hasn't moved noticeably in 160 miles or so. Glad you enjoyed seeing a bit of south London - sounds like you live somewhere where BX's are less of a headache...

If the head is faulty I need to open a dispute with the seller ASAP so I'll take the liberty of posting this link again.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:06 am

andycadabra wrote:Defender - I don't make a habit of revving it every time I start it from cold. I did so mainly for the video, but I would have thought 15 to 20 K represents quite subdued driving and those folks that don't drive cars that need to get up on their hydraulic feet every time they start them tend to drive off straight away, presumably putting more strain on the engine by virtue of it having to propel them?

Andy, I think Defender was having a gentle fun-poke at your use of the 'k' in your engine speed description.

You'll find that 'k' is short for 'thousands' - thus 20k means 20,000 rpm, a speed at which your engine would enthusiastically self-destruct. I think you're actually revving to 2,000rpm ........ unless you really DO have a turbine.

andycadabra · Post by **andycadabra** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:22 am

I get it, egg on my face, LOL

wasn't there a government minister who also miss-placed a decimal point, to everyone's amusement last week?

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 4:41 pm

Yeah ...... but government ministers tend to make it a career choice, don't they?

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 7:14 pm

Andy wrote

Glad you enjoyed seeing a bit of south London - sounds like you live somewhere where BX's are less of a headache...

I've had my woes for sure! I think any BX owner knows such trials as you're experiencing at the moment. Without the support and advice available here I would have turned Japanese long ago.
There's a garage in Wandsworth/Battersea called MWR run by a bloke called Mark - I knew him from my 2CV days. He's a Citroen specialist. If it is the timing it won't take long to adjust. And if it isn't, he could offer some ideas.
I hope you get it sorted.

demag · Post by **demag** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:06 pm

Looking at that smoke reminded me of a Gardner 180!

Being serious though, I think if it was like that all the time I would be worried. The fact that it clears in a few minutes and you're not losing oil would suggest it's not an oil issue and could possibly be fuel related.

I tend to agree with Todd I think it could be timing and that the head is probably ok.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:21 pm

A friend of mine had a DTR turbo that did just this! It smoked for the first 2 mins after start up but then cleared. He had it for 7 years, always the same.

It has to be a fuel/injection related problem

jonathan_dyane · Post by **jonathan_dyane** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:02 pm

Does the engine sound the same as it used to?

My money is on timing...

Post by **Defender110** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 11:19 pm

Andy
Yes I too think you need to check your timing and perhaps have the injectors tested.
The symptom of guide seals tend to be an initial puff of blue smoke on first start up, yours carries on smoking after innitial start up.

As previously asked, what was the reason for changing your cylinder head? Did your engine overheat? are your cylinders glazed?

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:50 am

My money is on timing too. The engine sounds a bit "soft" indicating retarded timing.

Either that, or in removing and refitting the injectors from one head to the other something has been disturbed or not fitted correctly, meaning you're getting poor injector spray from one or more injector.

How well does it start now compared to how it used to be?

kole24 · Post by **kole24** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:23 am

I would check valve clearence.