Problem in Car Diesel Engine

Does your mechanic tell you why "...the engine cann't exhaust fully from it's designed path...."? Can this obstruction not be removed?

This fellow who provided the overhaul advice: Does he by some chance offer this service? That may be a factor.

It may be due to problem in Piston ring, he is not sure though. May be due to mud or garbage inside the engine etc. Yes, he will do the servicing.

Okay, I misread you original post.

I agree with #2 and your mechanic. New engine or rebuild is probably in your very near future.

A cylinder compression and leak-down test will indicate the condition of the rings.

You failed to include the important information like mileage on the present engine.

Sludge should not cause oil leaks, and may even help seal some small leaks.

The engine's worn out and has massive blow-by.

It needs to be re-built.

Where is the exact location of the leak? Does it still accelerate well? Is the engine smoking profusely? Clean the engine with gunk or steam or both, and find the location of the leak, it might just be a gasket leaking....Get a second opinion...

Does it have an emissions system on it like a catalytic converter or worse?

If so you could simply just have a plugged up exhaust system.

OK, first I will say I am not an expert on engines, nor have I played one on TV. I am just drawing on many years of experience.
The oil or smoke is probably caused by a blown head gasket. I doubt if there is a "low oil pressure switch", but usually there is a "low oil level" switch. If you find the wire going to that switch on the block and disconnect it and the engine keeps running then you know what is killing the engine.
You might also try running it without the air cleaner, as a plugged air cleaner can draw oil from the breather.

Jesse,

Do your "many years of experience" include anything to do with cars, or just selling solar panels?

When your car is sitting at a spot, you will be able to see where the oil comes out of the engine block and.. according the law on gravity it fell down. Looking from the puddle or center of the drop of oil upwards, maybe you can locate where the oil escapes from the block. You might have a worn out seal on one of the outcoming shafts. This is a simple statement. Or maybe it is the oil pan seal, or the drain plug.

please see list of recommendation:

1. km reading of the car? if 80 to 100,000km

2. clean the whole engine/transmission to verify leak source.

3. if leak exist at the front/near the blade, due to item 1, you have to replace the gear drive belt, roller bearings, gasket.

4. if leak exist at cover, change the cover gasket

5. does your engine oil level drops the normal level?

6. if above symptoms are present, then go to the car service center or to qualified mechanic only.

Do you carry out the servicing of car regularly as recommended by the manufacturer?. Which year model it is ? How many Kms it has covered so far? It is always better to consult the authorized service agent of the car .

Dear Mr. sidhu16,

After reading the issue - I am of the opinion, that block of Exhaust Gas Flow Path, as suggested by your mechanic, will not be correct. The reason being, the exhausting of burnt gas is done by Piston and it will absorb more power to push out. Secondly any left out Exhaust Gas will expand during suction and fresh air intake will reduce, affecting the Engine Output in terms of H.P developed.

Pl. refer post No.8, by Mr. JesseConant and I concur with his views - that the Gasket might have been damaged, causing leakage of oil.

To check this, pl. do the following excercise either by you or by your mechanic.

1. Remove the Fuel Injector Nozzle in one cylinder and fix a Pressure Gauge of 0-600 psi Range or 0-45 Kg/cm^2 Range

2. Keep the Battery fully charged ( if need be keep 2 Batteries in Parallel) and crank the Engine, and observe the Pressure Gauge Reading. If it is below 280 psi or 19.62 Kg/cm^2, it indicates, either the Rings are the problem, or liner is worn out or the Gasket has failed for that particular Cylinder.

For new Engine the pressure should be 310 to 315 psi or 21.72 Kg/cm^2 to 22.07 Kg/cm^2. These Pressures are applicable for the Engines designed for a Compression Ratio of 21:1

3. Repeat the excercise, for other cylinders, to confirm, whether the Gasket has failed or so on. If the Gasket has failed, then oil leakage is confirmed, and power developed will not be available for running the vehicle.

Thanks,

DHAYANANDHAN.S

Ambassador car is old outdated model of "Morris" U.K. Very few people buy this model. I think OP is using old car which has developed this problem.

If there is a system to remove air from the crankcase and burn it in the engine, this should be dismantled and cleaned first to make sure this is not the REAL problem.....I am unaware if this is done for diesels or not, maybe someone can clear that up for me?

If that is not the problem:-

If you remove the oil filler cap when the engine is warm and running, you may see a great amount of air being forced out of the block. If this air appears to have some exhaust gas in it (sometimes hard to tell). you have either/both worn pistons/rings and or valve stem seals.....

The usual way to find out is to first measure compression for each cylinder, note readings, then add a good shot of engine oil into each cylinder, one at a time and measure each one again.

If its pistons/rings, the pressure will improve fairly dramatically with the oil, if its valve seals it won't......a reworked cylinder head will be far cheaper and quicker than a complete new engine.....

For a Diesel engine pressure test you need an adapter, usually for where the injector fits and a better pressure gauge, one especially made for Diesels as the pressures are far higher than in a petrol engine.....

Running the engine once repaired using synthetic oil will preclude further early engine wear.....regular replacement of the oil and filter should keep a diesel engine running for many many years.

90% reason of the blow is the weak rings or over used cylinder sleeves .your mechanic is right .

Well this part right here says it cant get its exhaust out.

"I discussed this problem to a local mechanic and he told me that the engine cann't exhaust fully from it's designed path and thus create back pressure and search for other paths to come out and thus take some engine oil with it while coming out."

What more is there to read from that than a plugged exhaust system?

Diesels don't like exhaust system back pressure unless they are designed specifically to have an exhaust based brake system like a Jake brake and even then that's actually done in the cylinders themselves by changing the exhaust valve timing and lift.

Read this "blow-by".

From #3, I can't get past "May be due to mud or garbage inside the engine etc."

That seems like a deal ender.

I read that as sludge.

Understanding different languages can be trying.

Yeah, that could be. Makes more sense as well.

Is leaking engine oil the symptom of sludge buildup? Still sounds like it could be obstruction.

20,000 Indian rupees is about $350.00 US dollars. This sounds like a reasonable price for an engine rebuild, but economies of the world can distort values.

Now that I have gathered some more info, I think we are motor- related. Your engine is a British Leyland 1500 cc with 2 valves per cylinder, rockers and pushing rods, operated from the cam shaft on the side. I took the same apart (but a 1800 cc version) from my boat. It would be nice to tell how and where the oil escapes.

I have had most of the parts in my hands before assembling it again.

This engine is still produced in India. If you find a parts place, I am interested to know it also. I want to buy some spare parts to be safe for another 20 years. Not a small but one of the best engines BL ever produced. Found its way to power e.g.Ford tractors and was the base for the 4 cylinder Cummins and the 109 Thornycroft.

Andy is pretty close I guess. Check the breather line from the lower block section. It is a rubber hose 1/2" running between the side cover plates and the Air intake filter.

What is the path the oil choses?