Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Mon 9 May 2011 14:02
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - Leannew

Hi

Please could someone give me some advice if possible.

My Tigra's timing belt snapped approx 5 weeks ago. I took it to the garage with the RAC and it took approx 4 weeks to fix!

This was down to the head gasket, water pump, valves, timing belt set etc ( basically everything associated with that problem) being replaced. It cost me over £1000 which is more than the car is actually worth but i was in a catch 21 situation at the time as the bill just kept creeping up!!

Anyway the issue im havin now is when I start up the car alot of smoke comes out of the exhaust (greyish colour), it seems to clear slightly once im going but as soon as I stop in traffic etc its blowing out again, which is pretty embarrsing and no doubt choking the people in the car behind me :-(.

The smoke doesnt have a strong smell really and I dont get a fuel smell etc in the car.

Please codul someone advise me if they think this is an issue with the repairs I have had done or if its likely to be further work? Also if this is further work would you know approx if this is going to be a procey issue?

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 May 2011 14:48
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - Peter.N.

I am not familier with this vehicle, is it petrol or diesel?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 May 2011 14:53
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - Leannew

Hi

Its petrol.

Thanks

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 May 2011 15:25
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - piston power

When your head gasket popped water will have mixed and gone into the exhaust where it sits.

Now it's fixed it may take a while for it to evaporate or you still may have a problem.

So what mileage have you done since the repair? and were these long journeys or stop start motoring??

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 May 2011 15:35
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - Peter D

The problem was a snapped timing belt not a HG. Take ti back to where you had it fixed. Regards Peter

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 May 2011 15:43
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - Leannew

Thanks sorry thats my wording I meant they had to change the head gasket, valves, pistons etc too as part of the whole job.

So would you say this is a fault with the work that has been done? Sorry im not clued up at all and just dont want to have to go back for them to say that its likely something else.

Thanks

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 10 May 2011 14:56
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - Cris_on_the_gas

From what you describe it sounds like one or more of the valve guides is worn or the valve stem oil seals if this engines has them are either worn or not quite fitted correctly. Could have been caused at the time of repair if it was not like this before, or maybe the problem was caused by the belt snap and should have been repaired during the repair.

Would need to investigate further I would suggest initially compression test and note results, does oil added to the bores change these readings. If yes then could be piston rings if not valves.

Good luck

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 11 May 2011 12:05
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - Leannew

Thanks alot for your reply.

I took it back to the garage that changed the head and gasket etc, they said its burning oil and just to keep it topped up, which is no where near ideal after spending £1000. he filled it agin with another 3 lites!!

He also said it wont be anything to do with the work he has completed and if he was to check it he would look at the bottom of the engine and it would cost me another £300 but there could be the chance he finds nothing wrong.

Does this sound correct?

Thanks again for the help and advice

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 11 May 2011 12:48
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - unthrottled

The advice about having the valve guides checked is good; I would take the advice. If when the belt snapped, some valves were bent then the valve guides could have been damaged and this is allowing oil to be sucked into the cylinders at idle. The problem is that replacing valve guides necessitates the removal of the cylinder head (and the replacement of the head gasket and head bolts) which is labour intensive. If this is true It's not so much that the work that the garage did is wrong, as incomplete. The valve guides should have been checked when the head was removed the first time. I would go to a different garage and ask them to do the compression test with oil and seek their opinion. You can then go back to the first garage with this.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 11 May 2011 13:55
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - Leannew

Thats great thanks very much for all your help and advice.

I will get it booked into a different garage and get the test completed.

Fingers crossed i wont have to pay anything further.

Thanks again

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 May 2011 14:29
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - Leannew

Hi

Just an update and some advice if possible.

The garage are going to do a compression test on it but he is saying the only thing it can be is the piston rings.

Does sound correct as he has quoted another £600

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 May 2011 15:31
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - unthrottled

I don't agree with the garage. If the dry compression test is fine there is no reason to suspect that the piston rings are bad. Damaged valve seals/valve guides can cause heavy oil consumption/smoking ESPECIALLY AT IDLE. What do other readers think?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 13 May 2011 09:49
Vauxhall Tigra - 1998 - Large amounts of grey / black smoke from the exhau - Leannew

Thanks for your reply unthrottled - really apprciated.

The garage I had the initial work completed at has said they would do the compression test, however I have been advised to maybe get the RAC to do a full investiagtion on the car so that I have a detailed report to be able to then go back incase they tamper or amend any of the work.

I think this would be the best idea would anyone agree with this?

After speaking to a few people they seem to think it wont be the piston as this is at the bottom of the engine and the problems with the car point towards the work already completed and more likely the valve guides or oil stems. Does this sound correct.

They also mentioned that if the car goes back to the garage he may fix the problems with the guides but then still charge me for the piston due to them not owning up to the initial problems. I hope this wouldnt be the case but I would never know, as I say Im not clued up at all just going by advice.

Thanks again for you help on this.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link