Catch Tank? Unsure...

[charlie]

Conduct a leak down test. That is the only way you will know for sure
which cylinder is acting up. other things to consider are
1) what oilr u using. thin oil would go through your engine
most people tend to use Casrol RS. try an oil change first
2) if it smokes when u lift off sounds like stem seals
3) try starting the car and going for a drive immediately.
does it smoke when u drive or does it smoke when u've stopped.
4) remove mushroom dome from crankcase and wash it out with abit
of petrol so the diaphram moves freely. takes about 10 mins.
5) r u loosing any coolant.
let us know how u got along. above results will determine.

(Ps: worst case worn piston rings, turbo ,stemseals or headgasket)

[RustyNut]

Cheers Charlie.

The worst case scenario's you mention were the ones i was hoping no one was going to mention!!!
I thought at first that the problem may have been down to something major but that was purely based on the fact that i've previously never really had much luck in these situations...
However, my fingers are crossed and i'm trying to think positively!
If it was the stem seals, wouldn't it smoke on lift off at all times? It just seems odd that it doesn't happen when the 'drilled' filler cap is fitted??
Really hope it is something simple as i paid quite a lot of money for the engine.

Cheers

R.

[1975DCS]

3) does it smoke when u've stopped.
4) remove mushroom dome from crankcase and wash it out with abit
of petrol so the diaphram moves freely. takes about 10 mins.

3) Mine does that a bit... What would that indicate?
4) Do you have a picture from this mushroom or precise location?

[audiman]

A catch tank will only cover up the existing problem you have. The car shouldnt smoke as it is, if all was ok. Sounds like turbo or Valve stem oil seals. Yes a catch tank will stop it burning the oil, but its not a cure for the original problem.

My car now breaths heavily, which is understandable, and it would 'breath' about 1 litre of oil every week. So I had to fit a permanant drain to the catch tank back into the sump, which works well. But the real cure for my car is new bores/pistons/rings. But not this year