Neighbor with "like new" 87 SDL. He bought this car while believing the turbo was the reason all the motor oil exits through the exhaust after cranking and starting the engine. He replaced the turbo and you quessed it. No difference. I was informed about the car from a friend and came to know Carl. Really beautiful car which I can't afford but I thought I would ask some of you for help and get him on a right track. He tells me the Service Manual explains there is a sensor in the valve cover which is known to cause this nightmare. He showed me the valve cover off and a rivited sheet metal inner cover underwhich is this "sensor". Can this be the problem and an easy fix? Some well meaning locals say its got a blown piston.

Does anyone else love his neighbor?

Thanks, LD

ALL the oil? You mean it spews 8qts of oil on the ground through the exhaust when starting the engine? A little oil? Explain please.

Oil coming out the exhuast generally points to a pretty bad engine issue. (Blown valve seals....rings....piston(s)...etc....) Likely not a "sensor" problem, the 603 engine in the SDL does not really have any "sensors" The only thing electronic on the engine is the Idle Speed Controller.

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That's an oil separator on the inside of the cam cover.

If the turbo has been replaced, it points to an internal engine problem. Unless he replaced the turbo with a "new used" unit that was also bad....

Jim

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when the exhaust was off, which exhaust ports had oil in them? whats the intake look like?

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Yes. Carl says it emptys the pan of oil onto the driveway directly. He is a retired truck driver and says that turbos have done this in his experience with oil down the side of the cab. The replacement was either new or rebuilt but not from the junkyard. John, can't tell you which exhaust port may have been full of oil or even if he had to remove the exhaust manifold to replace the turbo. Sorry. He offered no more info than that it starts right up and emptys the oil out the back. Thank you for helping out with this limited info but I could call him if need be. He and I thought it was kind of rediculous to go after a "sensor" by grinding off the rivets to remove the inner valve cover pan.

Thank, LD

Probably a classic head gasket failure between cylinder #1 and the timing chain gallery.

Check this thread: Smoky SDL

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A compression test will diagnose thhead gasket really fast. When the gasket fails in front of the #1 cylinder, badly enough so you're blowing blue smoke, the compression will be low on cylinder #1. And, it will blow liquid oil out of the #1 glow/injector hole while you are testing the other cylinders. (Don't ask how I know, lol.) Compression testers have gotten really cheap on eBay these days... about $50 shipped.

That said, if this IS the failure, make SURE that you fully clean out the oil galley in the cylinder head. The debris from the failed gasket can plug up the oil passages feeding the camshaft bearings and hydraulic lifters. My 602 had noisy lifters, I replaced all 10 and it got quieter but not silent... a month later the gasket failed, and after a new gasket (and carefully cleaning the oil passages!), the lifters are now silent.

Photos of the whole project are here - check out the gasket pics:
http://w124performance.com/images/OM602_head/

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Dave, I haven't reviseted this post for awhile but I think you have pointed out some good ideas which will be helpful for Carl. Also the pics are great help. I will try to talk with Carl and get started on the compresion test. Thanks to all. LD