New 2.8 Z3, exhaust smoking…

[Robking]

Hi all,

I’ve recently bought a 1997 2.8 with around 78000 miles. I’ve wanted one since I started driving 5 years ago. So far it’s been more of a project than I had hoped…to sum up the car, on the way home I felt big vibrations on lift on the M25. When I looked, the rear left wheel was only held on with a few threads….

anyway, I have a few easier jobs on the go like diff oil/gearbox oil etc, I am an engine tech in F1 so am decent mechanically however I struggle to diagnose some of the cars quirks.

Most recently I have had some smoke on start up which I put down to early mornings in cold weather. Today the car really smelt on start up, more of oil than fuel. I have attached photos of the exhaust at start up and 10 minutes later once the fluid inside had burnt off. You can see a thick black smudge At the back of the pipe.

i have no cooling issues or coolant loss so hope it’s not a head gasket issue. I have a small leak from the rocker cover but not enough to noticeably lose oil.

has anyone had a head gasket blow or similar issue?
Many thanks,

Rob

 

[andyglym]

to the Forum from West Cumbria. If the smoke is on start-up and occasionally when you lift off the throttle it's most likely valve guide seals. If it was constant you'd have a bigger issue.

 

[Robking]

to the Forum from West Cumbria. If the smoke is on start-up and occasionally when you lift off the throttle it's most likely valve guide seals. If it was constant you'd have a bigger issue.

Thanks Andy. It’s at least not the head gasket I did a few tests for that this morning. Cheers mate

 

[andyglym]

Thanks Andy. It’s at least not the head gasket I did a few tests for that this morning. Cheers mate

Could also be running a bit rich looking at the exhaust.

 

[Ianmc]

If the car has been used "sparingly" (loose wheel might so indicate) and fluids are OK, could be in need of a good run?

 

[Nodzed]

Give it an Italian tune up then see how it behaves.

 

[t-tony]

By the looks of those tail pipes it ain’t burning much oil. Some video might be more useful to help assess it.

Tony.

 

[Shelly]

 

[hard top]

to the Forum.

 

[Andyboy]

It's normal. Cold start up steam - BMW exhausts are double skinned and take ages to clear out. M52's have pretty strong cold start fuelling so a sooty exhaust tailpipe is nothing unusual.

Chances are you still have a Nikasil engine and these really dislike short trips and being fired up and shut off again before being fully warmed up.