Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Blue Smoke!

Discuss problems you have had or are having with your Z4
Post Reply
User avatar
jock156
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 2388
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2018 5:54 pm
Location: NORWICH

Blue Smoke!

Post by jock156 » Fri Aug 24, 2018 9:02 am

Some of you may know since purchase (March 18) I've had an issue with blue smoke.

Its a 06 2L with 87k on the clock. Absloutely no smoke on start up only when I get to temperature. Then normally in 2nd gear the smoke appears. I'm using 1L (5w/30 fully synthetic) whenever the car asks. I have a small oil leak about 1ft in from the drivers wheel which I noticed after a recent weeks holiday. In a week it left a stain about the size of a saucer on the drive so other than getting that looked at my question(s) are................................

1. I have had the CCV replaced and this helped towards the cause.
2. I had a compression carried out yesterday and all 4 cylinders were near enough bang on the money.

Now my mechanic friend - who ain't charging me thus far - by the power of deduction is thinking now it might be an issue with the breathing system or lack of it forcing the air back i.e. a blocked pipe leading to the CCV or a pipe with very little air flow due to a build up of crud. I'm certainly no guru on engines and how they work but I can understand his reasons and implies this may be another simple easy/ cheap fix to see if that alleviates the problem.

Please note the car runs like a dream.

So what do you guys reckon, would this be a logical step to take? If so is there an online "Haynes" manual that I could maybe print off the neccessary page(s) to give him a heads up?

Thanks in advance :-)

Mike6
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1073
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2015 1:17 pm

Blue Smoke!

Post by Mike6 » Fri Aug 24, 2018 5:59 pm

Just a thought - have a look at the air filter to check that it is reasonably clean.

User avatar
Ewazix
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4721
Joined: Sun May 02, 2010 5:30 pm
Location: Somerset

Blue Smoke!

Post by Ewazix » Fri Aug 24, 2018 6:25 pm

The crank case breather system is worth checking re the blue smoke and oil consumption (if it's high, you dont mention how many miles per L?). The classic oil leak on these engines is the the rear of the cam cover gasket which runs oil down the back of the engine, that's where I would start looking for the 'trail'.

..... The oil leak may not be related but thinking it through a blocked oil breather could actually make a gasket leak worse due to pressure.
2003 2.5 SE, low miles, Sterling Grey, 108's & Eagles, no stubby here! Unmolested.
2018 Cooper S Countryman
Fiesta Ecoboost

User avatar
Smartbear
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 13685
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:54 pm
Location: a barn in Somerset

Blue Smoke!

Post by Smartbear » Mon Dec 24, 2018 1:37 pm

Mike6 wrote: Fri Aug 24, 2018 5:59 pm Just a thought - have a look at the air filter to check that it is reasonably clean.
Hi, a blocked air filter would give a black soot from the exhaust & not a blue (oil burning) one.
In the days of carburettors it would have done anyway, these days the maf will measure reduced airflow due to a dirty air filter and a correspondingly smaller amount of fuel will be injected, keeping the stoichiometric ratio within acceptable boundaries :thumbsup:
Rob
Image

e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold

User avatar
patriot66
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 3467
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2015 2:59 am
Location: Mawdesley, Lancashire

Blue Smoke!

Post by patriot66 » Mon Dec 24, 2018 2:25 pm

Sounds like leaking oil burning off when the engine/exhaust get up to temperature. Check all your gaskets first..cam cover, oil filter housing etc :thumbsup:
Sterling Grey '03 2.5i SE / Infinitas Supercharger / S.M.G / Hardtop / Gloss Black 162s / Bilstein B4s / 3.0i Brakes / DLV De-Cat & Silencer / Rebuilt VANOS / Sonar 2Xcite Lights / Carbon & Alcantara Trim / M-Sport Seats / ...& Side Covers !

User avatar
jock156
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 2388
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2018 5:54 pm
Location: NORWICH

Blue Smoke!

Post by jock156 » Fri Jan 04, 2019 5:25 pm

Apologies for the very late reply.

Turns out the first garage never replaced the CCV or if they did it was one that was second hand. My mate changed it for a new one (hard to come by for a 2.0L) but he did show me the breather pipe from it.

Totally blocked with crud with absolutely no air getting through.

Hopefully it was that simple to replace the CCV and clean out the breather pipe, and it hasn't shown any signs of blue smoke since.

Car has now been sorned since November as the wife claims getting in/ out hurts her knees (so does doggy but I aint complaining!!!!) and wants a Mini.

Now waiting for the better weather to get it taxed and insured againready for sale.

Many thanks for all the useful help/ advice on this site and it will be sad to see it go.......................................... :(

Post Reply