Hi there,

My reconditioned ca18det has developed a blue cloud of smoke on start up each morning. It is also hard to start.

It is also losing oil slowly but surely, and my have been driven with not enough oil for a while! compression is ok, but bearings might be stuffed i guess.

It was also running lean because of a faulty airflow meter and missing a lot- what damage would this do?

My thoughts are that the valve stem seals may have gone, but why on a reconditioned engine?
Any thoughts would be great
justin

Hi ogyris, Ive had this experience with a CA16 motor. Although you said the AFM was making it run lean, what happened to me was the motor ran rich just after a rebuild therefore glazing the bores. This meant the rings couldn't bed in properly and the motor smoked. Hope this has helped a bit. Cheers. Adam.

what oil did you use after reconditioning?

Most full synthetics will stop bedding in of the rings. You just can't use it while running in. I used special 'running in' oil.

Is it possible the the reconditioning didn't replace or QA the condition of the valve guides?

Would be my guesses.

thanks for the help. I used proper running in oil so thats all ok. But it is possible that the valve guides were not replaced or checked. I will check with reconditioner.
My engine only produces some black carbon deposits on the back of the car, but isn't very smokey when driving so the rings are probably bedded in. But then i ran out of oil which can glaze the bores aswell...