1600 Breather Pipe Oil Smoke

[Rangi246]

I took the car for a good run the other day, got the engine nice and hot and when I pulled up I noticed quite a bit of smoke coming from under the bonnet. I lifted it up and found it was coming from two places, a small amount from the breather on the rocker cover, which it has always done and a bit more from the breather pipe by the oil filter. It wasn't a huge amount of smoke but was definately noticeable. I use a good quality mineral 20/50 oil and the engine hardly uses any at all. Its also got fantastic oil pressure and its only done 25k miles since it was fully reconditioned.  

Is this anything to worry about or is it pretty normal when the engine is really hot?

[Rangi246]

I should also add that there isn't any blue smoke whatsoever coming from the exhaust and about 500 miles ago when it got a new head gasket installed, I got the cylinder head reconditioned at the same time (had a couple of leaky valve guides). I never get any smoke from the bottom breather pipe unless the engine is really hot.

Any thoughts?

[junkuser]

Sounds like fumes rather than smoke.

[Pete Lewis]

as this has an open breather system any gentle meandering fumes from the rocker cap gauze or the lower level tube is pretty normal

have you removed the gauze fitted between block and the alloy end casting of the tube breather and make sure its clear

Pete

[Rangi246]

I haven't removed anything for examination yet other than the cap on the rocker cover. I'll check the block gauze this weekend. Thanks for your help.

Mark

[f1zzm]

Hi Rangi
Get the engine warm, remove oil filler cap, and hold a piece of toilet tissue over the hole with engine running, if it flaps about a lot could be some thing going on with piston rings/bores, would then go for a commpresion test, if not probbably nothing to much.

I have had some piston rings that only lasted 5000miles and some that had the gap well out of spec before being fitted,
(mad)
good quality costs but bad quality costs more, as ive found out to my....