why is my van blowing out blue smoke?

Question

citreon berlingo van 1900diesel s,reg blowing blue smoke when cold

Answer 1

Diesel's do produce smoke when the engine is cold, however looking at the age of the van your fuel injectors could be on the way out.

Answer 2

Most of the answers said it's your engine oil. However, I've known blue smoke to be transmission oil burning. The engine oil causes grey smoke.
Normally this condition will happen from a vacuum modulator that is connected to your tranny. If that's all it is, then the fix is not very expensive.

I don't know much about that particular van. The best thing to do is take it to a mechanic and hope it's not too serious. I could be wrong, but I never claimed to be perfect. Keep an eye on your fluid levels over the next few weeks. If your tranny or engine oil level seems to be dropping, then you'll know which one is using oil.

Answer 3

diesel engines are different that gas engines. normally one would say that it is oil causeing the problem and this may very well be the fact. However, it may be that you have a glow plug that is not functioning properly. diesel requires higher temperatures and compression to burn properly. many diesel engines in extreme cold temperatures will blow some blue smoke when first started. this should clear up after a few short moments. If the smoke is excessive then you may have some problems

Answer 4

Blue smoke is caused by engine oil entering the cylinder area and being burned along with the fuel air mixture. As with the white smoke, just a small drop of oil leaking into the cylinder can produce blue smoke out the tailpipe. Blue smoke is more likely in older or higher mileage vehicles than newer cars with fewer miles.

How did the engine oil get inside the cylinder in the first place? The car has many seals, gaskets, and O-rings that are designed to keep the engine oil from entering the cylinder, and one of them has failed. If too much oil leaks into the cylinder and fouls the spark plug, it will cause a misfire (engine miss) in that cylinder, and the spark plug will have to be replaced or cleaned of the oil. Using thicker weight engine oil or an oil additive designed to reduce oil leaks might help reduce the amount of oil leaking into the cylinder.

Answer 5

I find black smoke, with white clouds are normal if you drive at altitude and very cold weather up and down very steep hills.

If the blue smoke goes away when the van warms up, it means that it is an old van which has done a few miles and so I would either get a new van or not worry about it very much. Try changing the oil more often, and the air filter.

Answer 6

Its probably the fuel mix thats wrong if the smoke goes when its warmed up - you can tell by the smell, If its a diesel type smell if fuel, if its an oily smell its something that is likely to be expensive. I have the same van an its always started with a cloud of smoke, l never checked what colour it is tho ;-)

Answer 7

Due to oil getting through to the cylinder head. Suggest you
mix can of STP in the oil to seal up scratches on the cylinder surfaces or if this doesn't work, you have to change all the
rings of the pistons and gasket on the cylinder head.

Answer 8

Blue smoke is normally a sign of a worn engine and is caused by it burning oil.

Answer 9

yor valves steam seals are stuffed and the oil runs down the valves and into the pistion camber which then gets burnt and tuens in to blue smoke.you will have to take your head off and replace the valve steam seals that go around the valse.

Answer 10

It's your glow plugs probably. Try replacing them and your air filter. If that doesn't help it could be piston rings, I wouldn't worry too much if it's done quite a bit of mileage. Just warm it up good and proper before the MOT.