Options Needed

[LFC4LIFE]

Hey all,

I'm pretty sure that my piston ring has gone.

The reason for my thinking is that it is burning pure oil at an amazing rate. The amount of white smoke that comes out of the exhaust is simply insane. Also there is a slight misfire if you blip the throttle.

The only other thing I think it could be is something to do with turbo.

I have yet to take it to a garage as in its current state it is undriveble so I will have to get the garage to pick the car up, plus I currently don't have the money it will cost to fix it yet.

If it is the piston ring I guess it would depend on how much damage it has actually done.

What I'm after is really info on things like how much damaged could of been caused, costs, options on what to do?
If it is the turbo how much would this cost, should I stick to the standard turbo or go with something else?

Just to let everyone know, I have no mechanical knowledge at all, everything I've been told so far is by mechanics watching a video of my car.

Oh yeah, my car is a 2003 1.8T Curpa with 80,000 miles on the clock

 

[ChrisGTL]

You say white smoke?

Not a blue/grey smoke?

Best way to check rings and valves is by finding a steep hill. But you already have said driving is not possible? Is this because of the amount of smoke.

I always thought a piston ring would cause a blue or grey smoke out of exhaust?

Have a look in your coolant header tank.......how does the coolant look?

 

[LFC4LIFE]

The amount of smoke its producing makes it impossible to drive the car, also it stinks of buring oil. It honestly smells like its on fire.

The smoke is white, no black/grey/blue smoke.

Like I said before, I have next to no mechanical knowledge.

You mentioned "Best way to check rings and valves is by finding a steep hill" how would this work?

Also you mentioned "Have a look in your coolant header tank.......how does the coolant look" where is the coolant header tank?

 

[Willie]

Open bonnet, look at LHS of engine there should be a bulbus bottle with what should be pinf coolant, in your case it might not be pink.

 

[LFC4LIFE]

Cheers for that,

If its not pink what would this indicate?

 

[Willie]

Problems!!
lol sorry
The coolant circulates between ports in the engine jacket and the turbo (on the LCR not too sure about the LC) if the cylinder head gasket if fecked and picking up oil on its way around it will return to the expansion tank.
Are you loosing coolant

 

[djheath]

Is the oil a milky brown colour too?

 

[LFC4LIFE]

its not losing any coolant, i will check the colour tonight, cheers guys and as for the oil, it looks fine, whats left of it !!!

 

[Willie]

Your saying the car is undriveable is this solely due to the smoke?
Surely if you had feck a piston ring the the car would feel like it had/has dropped a cylinder
Oh and if the oil is low top it up before you do anything else

 

[LFC4LIFE]

On emore quick question, i'm going to get a compression tester for the pistons / cylinder head, what should the pressure be?

Cheers once again

 

[Willie]

Dunno sorry

 

[LFC4LIFE]

Your saying the car is undriveable is this solely due to the smoke?
Surely if you had feck a piston ring the the car would feel like it had/has dropped a cylinder
Oh and if the oil is low top it up before you do anything else

Thats right mate, its soley due to the amount of smoke, I would either cause an accident because nobody wouldbe able to see or get nicked.

In terms of how it drives, the power is down a little, more laggy then anything, and the engine sounds a little on the rough side. When I say rough, it is very little, I only noticed it because i drive the thing everyday, most people who have heard dont pick up on it.

As for the low oil. it was driven about half a mile after the oil warning light came on, since then its been sitting on my drive way. I wont even be driving it to the garage, I will be getting it towed, dont wont to risk causing anymore damage.

I thought the same as you in regards to it being a fecked piston ring, but having never driven a car with fecked piston ring / dropped a cylinder, I wouldn't know. I can only go on what people have told me.

My biggest worry is that I will have to take it to seat and I trust them as far as I can throw, them so i'm trying my best to figure out what the problem could be so when it goes to them I will know whether they are trying to rip me off or not.

 

[ChrisGTL]

See if all the cylinders are reporting same compression.

If you want me to test your engine oil I will do. All you need to do is send me a sample from your engine in a tub/bottle that wont leak in post.

Your doing right by not using it though, not even to a garage. Have you noticed if the engine oil is as runny as water?

 

[Deleted member 20376]

i thought normally if its white its burning a lot of water/coolent

 

[ChrisGTL]

i thought normally if its white its burning a lot of water/coolent

me too, a quick sodium check will tell me if theres any coolant in there

 

[Deleted member 20376]

mine gets really hot quickly and when im sat at lights my exhaust steams a lot, not smoke but think its just cause the weather is so cold and its a fairly big exhaust well the standard cupra r.

if it was the turbo thought it would be black smoke.

 

[LFC4LIFE]

no, its defo oil, you can smell it a mile away.

Also the car is not overheating at all, the temp gauge has never been past half way. (which is 90f if I remeber right)

 

[Deleted member 20376]

hm mine used a little bit of oil but not loads. seat said when they are wearin in they use oil