Hi guys I have a Fiat Stilo 1.6 16V 2004 and it is smoking and using too much oil, every time im traveling long distance I have to buy 5 litre oil and check oil every 200KM. it smokes badly when I rev, on start up and low gear for example gear 1 and 2, once im on gear 3 upwards smoke disappears. the engen also vibrates on start up until the rev count goes below 10rpm. please help guys what can be the problem.
Technical Fiat Stilo 1.6 16V Smoking
- Thread starter sbusiso
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Technical Fiat Stilo 1.6 16V Smoking
Abarth L
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I suggest performing a compression test, it might show low compression on one or all cylinders.
You don't mention how many km'your car has done, sounds like the rings and sleeves are worn out if high km's done.
This will cause carbon to build on the valves and will result in burning the valves.
Most probably at 3rd gear the wind is blowing most off the smoke away quicker, also lower revs after cange over.
You don't mention how many km'your car has done, sounds like the rings and sleeves are worn out if high km's done.
This will cause carbon to build on the valves and will result in burning the valves.
Most probably at 3rd gear the wind is blowing most off the smoke away quicker, also lower revs after cange over.
You either have worn rings, or more likely hardened or damaged valve stem seals. I'm not sure one is much better than the other, in terms of how easy they are to fix.
Do a compression test to check compression. If compression is good... and also even across all the cylinders, then it's more likely to be a dodgy valve stem seal. If one or two cylinders have compression that is more than 10% lower than the others, then you could have a piston ring problem.
Whichever it is, you're looking at a head removal job. The valve-guide seals are under the rocker cover but you need the head off to hold the valve in place once you have removed the valve collets and springs.
Rings need the pistons to come out.. usually the easiest way is to prod them out of the head from underneath (which saves taking the crank out).
It's a big job in terms of labour. You will need to price in the new rings and/or valve guide seals, a new head gasket.... and also the "while you're here" stuff. It makes sense to replace the cam-belt, tensioners and water-pump while the head is being dismantled, especially if you're due a cam-belt change anytime soon, since the belt has to come off anyway... so no sense to re-fit the old one, unless it's brand new.
If it was me, I'd replace the seals and the piston rings regardless of where the problem is. Then at least you'll have everything in there "all new" so you'll get some value out of the huge bill you're about to get. It won't need any more attention for a very long time.
Ralf S.
Do a compression test to check compression. If compression is good... and also even across all the cylinders, then it's more likely to be a dodgy valve stem seal. If one or two cylinders have compression that is more than 10% lower than the others, then you could have a piston ring problem.
Whichever it is, you're looking at a head removal job. The valve-guide seals are under the rocker cover but you need the head off to hold the valve in place once you have removed the valve collets and springs.
Rings need the pistons to come out.. usually the easiest way is to prod them out of the head from underneath (which saves taking the crank out).
It's a big job in terms of labour. You will need to price in the new rings and/or valve guide seals, a new head gasket.... and also the "while you're here" stuff. It makes sense to replace the cam-belt, tensioners and water-pump while the head is being dismantled, especially if you're due a cam-belt change anytime soon, since the belt has to come off anyway... so no sense to re-fit the old one, unless it's brand new.
If it was me, I'd replace the seals and the piston rings regardless of where the problem is. Then at least you'll have everything in there "all new" so you'll get some value out of the huge bill you're about to get. It won't need any more attention for a very long time.
Ralf S.
The rope trick perhaps?
Remove the spark plugs, then turn the engine by hand until one piston is part way up on it's compression stroke. Feed a length of rope into that cylinder through the spark plug hole until the cylinder is almost full, then turn the engine further until the rope compresses enough to hold the 2 valves in place. Replace the 2 seals, then turn the engine backwards and pull the rope out.
Last time I did this was on a push rod engine, so the rocker shaft had to be removed to replace the valve stem seals for each cylinder. With an over head cam engine, the camshaft would need to be removed for each cylinder.
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That (or some other) bodgery might work, especially given the age/value of the car. It can't really go wrong, even if it just doesn't work..
Ralf S.
Ralf S.
No... compression test is the first thing to try, since if the results are low, variable or both, then it would point more to the rings.
My money would still be on the valve seals .. just more likely that one or more has suddenly failed than a rings problem (bearing in mind how much oil it's losing).. but it's best to eliminate the rings via a compression test first, just to know what's what.
Ralf S.
My money would still be on the valve seals .. just more likely that one or more has suddenly failed than a rings problem (bearing in mind how much oil it's losing).. but it's best to eliminate the rings via a compression test first, just to know what's what.
Ralf S.
