Piston Slap & High Oil Consumption - Rodeo 2.8L T/Diesel

Submitted: Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 12:50

ThreadID: 43401 Views:13904 Replies:7 FollowUps:8

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BushyC

Does anyone have any ideas...

I recently bought a 2000 Holden Rodeo 2.8 Turbo Diesel, with 220,000k's on the clock. Just to let you know, when I purchased the vehicle I organised a RACV inspection, the report came back 100%, engine in perfect running order.
So take note.. is a RACV inspection really worth it...

Well here I am, 12 months later with a vehicle that drinks approx 1 litre of oil per 500k's when driving at around 110km/h.. I noticed the oil consumption 3 months after purchasing the vehicle, when I service the vehicle and drove 350k's to the country, when I checked the oil and sure enough, it was down..

To try and rectify the oil consumption issue, I purchase some lovely Flush Oil treatment from CEM..(This stuff really cleans....amazing) in hope that my problem was glazed cylinders or stuck pins. I have to admit a slight improvement was noticeable, but I still have a oil consumption issue.

I have checked for blow-by, running the engine and taking off the oil cap, and I can see light amounts of smoke, but it almost looks like steam. Its very faint. Unsure, can it be steam????

Another issue I have is... cold mornings it suffers from piston slap, I was originally running 15W-40 oil but have not opted for 10W-30 as advised in the service manual, but the piston slap is still the same as it was with the heavy weight oil..
During the warmer months of the year, no piston slap issues, just as the days get colder the piston slap worsens.

Before you suggest that I sell the vehicle, does anyone out there have some information that may help..

Should I look at the injection timing, could this be the cause of my issues if slightly out? I don't know, I have looked at everything..

Cheers
Claude

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Reply By: BushyC - Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 12:54

Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 12:54

Amendment..

Another issue I have is... cold mornings it suffers from piston slap, I was originally running 15W-40 oil but have NOW opted for 10W-30 as advised in the service manual, but the piston slap is still the same as it was with the heavy weight oil..

AnswerID: 228303

Follow Up By: mike w (WA) - Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 19:42

Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 19:42

Dont be alarmed about the cold morning piston slap, they all run like this on a cold morning. Just up the revs a little until she warms up. The hand throttle is good for this

As for the oil consumption I cannot comment. Obviorusly no leaks, so it may be worth getting a specialist to check it out. Great vehicle IMO, would hate to see their reputation tarnished ;)

FollowupID: 489162

Reply By: disco driver - Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 14:49

Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 14:49

Hi Bushy C,
Not saying it's not piston slap but.....
It's a direct injection motor. They all sound bloody rattley when starting from cold.

IMHO "recently" is not 12 months ago.
If it started using oil 3 months after you purchased it why wait for another 9 months to complain about it?
How many K's have you put on top of the 220000 it had when you bought it?

The motor may well be showing signs of it's age and use

It may need a set of rings, or new valves and guides or both (worn guides can use lot of oil) and because it's a diesel it will be burned in the combustion process and not necessarily show up in the exhaust emissions.

Not much help but may give youa few ideas to follow up.

Disco

AnswerID: 228328

Follow Up By: BushyC - Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 15:45

Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 15:45

Thanks for tip, I have done 11,000ks since I purchased it.
So 230,000k's for this engine type is nothing.. I've been told you can see 500,000k's before a rebuild is required.

Just curious.. before I waited 12 months to complain on this forum, you would have suggested I do what after the 3 months of purchase? Go to used car dealer or to RACV?

Just to let everyone know, the RACV inspection only covers mechanical mulfaunction after 1 month after purchase..

FollowupID: 489108

Reply By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 17:02

Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 17:02

Hi Bushy

Hope I dont come accross as a D---H--- im just a plumber not a diesel mechanic,
is ther any way of doing a compression test. I dont know if you can on diesel
motors. ?

Cheers
Daza

AnswerID: 228365

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 21:51

Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 21:51

Claude,

- What brand/type/spec oil are you using?
- What is the service history of the vehicle and is it real?
- Using a litre of oil every 500k's is more than anything I've ever heard of - you must have smoke galore coming out the exhaust.
- "is it steam" to which I reply "Is it using water?"
- RACV inspection can't tell you about oil consumption. There are a lot of things that vehicle inspections can't tell you and thats one of them.
- If someone told you that 4 cylinder diesels are good for 500,000k, then they are telling porkys.

If I were you, I'd spend some money on a good brand diesel engine oil (15W40), and stop worrying about the engine. Give it time and see if it settles down.

Cheers
Phil

AnswerID: 228444

Follow Up By: BushyC - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 12:30

Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 12:30

Hey Phil,
previously using Mobil DX 15W-40 now moved to the specification recommended 10W-30 Mobile Agri Super.

I kid you not, no smoke comes out from the rocker cover, I previously had small amounts, but since I have use CEM Oil Flush treatment for the second time the smoke has gone, only vapour appears.

I did previously say the CEM Oil Flush worked slightly, I removed the oil cap yesterday when the engine was cold, and fired it up, no smoke at all. Nothing.. It looks like the Oil Flush treatment has worked... Truly amazing stuff.. I will keep everyone posted come 500ks, lets see if the oil dissapears.

Also no smoke out the back, so the turbo seals are still in good condition..

FollowupID: 489268

Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 20:43

Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 20:43

Blue smoke comes out the exhaust pipe when you're burning oil. Doesn't come out the rocker cover.

I'm cynical of "oil flush". I don't believe there will be any long term benefit. And if a lot of carbon is removed, you have to ask about whether the vehicle was serviced. But thats just opinion.

FollowupID: 489398

Follow Up By: BushyC - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 17:08

Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 17:08

Hi Phil, I will have to disagree with you there, effects of blow-by will not show up through your tail pipe, it will show through your crank(via leaking seals) and via your cylinder head area(oil cap).

Mate, you need to try Oil Flush to see for your self, the amount of crap(built up carbon) that comes out is amazing. Long term benfits I see is, for someone like myself who does short trips(home to train station for work) - 10k's a day, the likely hood of glazed cylinders, which is part of my problem.

FollowupID: 489594

Follow Up By: madfisher - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 19:22

Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 19:22

Local carrier had a 2.8 rodeo that done 720000ks on orinigal motor, was doing 600ks a day
Cheers Pete

FollowupID: 489622

Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 20:24

Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 20:24

"effects of blow-by will not show up through your tail pipe, it will show through your crank(via leaking seals) and via your cylinder head area(oil cap)"

Hi BushyC,
So are you saying that you were losing 1litre of oil through the seals and cap every 500k's????
I don't need oil flush. My vehicle has been serviced by the book, using diesel engine oils that contain detergents to remove carbon all the time.

Pete,
720,000k is a lot of k's, but you'd expect it to go that long with 600k trips.

Cheers
Phil

FollowupID: 489631

Reply By: Peter 2 - Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 22:05

Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 22:05

Try a different brand of oil, sometimes older engines react differently to different brands even though they are the 'same' viscosity and quality.

AnswerID: 228450

Reply By: Member - Hughesy (SA) - Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 22:06

Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 22:06

Claude I had an earlier model one of these with the 2.8TD and it was a great motor (I had 255k before upgrading to a cruiser). Burning that much oil I'd be having a close look at the turbo. When you are doing highway runs the turbo is at full song so if there is problems with the oil seals here it will show up with some heavy consumption. Is there any oily residue around the turbo housing??

As has been said these direct injection engines are very noisy when cold (I love the sound of them) I'd talk to a specialist and start diagnosing..try the cheap and simple ones first ie. compression test and work you way thru. At the end of the day if its only using say 5-6L every 5000km and you haven't got any lose in power then its only costing you an extra $30 odd dollars every 6 months in oil....and thats pretty cheap.

Hope you find the problem.

AnswerID: 228451

Reply By: Rockpig - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 00:13

Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 00:13

Sounds like a worn engine, get a compression check first up.
Excessive slap can't be good, is it really poor firing when cold started?
Does your engine have glow plugs for the cold.
Cold engines can run like goats, especially if they have a pre-combustion chamber.
Always warm the engine in the cold,compression ignition engines don't like lazy injectors. Some engines straight under labour when cold have had pistons destroyed.
The injector can burn a hole through the crown.

If it is the cold months producing slap and engine temp is normal, your injectors sound like they aren't atomising properly. Injector and pump servicing costs alot.
If the engine is worn as well, might be worth investing the money in something new. Small diesels can do amazing km if they are maintained. But I trade anything of mine under 4.8litres between 200 000 to 260 000km. They can just start costing money to run. But thats me, you can get another 150 000km easy if well maintained. All my large diesels get injector recos every 200 000 i've done this for 20yrs, our fuel is very poor grade distillate. But only now getting better.

I always use the glow plugs on a small diesel (summer or winter), and start with clutch in if manual.
It will put less load on your starter, and battery. Less load = less wear and less $$.
I know that sounds boring but it works.

Oh yeah you can get slight steam, air has water in it, engines can get condensation, slight vapour etc. Blow by is when the crankcase ventilation nearly blows the cap off.

AnswerID: 228473

Follow Up By: BushyC - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 12:37

Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 12:37

Hi Rockpig, thanks for the tip, I'm going to do a compression test as you and others on this forum have suggested. I'm going to also try CEM FTC Decarboniser in the next month, to clean out the injectors and see how we go with the piston slap on colde mornings.

I will keep you are posted.

Cheers

FollowupID: 489269