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Triumph TR6 - mystery in my oil

My fellow LBCO's. I will begin by saying that my TR's rings are sealed and settled. But the smoke it constantly puked out was a question. Then I thought that the previous owner might have run it on thin oil. I put in 5w 50. The smoke decreased by 80%. I guess I need to run it a bit more.

Here is the mystery. While draining the old oil, I noticed a green tinge to it (not anti freeze nor milky) I don't have a clue. All I know when I purchased the car it didnt smoke (in March 2004)now it is. Am I to assume the previous owner put in a additive to show case the car as a non smoker? Untill it wore out. Has anyone heard or such a thing? I hate all this trickery of SMOKE and mirrors.
Marcello

Green? Jeez, never heard of that before. Probably is some kind of additive.

Does it smoke most on acceleration or on deceleration? Acceleration would indicate rings. Deceleration would be valve guides. Does it have one of those aftermarket oil supply lines for the valve train?

good luck,
Tim
Tim Brand

Marcello,

I recently purchased my 6, amongst others I gathered information at Triumph Buyers guide, and guess what ?

mentioned was a slighmish component to engine oil !

sounds familiar to you ? , heres what, check your coollant as well(whilst running), if you feel any "draft", chances are your head-gasket is blown,

I would check compression to be sure

You've got my sympathy,my friend, your in for an expensive one

Frank
Belgian Car(mine)

Tim I tend to agree with you. No after market feed line.
Frank my compresion is fine and no draft in antifreeze. And acceleration is the smoke.
Hmmmmmmm(????????????????)
Marcello

Marcello, Did the old oil seem to be of a heavy viscosity? Did it smell like regular engine oil? What's your oil pressure like? I am wondering if some one might have dumped some hypoid in there to mask a pressure problem. I have seen some hypoid that has a green tint to it. Hope not. Good luck
Brian
B. Towne

Also, for what it's worth, nitro-methane will contaminate engine oil and turn it light green.

Jim
Jim Deatsch

Marcello, sounds like good old " Engine Restore " that is sold almost everywhere under the banner of sealing up scratchs in the cylinder walls, helping to restore worn valve guides etc. Sounds to good to be true and it is. This stuff should be banned. If you want to screw up a older engine, just add a can of this. It is guaranteed to gum up every where you don't want it. By the way is does have a green tint and will give your oil a green tint. It will for a short period of time reduce oil consumption. Great for people tring to sell a car that is due for a engine overhaul for top dollar. I hope it ain't so for your sake, but that is sure what it sounds like to me.
Arnold Newton

Folks,
All very good reasons. But remember one thing the smoke is now 80% gone and the more I drive it, it seems to get better. This is after a oil change ????????

Wouldn't it continue to smoke if not greater after draining the old oil with the so called additive, or nitro methane or hypoid.????
Marcello

Was the engine a recent rebuild? Do you drive mostly short distance?

3 piston rings 2 compression 1 oil. Good compression does not mean not a bad oil ring that will take time wearing in?

You have a very large oil reservoir at the back of the car called a muffler. If it gets wet from early problems it will take awhile to clear as well. Short trips

Can't see the car don't know compression. Only a guess by your description.

Green will show from a coolant leak as well without milk oil. Depending on where it is. I think we went through this before? What color is the smoke?
Bill Brayford

Keep driving it. It's getting better. If you have green oil next change, it will tell you more.
Tom

Marcello - Why did you put in 5W-50? Did you miss a key and mean 15W-50? The previous owner may have put in an "engine wash" that thinned the oil and caused smoke. Do you need a 50 weight oil up there? My advice would be to change the oil again (& filter) with a 10W-40 (for winter) or 15W-50 or 20W-50 and see what happens.

BB
Brent B

Bill, compression is fine and previous owner put another engine in (rebuilt)

Brent sorry it does have 20W-50.

Well I guess I will keep driving it and see how it goes. I will keep all advice handy and will keep you posted. If any new thought pop up on this matter I will appreciate it.
TY
Marcello

If your engine was rebuilt and then sat idle for a long time, things might just now be starting to loosen up. There might be deposits under the rings or something. The green still has me puzzled. Maybe some oils are green, tranny oil does have kind of a green tinge, you'da smelled that, I think. If it wasn't black, it must not have had many miles on it. Has your oil pressure increased or decreased after the oil change? There are places to send a sample of your oil to see if there are excessive amounts of other things in there (bearing metal, coolant, whatever) that indicate problems without tearing the engine down. People with expensive engines use these services to warn them of problems before they get real expensive (again).

I still say drive it and watch it.
Tom

This thread was discussed between 21/08/2004 and 25/08/2004

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