1.8t burning oil!

[mcsullyboy]

Hi need some advice please but think I no the problem.. I had my headgasket replaced in or around November as water pipes went solid and was starting to mix water with the oil not severe and wasn't driven far.. anyways got the headgasket replaced at a place fairly local bill went up from 340 to 460 as they had issues with studs just spinning on exhaust manifold plus other probs they found and sorted. But anyways car runs fine they changed the oil and told me to give it another oil change in 200miles which I have done flushed & gone to fully synth.. but I have noticed when car has been stood over night and started in the morning I get a puff of blue smoke!! nothing major and cannot say I noticed before the headgasket .. I've checked the turbo and no play in the shaft no oil in turbo housing and when headgasket was done I got them to clear the turbo oil feed pipe as I have heard when headgasket fails and you have it repaired the turbo can fail a few weeks later so did this as a precaution!! I think I no its valve stem oil seals but could it be something else? all breathers are clear oil is clear and it doesn't burn anything when driving or when turbo cuts in!! my question is surly the garage should have replaced the valve seals when the head was done as it was skimmed etc? also the cambelt cover the one where the pulleys are over the front the outer cover bolts onto is cracked and has a large chunk missing!! it was like this when I bought it looks like a bolt to remove the cover was stuck so previous owner used brut force to het cover off I asked the garage to fix this with a second hand cover they said they had but didn't how easy would it be to change? is it a big job as looks a mess plus don't like having the belt open to crud etc!! the car is a 53 plate zt 1.8t done a lot to it since i've had it i've replaced the old 3 speed fan with a 2 speed with gold resistor thanks to some advice from the club members but today the under tray stated dragging on the road so got to fix that tomorrow always seems to be something with this car but love it does the head have to come off to replace the valve seals although I think I no the answer any advice would be welcome many thanks mike

[Graham 1.8 Turbo]

You can skim head with valves in place but a good engineer would remove them and fit new valve stem seals. I hope they checked the liner protrusions as many of the blocks were incorrectly machined which causes head gasket failure.

I had a similar problem with mine but my turbo had gone. you may have oil in the breather system or exhaust.

[mcsullyboy]

Hi graham, well I had the new landrover gasket fitted and the garage said it didn't look like the head been skimmed before!! I never noticed it burning oil on start up before the headgasket was changed! and thought maybe it could be down to the oil they used or crud burning off but im sure it would do it all the time not just when been left overnight ... the car has done 89 tho but it had a new block and new turbo just before I bought the car! if it is the valve seals? will it get worse?? or will it be something to live with I cannot afford to take the head off again! I will go back to the garage and see what they say I was just unsure whether they should have replaced these as part of the headgasket! its annoying when you start it in the morning and see a puff off blue smoke appear or drift past your window it soon clears and is fine rest of the day but would like it put right as I said i've checked the breathers and the one way valve on the breather pipe that's all fine clear the turbo housing is free from oil when I checked for play in turbine shaft which is fine.. just worried incase it gets worse . I cannot say its using any oil but will keep checking the water is fine and water pipes are not solid to the touch runs ok I also removed the plugs and they light colour so not oily although when I changed the plugs the 2 near oil cap had some oil in the ports just covering the metal where the socket grips to undo them? so maybe the cover is weeping or they were messy when filling I did check cam cover bolts and some I could turn with my fingers so nipped them up but thank you for your reply mot due in a week and I no im going to need new back box but the garage told me they noticed the car still was on the 1 piece exhaust it left the factory with!!..so whether I can cut the back box off and get a join im unsure but its done well to last till now

[arodriguez]

I had the same issue. It was the Turbo that was shot (lots of play) and only had 60k miles on the clock. When my head gasket went it was just an external leak too and there was no oil/water mayo in the coolant so I was shocked that the turbo could be shot at such a low mileage. Problem only arose (LOTS of blue smoke until warmed through) about 2000 miles after the head gasket was done.

Maybe you're seeing early signs of the turbo seals wearing?

Mine has the original valve stem seals at 64k and no signs of blue smoke since I replaced the turbo.. good luck.

[mcsullyboy]

Hi thank you for your advice I am hoping its not the turbo its not that old!! and I have checked for play in the turbo shaft and there isn't any! and no signs of oil in the inlet or outlet to the turbo but thank you