Quote:
Originally Posted by SurferUK
I had a Suzuki that puffed blue smoke on startup, I think it was the valve stem seals. I never worked out how it had happened (It would have been doing it with the previous owner too) or how I got unlucky, or spent any money on it - I just kept an eye on the oil level when I realise it was a 'burner'!
I only mention it as after looking into it, it didn't seem like the sort of thing that just happens one day.
Do you ever give it an 'Italian tune up'? I've got older engines that are driven gently through our MOT emissions tests by putting a tank of premium fuel and whatever random fuel system cleaner was cheapest in the tank, and absolutely thrashing them for an hour. To the redline in every gear every time, but also using engine braking, that's the important part. It's like when we give our backs and legs a really good stretch.
I suppose you could do a compression test and that would pretty much tell you definitively. You could check the condition of the spark plugs at the same time.
Do let me know what you find though, I am intruiged!
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Italian tune up done.
Flat out she'll do 0-60 in about 11.52 seconds with a quarter tank. At 4000 RPM on certain low grade fuels she'll lose most power over 4K and start shaking bad.
Coolant temp rises noticeably with RPM, but I've known my radiator is bad since I got the car. Also noticed a new coolant leak.
Plugs are new-ish and mostly fine but are a bit dark.
Was a lot of fun to get this thing up and going, was running a little bit better near the end of the tune up. Still sluggish and not happy with interstate speeds most of the time but feels slightly better.
-------I don't have the tools for these so I had a friend look at it while I was in classes-------:
Compression is overall fine. Lower than factory spec but okay. Interestingly I was told on a cold start some of the cylinders were really low. I was also told oil is most likely advancing through piston rings on cold start.
Oil pressure is apparently much higher than expected, but isn't worryingly high.
I wasn't given exact numbers except for the low compression which had the cylinders sitting around 150-ish. However when hot, was more about 180.
Additionally oil is much darker than normal. Going to get oil sample done when I change it in a few weeks. This isn't due to oil dilution/fuel contamination as this car
only drives interstate at the moment, and the conditions are not right for significant oil dilution.
Otherwise aside from some base level things I haven't really looked at it. To be honest I don't know how much I trust his compression tests either. He said a lot of weird things and I wasn't there for any of it. (Couldn't tell me what cylinders were low.)
The PCV valve is most likely failed. Will replace since it's a 12$ part and I'd like an excuse to drag my friends over to laugh at this thing. (A tradition) It looks fine from the outside, but peace of mind is a lovely thing.
Might also be some pressure relief valves going bad. I saw that on the forums too.