Timex and friends

[mat_fenwick]

vent the crankcase breather to atmosphere.

Or, split the pipe into two and route into the sills for rustproofing while you drive!

[citsncycles]

I'll check the crank breather, but I suspect the problem is the knackered valve guides. Went to Bristol last night for the local 2CV meet, and it was smoke free until I had to throttle back and slow down for the permanent roadworks at Almondsbury. Huge cloud of smoke coming out of those, then on the ring road it was clear until I lifted off, after which there was another cloud of smoke when I hit the power pedal, presumably because of the oil drawn past the valves on the overrun.

Not sure what the diesel emissions test consists of, as it seems good at some times, and really, really smoky at others. I just hope I don't have to pull the head again just yet!

[DavidRutherford]

The smoke could also be completely shagged oil control rings too. I've had some XUD engines with pretty shocking valve stem to guide clearance, but very little smoke. I know the bottom end on an XUD is generally quite robust, but this engine is a bit of an unknown quantity isn't it?

[Tim Leech]

Its only under accelearion and starting from cold is when it smokes badly, at idle its fine, I followed it for many hours in Scotland and when Mike backed off the throttle there was no smoke, and when he booted it the air turned blue!

[citsncycles]

Engine is a definate unknown as far as everything under the head is concerned - as far as I can tell it's a 1989 engine, which had at least some parts of the original engine bolted to it (some of the castings for water connections etc. are dated 1985), and it's running an early Bosch pump. I didn't pull the pistons, but the bores looked really good, with no wear lip as far as I could see. As for the head, it's a square port one purchased from Mothman along with the manifolds, cam cover and intake hose, the valves and shims are a mixture of ones from both heads plus one from the Westons, the cam came from a pile of bits in the corner of the Weston's workshop and the cam bearing caps came from the spares bin at the machine shop that skimmed the head!

If it's the rings, then I may do the valves & guides too, as I wouldn't want to pull the head for a third time!

[DavidRutherford]

TBH, I wouldn't bother messing about with the bottom end on an unknown engine, you may end up chasing your tail for what feels like forever.

If you decide you really can't deal with the smokescreen any more, I've a near-perfect condition XUD9A from 1995 here, from a Citroen ZX (OK, wrong camshaft, but it's nearly right!) which used to start perfectly, give no smoke whatsoever, and give an easy 50mpg if I wasn't driving it. (Mosieur plomb pieds ici!)

Have you checked that the injectors and the injection pump are matched? (IE both early bosch?) It's unlikely, but bad injection pattern, poor pressures and the like can sometimes give some colour to the exhaust that make it look like it's burning engine oil, when it's actually a fuelling problem.

The presence of the smoke on power only does seem to suggest that it could be a fuelling issue of some sort rather than burning oil. (although I'll bet it's burning some anyway!)

[citsncycles]

TBH I don't mind the smoke at all, so long as it passes the MOT, as it just fits the current image of Timex perfectly! Maybe once the rust, dents, filler, gaffer tape, chipped and scratched glass, paint, interior and leaks (both in and out!) are sorted then I may have another go at the engine, but until Mr. MOT man says no or something else lets go it'll be basic servicing for the engine itself, plus a seal kit for the pump, which occasionally leaks round the spindle.

I've no problem dropping another engine in if it comes to it, as this one isn't the original, but I'd be swapping the head over anyway as it's the correct one, so I may as well change the valves and guides atthe same time.

[mat_fenwick]

plus a seal kit for the pump

That reminds me…sorry. I could have brought it to Scotland too.

[barry badger]

The leaking spindle could possibly be the cause of some of the smoke as it will draw air into the diesel, also because there is no throttle butterfly there's no reason why oil should be drawn down the valve guides more on the overrun than at any other time.
My moneys on poor injectors/pump timing /air leak as being the cause of the smoke.
I haven't read this full thread but if the engine originally had a round port head then it will overfuel with the square port head due to the poorer flow.

[citsncycles]

That makes sense Barry. Had a little jaunt to Belgium and back last weekend for an old cycle event at Ettelgem - 530 mile round trip on a mix of motorway and local roads with my 1936 Pashley carrier bike mounted on the worlds heaviest bike rack which in turn fits on the tow ball, at an average of 48.5mpg. Smoke on start up is minimal tbh, and by keeping an eye on the passenger door mirror the smoke happens most when I floor it - there's usually a few seconds delay then the smoke starts and gets progressively worse until I back off. If I avoid flooring it then I don't tend to notice any smoke at all. My guess is that if I sort the pump seals and reset the throttle stop for the MOT then it may go through.

Back to Belgium, my Citroen spotting scored the following:
BX - a DTR tailgate sat on top of a hedge in a garden
XM - a V6 hatch with morettes at the front and 4 tailpipes at the back
2CV - 6 of various ages from the 70's onwards
AK400 - 1
DS - 1969 Ambulance acting as sag wagon for the event
Xantia - dozens - you name the model it was probably out there!

Of later models, a few ZX's, less Xzaras, then several C4's and C5's. I also saw a C6 on the M25 on the way home Monday night.

[Tim Leech]

Did anyone see C42LGK at the CCC National?

[DavidRutherford]

Yes.

I love it.

The paint match was particularly "special"

[Dollywobbler]

Did anyone see C42LGK at the CCC National?

Was there really a C42 there? Timex is C44...

[Tim Leech]

C42 LGK a red Citroen 2CV Special was indeed there on the Sunday, as was Timex, cant believe I missed that....although I wasnt on "shift at that time"

Theres a picture of it here


http://public.fotki.com/JonM/citroen-ca ... 1/159.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[citsncycles]

Damn, didn't spot that myself - would have been nice to get the 2 together for a pic!

I own WAN618M, a Citroen Dyane, and for a while (until I wrote it off ) I owned an Ami 8 Estate WAN619M!