Light blueish soke from exhaust.

[Radar]

I have cured my engine fan, ( fitted electric ). When I came to drive it today it has started to throw out smoke from the exhaust. Both on tickover and accelleration. It does not look like oil, but could be. Any ideas.

[Radar]

Oops I mean Smoke.

[OrangeXJ]

It could be coolant. Bad head gasket or cracked head.

[bigjim350]

Coolant would be white smoke in most cases. And burning oil is usually blue smoke, and running too rich (un-burnt) fuel is black smoke.

[Cheromaniac]

I have cured my engine fan, ( fitted electric ). When I came to drive it today it has started to throw out smoke from the exhaust. Both on tickover and accelleration. It does not look like oil, but could be. Any ideas.

I suggest you go for a drive and have a friend drive behind you so he/she can keep an eye on your tailpipe and watch for smoke.
As bigjim350 said, white smoke/steam is usually coolant (unless it's a cold damp day and the engine's cold) from a blown head gasket or a cracked head, black smoke is due to the engine running too rich, and blue smoke will be burning oil.
If indeed it IS blue smoke, you'll need to know if it's worse either at idle/deceleration or under acceleration/heavy load. With the former, the vacuum inside the intake manifold/intake ports of head is high so oil would get sucked in past worn valve guides or valve stem oil seals. With the latter, the problem is likely to be oil blowby due to piston ring/bore wear. You could also get oil blowby (and oil leaks from the front/rear crankshaft seals) if the rear rocker cover CCV grommet is blocked and not allowing crankcase gases to escape into the intake manifold.

[Radar]

I am sure it is the head gasket/cracked head, after what you guys have told me. I have heard I need to buy new head bolts as well is this correct.

[Cheromaniac]

Before you go tearing into your engine, check if there's oil in the coolant and coolant in the oil (white emulsion inside oil filler cap will give that away). Also pull the spark plugs and describe what they look like (a photo would be even better). Then we can tell you for sure what's going on.
If the head has never been taken off before you can reuse the old head bolts once. Otherwise get a new set from http://headbolts.com/Jeep-AMC-232-244-258-4.0-engine-head-bolts.html

[Carves]

Yes, it makes us more well rounded. You are part of the steering wheel on the wrong side group here. :D

cheeky bugga .. :D


Radar has an XJ with another quirky feature - besides the steering wheel location .. :D


Hey Radar ...... tell 'em how many heads your engine has ;) .. ;)



Theres lots of good info XJTalk can provide for you in regards to most XJ basics ... but you will probably need to scout around a few jeep forums - to get VM motor relevant info ... coz I dont think anyone here has one ??

[Radar]

My steering wheel is on the right?, no wonder I am on the wrong side of the road, I was wondering why everyone was flashing me. lol

[Radar]

Are you taking the pee? how many heads should i have.:smiley-laughing021:

[Carves]

Are you taking the pee? how many heads should i have.:smiley-laughing021:

I would have thought you had 4 ....

Did they change the setup in the later year models ???

[Cheromaniac]

Theres lots of good info XJTalk can provide for you in regards to most XJ basics ... but you will probably need to scout around a few jeep forums - to get VM motor relevant info ... coz I dont think anyone here has one ??

I definitely don't have one but being a European myself, I know that the Italian-built VM Motori 2.5L turbodiesel XJ was more popular in Europe than the 4.0L I6 and the anaemic 2.5L I4 petrol models because you didn't need to take out a second mortgage every time you stopped at a petrol station.
Radar: I suggested earlier that you pull out the spark plugs and show us a photo of them until I looked at your info. and saw that you really do have a diesel, in which case there won't be any to show. Unfortunately without spark plug holes in the head you can't do a compression test either.
You can still check the oil and coolant levels periodically and see if either of them is going down, and see if the oil is becoming milky indicating that coolant is getting into the crankcase.

[Radar]

I have just been out under the bonnet while the rain has stopped. And you are correct there are four heads. Which is a big suprise to me. Less chance of warping I would have thought.

[OrangeXJ]

Know that I know you have a deisel I'm still sticking with coolant. I've never done it but I would think you could pull the fuel injectors and check compression. If you pull them and see one more of the tips cleaner than the others most likely it's a coolant leak

[Carves]

Definitely check for coolant/head issues as these fellas are saying.

... as the VM has been known to have some issues in that regard.


In general ... Fuel-flow ( pump or injectors ) and restricted air-flow are other causes of smoky exhausts in diesels.

Dunno how reputable these blokes are ... but the link keeps showing up in many, VM fitted XJ, posts and references.

clicky click --> http://www.vmdieselspecialist.com/

.

[Radar]

:pray:Started to remove the heads, got as far as removing pipes wires and all the bits and pieces, then the rain stopped work. Will be taking the actual heads off tomorrow if dry weather.

[Radar]

:confused:Just come to take the heads off, I dont have the spline socket for the head bolts, any idea what size socket I need.

[4.3LXJ]

12 point splines?